The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-02-26

The State Conssitusisnal Csnvcatiss.
The bill to provide for. the election of dele
gates to the State Constitutional Convention
comes up in the Assembly as q special order
to-day. The bill as reported by the commit
tee provides for the election Of one delegate
from each Assembly district Two amend
ments have been proposed in Committee Of
the Wholesome extending the right Of voting
for delegates to all colored citizens, "except-
ing Indians not taxed" and depriving persons
who took part in the rebellion Of the right Of
suffrage; the other providing for the election
of thirty-two additional delegates, sixteen Of
whom are to be chosen by each of the two
great political parties in the State.
The first of these amendments has already
ELECTED some curious debate One democratic
representative, from Clinton county, declared
himself in favor of the proposed extension Of
the suffrage, and made the somewhat singular
assertion that the democracy have always
been wi ling to enfranchise every person, with
out distinction of color. Another democratic
member, who halls from New York, avowed
himself an advocate of the right of woman to
the ballot, and wanted to see the fair sex re-
presented in the Convention. How far tho
proposition to disfranchise rebels would affect
the copperhead sympathizers with the Davis
government does not appear from the debate.
The principal bone of contention seems to
be the amendment of ex-Speaker Littlejohn to
add thirty-two delegates from the State at
large to the Convention, sixteen of whom
shall be elected on the republican and sixteen
ON the democratic ticket This is in accord
ance with the recommendation made by
Governor Fenton in lis annual message;
and yet, singularly 49, those repub-
licans who have declared themselves in its
favor have been assailed as copperhead
sympathizers and threatened with expulsion
from their party. There appears to be NO
sound objection to the proposition, and when
first made by the Governor it met with very
general approval. It is calculated to secure
the election to the Convention Of men whose
ripe Judgment and ability would be valnable
in the revision Of the fundamental law Of tho
State. The Assembly districts might still elect
the small politicians by whom they are gene
rally controlled, and the addition OF sixteen
men from each party would not vary
their majority single vote. Il ID
altogether too small . matter TO squab-
BILE over, and the fierce republicans who
arc making SO much fuss about 1t should ct once
withdraw their opposition. Bosides, the aggre-
gate vote of the State, to the test of which the
work of the Convention Of Revision must even
tually be submitted, is too closely divided
between the two parties to render it advisable
to raise political Issue on the question Of tho
amended constitution. Certain reforms In
the fundamental law are demanded for the
public good. The Judiciary system needs an
entire remodelling, and the new constitution
must provide an efficient and economical
government for this city. The interests. at
stake are too great to render it worth while to
risk the defeat of the revised constitution when
submitted to the popular vote for the sake Of
any merely partisan considerations. The As
sembly had better agree to the pending amend
ments, negro suffrage, extra delegates and all,
and pass the bill at once. The Convention
should assemble in the early part of June, and
the sooner the bill TO provide for the election
Of the delegates becomes law the better.
There Is no time TO lose over political squab-
bling and buncombe speeches.