Mr. Collier had been a Federalist and a Clintonian, but it was as an Anti-Mason that he was elected both to Congress and as Comptroller. He, too, was largely indebted for his appointment as Comptroller to the potent influence of Thurlow Weed. The administration was a short but efficient one, and Mr. Collier proved himself through life an able and discreet man. The Legislature, which for several years had been Whig, in 1842 became Democratic, so that by concurrent resolution, on February seventh they were enabled to remove John A. Collier and re-appoint Azariah C. Flagg. During his second term Mr. Flagg performed the multiplying duties of the office with his usual fidelity, and to the satisfaction of the people of the State. There seems to have been no important enlargement of the duties of the office during this period. By various statutes, passed prior to the Constitution of 1846, the State had loaned its credit to a number of corporations, mostly railroad, until, in 1845, the State debt thus incurred, called the "contingent debt," amounted to $5,235,700. Provision was made for a sinking fund, and the management of this fund was placed with the Comptroller. Corporations have no souls, and, consequently, we find that of the credit thus loaned the State lost $3,665,700. From the additions to and accumulations of the sinking fund, the last of the contingent debt was extinguished in 1877. [Illustration: L. Burrows (signature) _16th COMPTROLLER_] By chapter 350 of the Laws of 1847, passed during his term, the Comptroller was required to make a report of the fiscal year before the close of the calendar year, and to present the same to the Legislature shortly after the commencement of its session.