New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-21
4 CONSTITUTIONAL CONTENTION

The present Constitution Of our State along with
many Objectionable and mischieyous features, has
one very good one. 1t is embodied in a provision
that the electors shall at the annual election held
every twentieth year after It's adoption, be enabled 20
vote directly for or against the call Of fresh Const
tutional Convention In other words: 1t is an ute-
grail part Of our State Constitution that the people
shall every twentieth year, be distinctly afforded an
opportunity to revise and improve it if they see fl.
Whatever changes may hereafter be made, we trust
this provision will be perpetuated.
We urge every elector to vote next November for q
Convention; and not merely vote for IT, but take
care beforehand that ballots for it generally pro-
yidcd and that active, influential mon ore pledged
10 distribute them. Our present Constitution sadly
needs overhauling The long arrearases Of untued
lat least undecidcd) cases in the Court OF Appeals
involve practical denial Of justice. Men are dying
in poverty and need because their honest dues are re-
fused them by Of the failure Of that Court 10 dis
pose Of cases appealed to it years ago. There
must be fewer appealed and these must be dis
posed of with greater celebrity. We suggest. with
Difference to the bar, reduction of the number OF
Appeal Judges from eight to four, with provision
that three only of these shall form court for the
Trial of causcs 50 that each judge in turn shall have
a fourth of his time to himself unless death or disd-
bility should temporarily reduce the number avail
able TO three. If more than one should at any time
be disabled let the Governor designate one more
of the Supreme Court Justices to serve pro tenn. as
Judge Of Appeals
The election of judges in our cities, especially Of
police magistrates, is fearful bunder. The thieves,
uihans. blacklegs keepers Of dens Of iniamy, and
other natural enemies Of law and morality now yr-
tuay select their own prosecutor and their own
judges. As a natural consequence not one Of every
three felons in our City is ever brought to trial. and
half those clearly guilty who are tried escape convc
ton As there are more who suffer from this arrange
ment than profit by it, hope to change it in reys-
ing our Constitution.
A death-blow to lobby influence and to corrupt leg
islation is the most urgent want of time. That
blow will be given by enarging the membership OF
either House Our present Senate consists Of % and
our Assembly Of 12s members-toscther l6O-no
more than we chose when our population was less
than half-perhaps less than iourth-of its present
amount and when the enormous sums now won or
lost BY legislation were not even dreamed OF. We
should have a Senate Of 20 members, and an Assem-
bly, Of at least 30l The number should in any case
be odd 80 as to preclude the yexatous and pernciou'
deadlock of tie in organizing. But we shall never
eradicate the poison Of corrupt, mercenary influences
in legislation till we have very largely increased the
number of our legislators.
The legislation of New-York, New-Jersey and Penn
syvania is chroncay, VIGOROUSLY, scandaousy
venal while that of Vermont, New-Hampshire and
Massachusetts, is otherwise. We never yet heard 1t
even charged that bill was passed, U. s Senator
elected in a New England State by the shameful,
perilous use of money. Yet human nature Is the
same in New.England as in the Middle States; mer'
cenary unprncped men get into office on all sideSi aud
no man was more likely taa0 3 P2ya.E2stsIt9 grippe
halEaQlar (when there were hali dollars) SO teny
as to make the eagle scream. But New-Engand
Legislature is miniature mass meeting-too numer'
GUS to be "seen" by q lobby.king. Even were not
the divsor uncomfortably large it would hardly be
possible to buy q majority in such body. The
requisite transactions" would be too numerous,
would require too many agents, and take too much
time. John Quincy Adams, as the ripe conclusion oil
long life devoted to public affairs, held that numer-
Gus legislative bodies were among the strongest bull
warks Of republican liberty.
There are many and cogent reasons for holding q
Constitutional Convention in State, but the above
are sufficient. We exhort honest men OF all parties
to work and vote for Convention
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