New-York tribune., 1867-08-05
THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION.

by Mr. MERWIN-ReatiYe 10 nshihg III 'no ii'''
Ry Mr. TFoWER-Aganst donations to sectaran ins
INV Py Mr. GRAVEs-On the same subject.
By Mr. BICKFORD-On the same subject .,o,
BY Mr. BELL-Relative 10 hShhs Ill i"'oi"''O"''
BY Mr. VAN CAMPEN-Against donations to ''ctai1an
By Mr.. VAN COTTON the same subject
BY Mr.. MAsTEN-In relation to law libraries. nh,, .,
Anumber requests for leayOs OF absence on VI
memhers present and absent bringing the total OF those
now excused for various periods Oh tle up 70 tsn %
The session but the result of this action TO reduce
very rapidly, until at the close IL was manifest th' W
CShre4RSFF % HRFEIEY RED Wescheser objected to this
wholesale giving OF leaves Of absence especially IN tne
% p eays of the Convention It was dsrespectfu to the
Conyenon for gentlemen to go home ana eayo t te o IN
leagIies 10 make their excuses lie should ODecL III
every case and trusted that the Convention "ouu cease
Mr. B9CKFoRD Rep Jeferson) said that the Conven
ton some time since had granted indefinite leave OF
hi 10 attend tHe session of Congress That session had
closed and the gentleman had not yet put IN an APPEAR
be revoked. Tabled undor the rule. . -. ..
Mr. MERRILL Rep Wyoming moved d t2at nIeeSt eSgT in in
the Convention. He said that he offered TINS mO9h WIN
the idea DC of Sagg s leaves Of S' '
After some debate the motion was withdrawn -,
n man the Canal Commissioners for Information as
10 the number OF breaks In the Erle Caual Wl te s
ZEN yeors the amOutpaid 10 contractors or amount Oh
Ne ome under their contracts and the length Of time
that ieach break nterfered with the Navigation oI sau
non calling TTpon the Auditor for this Information The
Auditor had made partial report OF so ~ uS 6jd G f ~ a
attention 10 some Of the figures thus presented ~ ap
pears that amount expended Tor repuIng presS ION Y
and FOR 1885 slC5C3 COZ thus showing an enormous ln
crease in the Of three years. aud the sreI extent
Tne resolution was adopted A.. 49,. "a, 49, ~.
Mr. IT, W. Dwight's resolution that the woe on the
orandment now being considered In Committee OF the
Whole be taken at Il o'clock on IueSuay hoA WIS ia1
Mr. Merwins resolution relative to a system Of eumu.
latlye voting for Aldermen in cities was IelefLeI NIL,
The Convention then went into Committee OF tne noie
rnon Tho report OF the Committee the Organization OF
tie Legislature Mr.. ARCHER (Iep Wayncl IN tls ciair.
The peliiinc question was announced by the Chair 70
be tho amrndment Of 0fr Ballard tRep, COrtand max
ing 81 single senatorial districts ,,
6r FIilIIR Rep Monroe) regretted that he was com
neIed to differ from the report of the committee The
iroposed change sweeping and radical ana there
hond be grave for it. WHAT'S the principal arg
eut for larger dstrcts 10 IS that under the old plan
thcy had better class OF men than were elected az pres
ent II might bo true; but he was Inclined 70 thA .has
a reat many men Of ordinary ability erept IN under th9t
Svsem Yet he would not deny the mct though ne would
tris The reason for it was that the senate was then
ihe highest judicial court, and eminent lawyers sought
an election 10 II as means OF acquiring aiepulaIO.
m was an honora bic andcnycd position ON THIS account
Again long was one reason Tor te class OF men
after the adoption OF the Constitution OF 1910 During
the rst session they were green ana many ny Pas eaTp
through that should have been D LII ~ %
wear the pans Of the third house. were deleated,
n thoy waited TO raise the standard OF lne Sese tcy
might DO IL by lengthcning tie er uld ug o.nSI NJ
bnf they could not do IL by enargng the districts the
Southern States had always had an advantage IN lhe N
tona congress because they sent and kept there their
men OF experience. There would be great dlculty IN
organizing the State into large districts Local oti %
viii TO be represented under that Pah ~! WI
be merged into the majOruc3 OF the ulhc sl,let "ut
The State will lOse the benefits OF minority check IL
will be impossible to make such divisions OF districts as
will be satisfactory 20 all parties Ihs was sI hSuler
able objection The threatened absorption OF local ma
jorities was the reason why the Conventon Of $50
dopted the system OF small districts; He favored the
since Il would accommodate The increasing oPaiato1 0t
the city OF NewYork He favored single disirlets pt
afr fnuu uaries
Icgi,Iature lie would engthen the term Of Office aud
have one third OF the members 80 OUT VI oince eFel9
Mr. LEE Rep, oswego) disagreed with the Committee
on the Organization OF the Legislature as 10 Ine alge
Senatorial districts on their appoIuOnmeht why hdd
mis- Convention assembled heret Not 10 make a new
Constitution but to amend the old one as ts eHgenses % o
hand asking them change the present system OF elect
ing Senators The press ana ~ Sng Peo@e me sten
OF large districts concerning which there had been sel
ous cause OF complaint They had better address them
selves 10 amending those things IN which there had been
complaint Complaint had been made as to Canals, Ju
dietary our State Pentenares and other matters which
sh6l receive attention when they came up IN course
But A were best 10 leave alone that whch hau
mo- serious ground of trouble and let well enough alone
lie wond gree 10 the extension Of THO term OF 9ee oi
Senator'S He believed II would result IaVOlaDy let
settiement of those districts the Legislature Tho Con-
yention had not the time II 1t had the aDlIy 10 MAKE %
such a settlement as would be satisfactory ~ haI Deen
said that the large district system gave better class Oh
than the single districts ms IG TS hIS % end nnn
ton and remained 10 be proved MS Chici & nuo tl t
swerabe argument for small districts was that tnere
lne u
would not be under the other plan Inc county VI Us
wcgo which he had the honor OF representing was $50
lated by It's natural SITUATION RON OILY. T1 onId W. u
state. and In large dstrist IL peculiar nergsts wOo
be very apt TO be involved TINS was an nsunerape 90
lection 10 the change contemplated lie was moreover,
ln favor OF holding the people anu d 30 oS So
together possible The people OF ms district va w2u S ~
satisfied with tho pfesent number OF SENATOR'S ana Would
prefer the Single district system They would like term
Of four years. and would like system by which the
most part OF the Senate going ont OF Office each year
oa be scattered over tho state aud not be confined to
men OF ant party could arrive at harmonious concu
sion with respect TO the division Of districts The Con-
vention could not make an apporonnenr th1t would DC
a 10 last more than eight or ten years The Legislature
was lust as capable OF doing the work. and was the
he House OF Representatives made the popular branch
OF the National Legislature but the Senate Is constituted
states presdes over IT, and its members elected by the
state legislatures represent the States No regard is
the conclusion that in the state Senate not abso
luely necessary to make the number and ratio OF It's
members dependent upon territory wealth. or population
He held that Senator's represented the stae and were
not elected to represent local Interests Inc interests OF
and large districts would tend TO enlarge ali Derize
the views OF s members & MANY m s 70
fence because members were AFRAID that they might
chance to operate uriousy upon some local interests OF
Mr. LEE rep, oswego, asked whether the gentleman
would propose TO elect Senators general state ticket
"woua NOT this tend still further to enlarge their views
Mr. BELL did not know but that II would ee good
oSs "a President and VcePresldent are now chosen
lie was In favor of Of Office OF four years, or even
still longer than this in order tcure soupd conserya.
tive sentiment The short terms and frequent changes
had acted very njuousy the work OF the Leglsa
tire In proof OF this he would instance the subject OK
claims These brought before the Legislature ana
discussed Then they sent over toa new Legislature
who are ignorant the facts already brought out re-
spootlng thom for their decision. There defect In
the length OF the presonterm Of office Only 81 Senators
have served than term durlng the last 20 years
This shows radical defect somewhere. We need more
experience on the part OF Senators.
Mr. w @. BROWN Rep., 50. Lawrence) feared they
were deducng tho most wise deductions from the
experience of the past That experience should be right
weighed From 1918 10 1922 the State OF New York
divided into four great Senatorial districts That proved