RARE "NY Acting Governor" Earl Brydges Hand Signed Envelope for Sale

RARE "NY Acting Governor" Earl Brydges Hand Signed Envelope For Sale

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RARE "NY Acting Governor" Earl Brydges Hand Signed Envelope:
$349.99

Up for sale RARE! "NY Acting Governor" Earl Brydges Hand Signed Envelope.

ES-5953E

Earl

William Brydges (May

25, 1905 – March 30, 1975) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

He was Temporary President and Majority

Leader of the State Senate from 1966 to 1972. Earl William

Brydges was born on May 25, 1905 in Niagara Falls, New York. He graduated

from Niagara University and the University at Buffalo law school in

1926. Later he served for many years on Niagara University's board of

trustees. He was admitted to the bar in 1927. Brydges served on

the Board of Education in Wilson, New

York during the 1940s. He also was active in educational

advocacy organizations in Western New York. He

was a member of the New York State Senate from 1949 to

1972, sitting in New York State Legislatures.

For

the majority of his Senate career, Brydges focused mainly on educational policy

and mental health issues. His focus within the area of mental health was on

improving services for the mentally retarded and special education students.

His education policy focus was on K-12 education policy statewide ate Special

Committee on Mental Health. In 1965, when the Republican Party lost the

majority in the State Senate for the only time since 1939, Brydges was elected

Minority Leader of the Senate. Court ordered voting rights redistricting

lead to senators serving one year terms in 1965 and 1966. The Republican Party

regained the majority in 1966, and Brydges became Majority Leader. He was

a delegate to the New York State Constitutional

Convention of 1967. As

Majority Leader, Brydges worked closely with Gov. Nelson Rockefeller on policy development

and legislation. His main focus continued on educational issues, along with

upstate economic development. He worked with Rockefeller to create the State University of New York system

and to develop new school state aid funding formulas. Brydges worked with

Rockfeller in the creation of new state agencies and reorganization of

the New York City mass transit system. As Majority

Leader, Brydges remained an advocate for Western New York and tourism

development in Niagara County. He was an early Niagara Falls. In 1972, Brydges successfully passed legislation to legalize

casino gaming in New York State through an amendment to the state constitution.

The casino amendment did not pass in the end, since the state constitution

requires the passage of legislation in two consecutive legislative sessions and

then passage of the majority of the state's voters in a statewide referendum.

Brydges' vision in the area of casino gaming was realized with the opening of

the Seneca Niagara Casino on January 1,

2003. Brydges

was a fierce advocate for the pro-life movement and blocked legislation to

legalize abortion in New York.

In 1970, Brydges allowed the Senate to vote on legislation to legalize

abortion. He did so under the belief the Senate would not pass the bill. When

the Senate surprised him and passed the bill, which had already passed

the Assembly and had the support of

Governor Rockefeller, Brydges reportedly sat in his Senate chair and wept. In 1972, both Rockefeller and Lt. Gov. Malcolm Wilson left the state on the

same afternoon. Under the state constitution, this made Brydges the Acting Governor of New York for

several hours. As acting governor, Brydges signed routine state paperwork and

conducted Senate business. He did not sign any legislation into law, including

a pending bill relating to Niagara Falls that he had sponsored. In

1972, Brydges did not seek reelection to the Senate and he retired on January

1, 1973.