New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-06-24
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

stituiiona Convention. That Inc majority Oh inc
Delegates are of different party from ours we on
eoue accounts regret bat il does not shake our faith
Ina, New Consultation will be formed vastly prefer
able 10 that which our State now has. We have great
faith in the power and the correctness OF Puoiic
Ooinion where Interest, Passion or inveterate Pre-
iudoe does not perverti and the citizens whose in
teres, clearly requires good Constitution SO greatly
outnumber those who profit by the abuses OF bad
one that we are cure the Constitution would be i'm
proved even though the Delegates were as a body,
far less capable and more corrupt than any one pre-
surnes those composing the present Convention. Ii
the whole number were Of the party we least ad-
nire we cannot doubt that such would be the result
We have not m urmured at what seems to many
the slow progress Of the Convention. When the
time for decision comes shall expect promptness;
but first let the Delegates consider what may best
be done before rushing forward TO do it, If, at the
end of the first month the work is all fairly laid out
and half the Committees ready 10 report, we shall be
satisfied with the progress thus far made But
when the Committees reported their conclusions
are known, and their grounds succinctly stated we
trust verv short speeches will be in fashion and all
pressing gessy exhibitions OF selfconceit coughed
down If necessary. Ninety days from the ls' OF
June is as long Session is consistent with the
thorough diffusion of the New Constitution among
and its ample consideration by the People PRIOR 10
their decisive action thereon at the Polls on the Isl
of November The Convention can do no less than
allow the People two of the five months to be d.
vided between the founders and the ratlhers or re-
jecters of the Amended Constitution
have been the want Of any clear discrimination be-
tween Constitutional provisions and the sphere OF
Legislative action. Resolutions are daily offered
and referred relating to matters which fall properly
within The purview OF Legislation. If some Del
egates could have their way the Constitution would
be rs vouminous as the Bible, and would obvia,e
the necessity for any Legislation whatever This
cannot be.
The only Report ye, made-that OF the Com
mittee on the Executive Department. seems TO as
defective in several respects. First in providing
that minority of the Peoples votes may suffice 20
make Governor, as ut present This is plainly
contrary to reason and Republicanism. Why was
Martin Van Buren, why is Silas Wright, Governor
Of the State Of New.York7 The obvious answer
10, Because majority Of the People chose TO have
ESQ But in point of fact neither had any such
majority Each WINS the choice of minority only
by virtue of skfully fomen,ed divisions anlong the
msjority. Here is way opened for the perpetual
ton of gross wrong. The men who thnk-who
are governed by Principle and Conscience-sre liza
bic TO differ in opinion respecting measures and
men; while the scheming, the SELF seeking the eau
cus.led whose cement is the cohesive power OF
the plumber of tho public these are troubled by no
scruples divided by no warning convictions, save In
the rare instances when they quarrel concerning the
division of the spoils Thus quarter of the legal
voters of the State nay sometimes make Govern
OF, vnile the great majority would have preferred
either of the competitors upon whom their votef
were scattered We must believe that the New
England rule of requiring majority OF the whole
number of votes TO choose Governor, and In de-
fault Of an election by the People directing the
legislature to choose from among the highest can
.,ldatee. is fairer and more Republican than that
which has hitherto prevailed in this State and which
she Committee propose to retain
But when to this liability Of having Governor
chosen by fourth Of the voters is added the reen'
ton of our present anomalous and anti Republican
Veto Power, whereby an Executive chosen by q
small minority is authorized TO arrest and defeat
the action in its own sphere ola Legislature chosen
by large majority. the error would seem too
slsring to escape the observation Of any. We mar
vel how such report could have been presented
unanimously Either the Governor should De
chosen by an absolute majority of the People hrst
and In default of this of their Representatives. or
clear majority of all the Members chosen to each
House should suffice TO pass act in defiance OF
the Governor objections.
The following section is entirely wrong;
"S2 No person except a native citizen of the United
Sta,ss shall be eligible the etice OF Governor nor
shall any porson be eligible to that Office who shall not
have attained the Thirty years and have been hve
wears a resident within this State unless he shall have
been absent during that time public business OF the
United Stsies'
Why the Committee did not so on to speci y that
mo person shall be eligible 10 the office OF Cover
nor unless he shall have graduated some College;
or has studied Law or at least knows how 10 write
Is sound in body and limbs; skilled in Military tao
tics &c. &c. |, would be hard TO say The Governor
10 exp ected to write Messages; is TO be Generalin
Chief Of the Army and Admiral of the Navy OF our
State is TO pass upon legal questions Of great pro-
fundi,y. sc. Ye, provision is made that ne shall
DO qualified for these duties; while perfectly com
petent and worthy man not born in the Union, or
not thirty years old, not FIVE years resident in
the State, is disqualified The injustice OF these
restrictions is utterly obscured by their folly,
citizen of Foreign birth, just come into the State
or les. than thirty years old, would not probably be
chosen once in hundred years in the absence OF all
restriction and whenever majority Of the People
shoud desire to elect such q one, that desire would
be a strong presumprve proof that he was eminent
~ qualified for the station II the Convention shall
agree to any restriction of the kind whatever, we
shall be sadly disappointed. Why should il? The
People either do or do no, know enough TO choose
proper rulers If they do not all such restrictions
arc inefficient and useless; If they do they are alb
surd and insulting. A majority Of the legal votes
shoald be the sole and sufficient qualification for any
Office exac,ed by the Constitution, on the presump-
tion tina, the People know how to vote. They are
no, infallibls, we all know and sometimes choose
knavish or incompetent over an honest and capable
man. But this Is a misfortune to which human IA
,ff,fta nal hapTa vfn