During the past year the people of New York have had reason to be thankful to Almighty God for the blessings of health and abundance. Our mechanics have been actively employed, our farmers have been rewarded with generous returns for their labor. The benefactions of our State have been liberal to those suffering from want or infirmities.

The annual reports of the State charitable institutions will be submitted to you. That of the State Lunatic Asylum shows that on November 30th there were 534 patients therein, being an increase of twenty over the beginning of the year. One hundred and eighteen patients were discharged, recovered or improved. On December 1, there were three hundred and thirty-one pupils under instruction, two hundred and fifty-seven of whom are beneficiaries of the State, in the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and one hundred and fifty-one pupils in the Institution for the Blind. [Assem. No. 2.]

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