New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-04-21
Tile Couyeption-Reforms.

The Convepti0n-Reforms.
We are within week Of the Constitutional
Election and this is our last word which will reach
many of our readers before that Election. We
would speak sty,-though with necessary
brevity.
What we ardenhy desire is the choice Of Dele
gates who will give the best possible Consttu
ton. Believing that Wbg majority in the Con-
vention will give fairest promise Of such result
we hope such majority will be chosen. Yet we
would not have ii entirely Wing if we could we
know that many of our opponents are also jealous
Reformers, and that Reform is not or should not be
a party question. Waving all question as to
which party is in the abstract the more likely 10
carry substantial and genuine Reforms we maintain
the party now in power cannot be ration
ally expected to make the necessary amendments of
our State Constitution. That party originated, have
perpetuated, lived by and fauened upon the abuses
legalized by that instrument. 1t has put in nomi-
nation the Judges and several of the ex-Judges Of
our higher Courts for Delegates, whose presence in
the Convention will be calculated to overawe
and render Intellectual any efforts which may be
made for Radical Judicial Reform. That party
would gladly cling TO the present unequal and
capricious system of electng Legislators, whereby
Members Of Assembly are chosen sngly, in pairs
by threee fours or thirteen in lump, as may hap
pen. It hates and will resist with serpent venom
every where. and serpent subtlety where an open
exhibition of venom would secure its defeat the
Idea Of making Suffrage Free and Universal
without respect to Color. II fought this win
ter desperate though losing battle thanks to
its own incurable discussions for the popular tri.
a d..
1t is now resisting with equal energy the proposed
separation of Canal.Repalring aud Lock Tending
from governing Township and County Elections
by means Of hirelng regiments Of drilled State S,i
pendisries. led and managed ny State Officers. In
short, It's own prosperous existence is bound up IN
the preservation Of existing abuses, and we expect
il to cherish and keep alive many Of them as it
can.
Now grant that the Wings are no better disposed
TO essential Reform than their opponents (which we
deny) 1t is still clear that our side will not cherish
the shoals on which it has often been wrecked.
We know il will reform many glaripg abuses if
for no better reason, because they ha5itually ope
rate to its own injury sometimes to its overthrow
Butwhile we exhort every Wing every good citi-
zen, to go to the PGlls next Tuesday and vote, we
no other On the contrary we say. If the other side
present more capable, moro upright candidates.
who arc more thorough and genuine Reiormers than
the Wing nominees vote for them. But KNOW mat
they will honestly and sincerely support Equal SUI,
frace primarily and Equal Rights generally will
give us Single Districts only for Senate but AS
sembly thorough Judicial Reform, &c. &c. or we
cannot deem them worthy of your support Unless
we are to have Reform these points, the Conven-
ton will have been called in vain.
This question OF Suffrage is in truth fundamental
10 all others On the side stand Equality, hea'
son. Justice. Democracy, Humanity on the other
are u base slavery ensendcrcd prejudice and n
BLACKBOARD clamor against "Eiggers." That pre-
judice that clamor have for long years rendered ex
isence bitter and republicanism mockery to thou
sands of better men and infinitely better citizens
than the mass of those who thus stismatize and
carelessly injure them. The denial Of political
rights connects ITSELF here as every where, with IN
finite aud measureless social wrongs aud Privatons
1t was but tho other night thar we aperiecily
v7ellbehsved. civil. quiet black man driven with IN
suit and abuse out off public omnibus by fare col
lec,or though nobody in the stage objected to his
presence. and he had paid for his passage twill
not be thus when that man has a vote In making
laws and choosing rulers. Who dare call himself
Democrat yet vote TO maintain the detestaeie pro
scrpton now existing Aswel call Judas a mos
conssan, and devoted Christian.
There Is one other subject which there seems
10 DO danger that Justice and Public Good will be
overruled by prejudice and reckless clamor-thai Is
the Individual Liability of corporasors- I. is popu
lar to declaim against Corporations as monopolies
and perhaps the charge has some foundation In jus
tioe But the mode in which Loco Focosm protesse:
to redress the evil contens is characteristic
'Monopolies are wrong ii argues; and all Corpo
rations are mcnopolies' Well admit it, and what
do you propose to do in the premises No; abolish
these monopohes, but perr,esncte them and render
them year by year moro invidious, more stringent,
by refusing Corporate rights TO all bat tho present
Corporators. Orr plan would be exactly opposite
to this We would grant Corporate rights 10 do good
to all. license TO 90 evil to none. We would
90 amend our laws that any number of per,
sons might constitute themselves a Corporation
for any good purpose, by giving due notice to the
public and continue such so long as they should
faithfully adhere TO their own promulgated condi.
tiona II they chose the plan OF Individual Liability,
we would inteposs no obstacle. Il, On the contrary,
tney chose to say. Here VIC are, company asso-
eiaseo Tor eersnin p.rpose,'-whesher TO catch
whales run steamships erect factories or sny other
Purpo'e not forbidden by law we have subscribed
ana PAID IN SO much capital, and propose to be
governed by such and such rules, with A. B. &c.
for officers Ifyou choose to t-u., us, we prefer
you the responsibility of our paid up capital; ifyou
don't choose to trust us, you can just lie, il alone
there is no compusion about i,.'-why is NO, ,h;.
fsiri Why should the Stale Interfere to forbid the
formation Of such company on such conditions, or
to forbid those to trust it who saw fit to do cot Ii
Common Law were only second-eousin to common
sense why shoald |, not respect the conditions thus
openly promulgated and freely assented to- without
requiring any special acs of Legislation a; ALI
thousand men here should see st 10 form company
Tor Ocean Steam Navigation, on the principle thai
each ahcald risk certain sum in Il and no more