New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-07-31
NETWORK CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
NINTH wEEk-XLvIl-H DAY.

NINTH wEEK-XLv 1l7H Day.
NJ. o'Conor On Opinions and Piedses-Sinsis
Districts - Simple Democracy - Chatfeld's
ChanEe-Reportns- Prodissl Senaie-yOte
on Senator'S Hard Days Work
ALBANY, "Wednesday, July ., $50.
To tie Edsor Of The Tri5zas:
SIR After motion by Mr. Shepard. to postpone
The farther consideration OF DR.. Taylors Report on
the Legislature til Friday. had failed Mr Chat.
field moved reconsideration OF the vote fixing tie
number OF Senators at g. with the view OF increas-
ing the size OF the Districts, and the number o; tie
Senators
Mr. O'CoxoR knew that calm and deliberate Goa,
sheraton IN the solitude OF a mans chamber was
well calculated TO bring him TO the adoption OF cor
rect conclusions He vas uA-ammelcd By pledges
Members ought not 70 come here bound by any
pledge Before accepting a nomination TO TIL, Con-
venron ne had the questions relative 70 Single Dis
rricts addressed 10 him 70 which his colleague Mr.
Morris had referred. he understood them as ask
ing # he was in favor of single Senate and Assembly
Districis-and he ANSWERED. USEqUIvocALLY.
THAT HE wAS-and he retained the same opinion
10 this hour What was meant b. this inquiry
to single Senate and Assembly Districts Il was
that va should deliberately consider and apply the
best remedy we could devise. The principle OF
Single Districts IS the only means whereby the evil
could be remcd!ed The mischief OF large Districts
is most obvious. There are N Newly ork body
of highly respectable persons, who are almost con
stsntlv in the minority regards the Legislature
thew are entirely unreprescnted-but the majority
in the CITY as u whole ought not 10 send the whole
IS Members. is they now do. by general ticket
anv more than II would be night TO elect the whole
Assembly BY a general ticket throughout the State
III would be considered very arbitrary to put up
the whole OF the Members Of both Senate and As
sembv BY general ucket-lt was better that small
localities should have voice on the floor o. the As
semblv and he wished the opinions OF the minority
IN The CITY OF New York 20 be represented there
he wished TO show why the Convention ought not
TO 90 the whole length OF simple Single Districts. al
though he would bring the Senator nluchnearerh home
than he is now brought. As 10 the Assembly.
when giving his opinion in favor OF single Assembly
Districts he then. and he objection
10 cutting up the CITY OF New York IN 10 single
Assembly Districts Where he could do so throu gf
ont the State he would but hc observed country
REPRESENTATIVES. from Counties which had } or /
Members wIncng at tins operatlon-the alternative
being whether their Counties should be cut mp IN
the Convention or subjected 10 the Gerry wandering
of Board OF Supervisors elected under the rotten
borough system OF an unequal representation. He
would vie!dup Single Districts 10 a modified system
and introduce rule ike this, that where any one
COUNTY had more than Representatives, that
County should be cut up and Il new District formed
from it--this rule would divide the City OF New
York into 1 Districts-be opposed 10 carving
up every County in the State into small DISTRICTS
but in New-York CITY 1t would suit the minority
for II would answer the main end OF giving minor
tiles who had local mGortlcs representation
on that floor Ncw-iork had a majority On
the Democratic side. OF some thousands, yet
il was now represented ON the floor OF Congress
after being cut up into Congressional Districts, by
three Natives and nut one Democrat He thought
the Senate ought to nave more than 81 Members
in zoo il had from IS to i7-that year the number
was reduced 10 32-it is too large for Judicial tr
bunal-it is too small for Legislative body-he
was sure that It would now be Invested OF It's judi
cia power and ne thought 1t would be OF much o; Its
Executive power; as legislature its extension was
most desire bic It's enlargement afforded AN oppor
tunity to make smaller Districts but not single
Districts The ride and tie system would give
rise 20 the grcssest trauds-the Convention could
not adopt that-it they would have Single Districts,
thew were driven TO the necessity OF slecting As
semblv, Senate and Governor at one time, and
what would that be but placing the minority at the
mercy OF a temporary and perhaps mtamed ma
ioritvl Your Governor thus elected, would NOT
veto the law enacted by his political associates,
who had aided in carrying him into power-the
guillotine would be applied poitically-hordes OF
disappointed ofceholders and hungry asplrants Tor
office would swell the ranks OF opposition. and thus
thew would be brought down TO a simple not rep
resentative Democracy OF what avail could the
veto have been in ls3S, as check upon the major
itv, when 100 Members were returned 10 the As
sembly Wings by one party, II corresponding
number of Senators could have been returned which
would have been the case had the Senate been con-
stituted as it is now proposed to constitute II :
He was against coming down from Represen-
rative TO a simple Democracy, that most odlous OF
all tvrsnnies IN which men became tired OF hearing
Aristides called the Just. It an idle thing 10
have the Senate and Assembly elected at the same
time BY the people, with this only difference
between them, that the one would De little longer
than the other
Before going farther have TO make few personal re-
marks
This morning, in Convention. got abused by Mr..
CHATFIELp in fine STYLE for having represented
him as horiRg beer in favor OF large Districts,
der a certain contingency. | did say Sol have
scarcely DOUBT that be actually said what stat
ed bur as he atterward told me tina: he did not,
and as he knew his own mind best felt II TO be
nv dutv TO take the blame upon myself, through
The Tribune ! now perceive that ought not 10
have done so. To-day Mr.. O'CoSoR. after admit.
ting that he had been asked before the citizens OF
New-York nominated him 70 the Convention,
whether he was IN favor OF SINGLE Senate and AS
sembly Districts. and that he had replied that he
was-of course, after the fullest dellberation on
ed and acknow double Senate
Districts, expressed his anxiety for three-year
Senate and his regret thnt they could not carry
TREBLE Senate Districts. He also proposed TO
leave Counties sending three or four Members IN
touched. and he voted against Morris, Townsend,
and Single Districts the other day.
This morning NJ O'CoyoR concluded speech
against Single Senate and Assembly Districts, 10
this effect II would be greatly TO bis taste that
The number OF Senators should be 4s-that they
should hold office three years, and that only one
third OF them should go yearly and al al events,
he could not get this, let US have 24 DOUBLE dis
trcts and avoid the ride and tie system. 1t was
his wish TO PREsERvE DOUBLE OR TREBLE DIS
rRIcr SYSTEM. as some check on the action OF
temporary majority
And what was Mr. CHArrIELD's language, when
he rose up the moment NJ. OConor sat down! 1t
was that he did NOT think he would be able 10 add
anything 10 he conclusre arguments OF his friend
from New York. What arguments Arguments
in favor Of large. urwieldly D.st1cts-DoCBLE ones
-av. TREBLE ones, il he could get them. Ar
,umeuts In favor OF s sorR-year Senate, or. i De
could not get that THREE-year Senate-and ne
had voted Tor bcth. SAID before. and now repeat