New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-28

law after the session ends unless sent by The
Governor 10 the Secretary Of State within ten
DAYS after the close of the session. The three
Canal Commissioners heretofore existing are
abolished. and instead thereof there shall be
appointed by the Governor, with the consent
Of the Senate, q Superintendent of Public
Works. who shall take charge of the canals, in
subordination to the Controller, Treasurer, and
Attorney enera, who shall be the Commits
siOners of the Canal Fund.
The Court of Appeals, which now consists of
eight iudges, Of whom four are elected as such,
and four pass to the Court of Appeals from
tho Supreme Court, is made to consist of O
chief Judge and six associate judges, who, as
well as the judges Of the Supreme Court, SUI
periOr Court, and Court of Common Pleas
shall be elected by the people for fourteen
years, instead of the various shorter terms now
in vogue. But no such judge shall remain on
the bench after reaching the age OF seventy
years. There shall also be five Commissioners
of Appeals, consisting Of the present judges OF
the Court Of Appeals, elected or appointed
thereto, and fifth to be appointed by the
Governor, with the consent of the Senate
These Commissioners of Appeals shall sit for
causes now on the calendar of the Court OF
Appeals, and their decisions shall be entered
as judgments of the Court Of Appeals. Pro-
vision is made for submitting to the people, in
the year 1878, the question whether the judicial
officers of the State shall be elected by the
people. or appointed 10y the Governor and
Senate
The legislative powers of Boards Of Super
yisors arc enlarged and defined in manner to
give increasing efficiency and dignity to these
county legislatures. It is provided that
S2,41S,OCO per annum shall be appropriated
from the revenues of the canals to the pay
ment of the interest and principal of the canal
debt. and If the revenues fail to meet this
amount the deficiencies shall be supplied by
taxation The State may contract temporary
debts. not exceeding 100000, for deficits or
TO meet expenses. But such debts shall be
paid within two years. Beyond these no debt
shall be contracted unless for some single
work OF object authorized by law, and the
same law shall provide by tax for the payment
Of the interest promptly and the principal
within eighteen years The Legislature must
provide for creating all business and religious
corporations under general laws, and no special
aCts or charters shall be passed except for
municipal, literary, scientific, charitable, or
benevolent purposes. The consolidation Of
railroad, owning parallel OF competing lines is
prohibited.
The State Prisons are placed under the
charge of u Board of five Managers of Prisons,
to be appointed by the Governor and Senate.
Amendments to the Constitution, if agreed 10
by a majority OF both Houses of one Legisla-
ture, and published three months before the
next general election, and agreed to by ma
iority of Ill the members elected to both
Houses of the next Legislature and submitted
to the people, aud agreed to by majority OF
the voters voting thereon, shall become part OF
the Constitution. In the year 1898, and every
twenty years thereafter, the question, Shall
"there be a Convention TO amend this Const-
tuition ?" shall be submitted to and decided
by the people.
The amendments thus outlined have been
conceived and adopted with great caution aud
wisdom. and nearly all Of them aim to remedy
we'll known defects in our present Constitution.
The provisions that legislature may submit
law TO the people, that notice should be pub
licly given of IN intention to apply for local
acts. that business corporations shall be formed
under general laws, SC, and many others, are
of such manifest excellence rs to need no argu-
mont We see no provision upon which
there is an opportunity for strict
party vote, unless 1t be that which removes all
distinctions of color in the exercise of the right
of suffrage. As cOlorcd citizens in New-l Ork
have always voted. subject to trifling prop
erty qualification, the slight practical increase
of liberty wrought in their behalf can hardly
provoke very formidable opposition. 1t vim
dicates a principle and relieves our Constitu-
ton from an unjust and odiOus discrimination
no longer in harmony with the views of the
mass of our people, or with the spirit of the
age The more attentiyely the new Constitu-
ton is studied, the more strongly will It's
changes commend themselves to the judgment
and intelligence of the majority of the people
of fha State