New-York tribune., 1867-03-22
ALBANY.

TuR CONVENTION BILL IN THE AsSEMBLY-TBB NEGRO
SUFFRAGE CLAUSE RBJBCTBD-THE EXCISE LAW MoDl
PIcATONs-THB NEW BILL IN PULL-THB ASTORIA
BRIDGE BILL-MEBTING OF THB REPUBLICAN STATE
CENTRAL COMMITTEE
sf TELEGRAPH TO TBB TRIBUNE. -
Albany Thursday. March q, 1867
Upto 20mlnutes past 12 o'clock to-day the Assembly
was engaged in passing bills which had been oruereu
third reading At that hour Mr. Genet moved 10 post.
none that order of business and that the Convention Dill
be taken up This was agreed to. Mr. HscocK relteraeu
his dissent from the report Of the Conference COMMITTEE
of which he had been a member. Mr. Parker was the
first gentleman who spoke at any length on the Dill he
dssented from the report because ne Dele'cu
IL was illegal and unconstitutional TO have 80 dele
gates In the Convention unless the people WeIo
allowed to vote for lthe whole nunhDer'
The selection by Senatorial districts was not in his
Judgment wise he conceded the right OF the negro 10
vote for the members Of the Convention and would vote
for that part of the report If division was called Mr.
Weed another of the committee, said he as
sented from all material portions OF the report except
that in regard negro suffrage The election OF dee
gates by Senatorial districts the most OBNOXIOUS
feature Of the bill in his estimation, because as general
thing it was unfair and unjust There were seven sena
tora districts in the State positively Republican in their
politics. and although they were only entitled 10
three members Of the Convention, each, u the
selection made by Assembly districts yet by TINS Dill
each district is given one more member MI "eeo then
passed out Of his Inc OF argument 10 ahs"eI oieN
Of Mr. Wood asserting that the Democratic party was not
afraid to the risk Of placing 80 delegates at large or
the Convention and let the people vote for them az he
as Democrat dared the Republican party 10 DO that
Res,mine his argument he said that New York was en-.
titled TO Il Assembly delegates aud Kings County pus
by this bill NewYork would be defrauded OF one, ana
Kings OF one. Erie County too would nave one
less The Ninth Senatorial District was entltie9
70 four delegates but by this bill they will have ionr ana
so IL was with the XXxIst District. The Xlltn ANth
and XXIst Districts all Republican, would lose one eac
vet these three were the only offset TO the otner eeVn
Although he favored negro suffrage IN the House ne
voted against 10 in the Committee, III reference W tc
wish OF the House, and he unalteraby oppOs9u "
the test-oath which he considered )nfamous MT bIee-
low of jefferson made few remarks statDg Dat ne was
anxious Convention and, although ne nrst iavoret
the Assembly District plan, he was Wiling 10 accep,
the Senatorial with the hope that the Dill would
In favor OF tho negro voting. He said that even the
Temporary opponents of that measure conceded IL was
but mooted question: and he thought when u resolved
itself between that and question OF humanity no nah
should hesitate give the latter the benefit OF tne uoup
MFR Henry Smith opposed all the propositions IN question:
ana also the one protecting the members OF the cohVen
on against arrest except fOr certain 0ffenses; Mr Ran
som offered report constitutional grouhds anu N'
Van Valkenlurg favored IT, division on al tne qnes-
tous having asked for, the Speaker Mr LtieOhl
ruled that could be taken on the proposition Us
10 81 delegates at large, the Assembly orginany
adopted H. the Conference Committee accepted u nd e
Senate had ndOrsed that report, so TINS question wac
settled The first vote on the question as 10 agree
ing with the report providing for the selection OF oie
gates by senatorial Districts. The following was tne