All insurance companies, prior to 1846, had been incorporated by special acts, but the Constitution of that year prohibited the creation of such corporations, except under general laws. In 1849 the Legislature passed a general law for the incorporation of insurance companies. By the terms of the act the duty of organizing and regulating insurance companies in this State, both domestic and foreign, was conferred upon the Comptroller. This was the first State supervision of insurance. The duty remained with the Comptroller until January 1, 1860, when the act creating the Department of Insurance went into effect. The Comptroller's office feels proud of its two healthy and useful children--the Banking Department and the Insurance Department, which have been efficiently serving the State and protecting the interests of its citizens for many years, and it ventures to believe that the early tuition that they received from the parent department helped to form their habits and prepare them for their career. [Illustration: S E Church (signature) _17th COMPTROLLER_] Mr. Hunt resigned the Comptrollership December 18, 1850, two weeks before he was to enter upon his duties as Governor, and Philo C. Fuller, a Whig, of Geneseo, was appointed in his place. Mr. Fuller had, in early life, been a clerk in the land office of Mr. James Wadsworth. Thurlow Weed met him at that time and recognized in him abilities of a high order. It was probably at Mr. Weed's suggestion that he first entered public life; it was certainly upon Mr. Weed's recommendation that he was appointed Comptroller. It was one of the great secrets of Thurlow Weed's long retention of political power that whenever he saw capability he sought, and, to use a ranchman's expression, "corralled it." Mr. Fuller was Member of Assembly from Livingston county in 1829 and 1830, State Senator in 1831 and 1832, and Member of the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses. Later he moved to Michigan, and, being elected to the Legislature, he was chosen Speaker. He was appointed Assistant Postmaster-General in the Harrison administration, but, being unwilling to follow President Tyler into the Democratic camp, he resigned, and returned to New York. He performed the duties of his office of Comptroller with ability, although doubt of his capacity was felt at the time of his appointment.