, 1873-03-21
PR0P0sED CHANGES III THE NEW YORK
CONSTITUTION

A'S ~ ooAAooeGt4t AlC ll3t YET very encouraging.
==e-...---n.--=-.
PRoP0sED CHANGES III THE NEW YORK
CONSTITUTION.
The reforms which Hero iuauguratcd bv tho
last Constitutional Convention III thin stato ara
spreading their influence upon tho peoplo of
other States, and aro 1ikoly to bo incorporated.
in part or altogether. tho revised Constitutions
OF Now York, Pennsylvania, md Indiana. Now
York hold Constitutional Convention In 1867.
but its deliberations wero governed by party
pro]udices to such IN oxtont that tho instrument,
as whole, was rejected by tho people, the Judi
clary article alone, which was separately submit
ted, having been accepted. As tho necessity for
changca was ovorywhcro acknowledged, and ns
1t was evident that now convention could
not bo formed without tho aamo ob3oc-
tionb as before, Gov. Hoffman recon-
moulded smallor body Of picked mon to suggest
amcndmcnte, and the Legislature conferred up
on him tile authority to make tho appointments.
The Commission waa appointed, commenced its
sessions Inst December and has just mado itp re-
port to tho Legislature.
Tho Now York Commission have afontod eov-
eral of tho moro important provisions Of the now
Constitution of Illinois, notably tho following
- gon"rnl prohibition Of special legislation
copying uerG0tin, the list Of cascs tlus doharroa
which the Illinois Constitution contains. oxcont
IN regard to divorces. Tho divorce lava Of thu
two Statos arc different that this prohibition
WAS not regarded as necessary in New York
BESIDES the prohibited caacs thus distiuctly
enumerated, tho Legislature is required to pasa
general laws for all other casos which
III it's judgment, can bo go provided
for, and no special bill in auy caso
can DO introduced aftor sixty days from tho
commencement Of tho sossion without tho re-
corded assent Of thrco-fourths Of I'LL thu nou
bora Of tho Legislature. Another valuable I'M
portstion from tho Illinois Constitution is that
which forbida my county, city, village, and town
from 1oanlng or giving it's money or credit to auv
individual, association, or corporation, and from
becoming, directly Or indirectly, tho ownor of
any stock or bonds in any corporation. Tho
county, city, town, and village goyornmonts aro
nlso prohibited from incurring tcbt for anv
other than county, city, town, or village pur-
poses. The Commission socms to hayo noe-
eotcd an equally valuable provision Of tho
Illinois Constitution, in failing to limit
county aud town indebtedness each to
por cont Of tho valuation Of its taxable
property. Another feature Incorporated in the
proposed amendments is tho Illinois oath Of
oftco, requiring tho mombors Of tho Legislature,
and all ofcers, executive md judicial, to swoar
that they hayo not directly or Indirectly paid,
Offered, or promised to pay, contributed, offered,
Or promised to contribute, any money or other
valuable thing US consideration or reward for
giving or withholding vote" at tho election at !
which they wero cllosou. Aa iu tho Illinois |
Constitution, too, tho pasaago Of my measure
requires majority Of all tho mombors Of tho
Legislature olectod, and ovcr a veto two-thirda
Of al eloctoa, instead Of majority Of two-thrds
Of quorum.
An ontirely now and valuable proposition ia
introduced governing the manner OF oloctinr
State Senators. Tho State ia divided into eight
Senatorial Districts instead Of thlrty-two. -Four
'enntots arc to 10 elected in zach district at tho
-|Ss "Aos''eA aAtoA .Ao "l4oItAbu VI TUG AmGu4- /
nonta. At each subsequent annual election
ne Senator Ia to DO chosen, one Of tho serving
enators going out according to classification.
'nch Senator would thus sorvo four years. and
ho special advantage would DO in retaining q
aajority Of mon Of experience in tho sonato
IL tho timo. Tlore would also 10 some-
hing gained in having larger district
rom which to Select. No provision ia
aado for the Minority Representation plan of
oting, and tho members Of tho House arc to be !
lootod by single d!atricts on the old plan Some :
thor valuable provisions are recommended for q
10 Legislative proceedings. Tho Governor NAV
eto aing1c itoma Of All appropriation bill with q
ut dofoating tho reat OF tho bill. No local bill
III pertain to moro than ono subject, and this y
ust DO clearly stated in tito title. It roquiroa a
sreo-flftha OF tho membors elected to both t,
ouseH to pass tax-blll. No chango las boon II
ado III tho judicial syatom 1T having boon de- n
aod that tho amendment Of 1867 waH sufncleut), =
lcept that, in citios Of loas than 10000 inhab-
uts, tho Judgos Of courts that aro not courts Of
cord shall bc appointed by tho Governor and
nfsmod by tho Honato. u
Tie most important recommendation for tho y
ty Of Now York Is TINT which proyidoa that !.
IA seoVara@snt Of citles shRl ha pn q uniform /,