The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-07 00:00:00

nations. People are generally honest who hare no

;emptation to be otherwise. But where the tempta-

tion becomes very strong it is necessary to have as
strong checks. Where poor men become members
of a small body exercising great powers among a
corrupt community the temptation to dishonesty is
almost irresistible. Around them men grow rich,
and boast of the means by which their riches have
been attained. Scruples are sneered at, and those
influenced by conscience fall behind in the race,
while they do not even gain, in reputation. To those
so placed, honesty ceases to be the best policy, and a
man's principles must be very strong who can sus-
tain the strain for a lengthened period. The re-
marks of the Nation on the remedy to be applied
arc well worthy of consideration. But we hold to the
statement that nothing can work permanent change
but the force of public opinion. It is not by making
bribery more expensive, that it can be suppressed.
Whatever the number of the Legislature, its divi-
sion into parties will generally throw the power into
the hands of the small body that can tura the scale.
The increase of -numbers will make the work of
lobby-agents more difficult and delicate, but it Call
scarcely have the effect of suppressing bribery.
" The great question is, what remedy can be ap-
plied with reasonable hope of success ? Many re-
medies have been tried and have failed. One or two
new ones are now suggested, which at least deserve
consideration. The first is, a great increase in the num-
ber of every Legislature thus infected. The Legisla-
ture of New York consists of 32 Senators and 128
Assemblymen, all chosen by single districts. It has
been found easy to control a majority of these
bodies, and even to obtain a two-third vote when
necessary. But it would not be easy to control a
Senate of 64 or 100 members, and an assembly of
300. Massachusetts has all the elements of corrup-
tion which New York has,with the additional temp-
tation of a party majority so strong as to be im-
pregnable ; yet we have never heard its Legislature
charged with subjection to corrupt influences. Its
lower branch has 240 members, and formerly had
over 400.

"A return to the old system of election by counties
is also strongly urged, as likely to secure a higher
grade of members, and not without reason, as the
list of candidates for the New York Convention
shows. The delegates are elected in groups of four,
and in almost every district one or two of the four
are very strong men whose reputation is depended
upon to elect their associates. But the system of
election by counties on a general ticket would put
into the Legislature none but Democrats from one
end of the State of New York, and none but
Republicans from the other end, unless some plan
for giving a representation to the minority were
adopted. If this were done all our objections would
be removed. Thus, if New York city elected thirty
Assemblymen, an elector voting for only ten mem-
bers might be allowed to give each of theta three
votes by marking a desire to that effect on his
ballot. One who voted for only five, might give
to each, six votes, and so on. In this manner the
advantages of an election by the whole county
might be secured without depriving the minority of
representation.
"On the same principle the State might be
divided into eight Senate districts, as it was before
1847, and eight or ten members be chosen from
each. This would relieve Senators from the dicta-
tion of local politicians, which is rarely exercised
for good purposes, while it would bring into service•
men of high standing without depriving younger
men of an opportunity to come in upon their merits.
"An extension of the rule forbidding special
legislation where general laws are possible Would
undoubtedly do some good. Bad as affairs are in
New York, they would be far worse if the Consti-
tution of 1846 had not laid restrictions upon special
charters. A similar but more stringent rule should
be applied to legislative grants of all kinds to the
utmost practicable extent."