The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-02

see the possibility of killing the goose that laid
their golden egg. Here the United States tax
is an addition to an enormous city tax and good
round State tax. New Jersey has almost no
State debt as compared with ours !; and man
ufacturing business that can be carried on as
well at Newark as in Brooklyn will have an
immensely lighter burden for municipal ex-
penses. People are alive to this practical
remedy for high taxes, and New Jersey will
find her advantage in our lissless Indifference
to our own vital interests.
Judiciary Reform In the State Constitutional
Convention.
The plan of the judiciary reform submitted
by the committee of the State constitutional
Convention has some good features, and is a
decided Improvement upon the existing system
The most important changes 1t contemplates
are. the extension Of the term of Office of the
Judges Of the Court of Appeals the Supreme
Court, the Superior Court and Common Pleas,
OF New York city and county, and the Superior
Court OF Buffalo. during good behavior, until
the incumbents shall have reached the age Of
seventy years. and the entire separation Of the
Court of Appeals from the Supreme Court. It
is proposed that the Court of Appeals shall
consist Of seven judges-ths Supreme Court of
thirty-four justices, the districts being four in
number, New York having ten justices and the
other districts eight each; the Superior Court
and Common Pleas, of New York, of five judges
each, and the Superior Court, of Buffalo, of
three judges.
All these several judges and Justices are to
be elected by the people; but at the general
election in the year 1870 the question is to be
submitted to the popular vote whether
vacancies occurring in any of those courts
shall thereafter be filed by appointment or
election. In order to clear of the calendar
Of the present Court of Appeals commission
is created, to consist of five Commissioners Of
Appeals, to hear and determine such causes as
shall be pending on the LIST of January next in
the present Court Of Appeals, except such as
the new court may decide to reserve to them
selves. The commission is to exist for three
years, and to be composed of the present four
Judges of the Court Of Appeals, with fifth to
be appointed by the Governor with the con-
sent of the Senate. A provision is made for
the creation Of q similar commission at the
expiration of ten years from the time of the
adoption of the new constitution by the people,
if the Legislature shall then deem 1t necessary.
These are the main features Of the new
judicial system proposed for the State, and it
is in many respects . decided Improvement
upon that at present in operation. The ex-
tension Of the terms Of the judges of all the
higher courts is very desirable reform, and
the creation Of the Commission of Appeals will
servo to materially relieve the calendar of the
court OF last resort Blu! the Convention has 80
muddled and befogged other parts Of its work,
and has displayed 80 much narrow partisan
ship and such earnest sympathy with legsla.
tive and lobby corruption, that the oonstitu-
ton 1t will submit to the popular vote will
very probably be rejected, despite this one
redeeming feature.