New-York tribune., 1873-04-12
CONSTITUTION-MAKING.
THE pENNsYLyANA CONVENTION.

AN AuIY BODY-LEADING FEATURES OF TIE NEW
CONSTITUTION N-REsTRIcrIoSs UPON THE LEGIs-
IATURE. AND LIMITATIONS OF THE POWERS or
RAILROADS AND OTHER CORPORATIONS.
(yRoN A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUNH.I
puu.npIP9IA. March 27.--The Pennsyl-
vania Constitutional Convention ~ uoIns hS "orh
Ieisurely and carefully 1t met first in Harrisburg on
the 10Th OF December and wisely determined TO get
away from the undesirab neighbOrhood OK tho Legsa
ture by removing TO this city Early In January IL began
its business sessions In an old ohuroh on
which had somehow passed from religious 70
control and was rendered the Convention Dy tho cJ'
The pews have given place to rows OF walnut oeSA'
ranged crescentwise. tho pulpit being occupied
by the presiding officer. Above bis head nangS
fullength portrait Of William Penn, "hoso
genial face beams down upon the Assembly
from under the shadow OF his wide-brimmed Quaker
hat gay carpet upon the floor and wall DECORATIONS
In orm mson, gray and gill; complete the transformation
OF the somber old church into bright, CHEEKY eSiS-
lative hall The body that meets bere133 delegates ia
allis undoubtedly the abest Assembly ntrusted with
tho making of organic or statute law that has met in
Pennsylvania for many years. LawmakinS has not
been in the best OF hands of late in this State. and
the people evidently awake TO this fact when they
chose the delegates the Conventions for although they
elected at tho state election last October IN tue
midst OF tho blind and bitter partisanship OF the
Presidential compaign, o surprisingly large number OF
men Of talent experience in public life and recognized
integrity were chosen, who have kept the Convention
from getting ruts OF party TweGtyeight OF the
delegates were elected from the State at large. and 1t
was provided that no voter should vote for
more than fourteen arrangement which
gave the Democrats and Liberals one-haf. Tho
remaining delegates returned from tho several
Senatorial Districts, three from each, and the repre-
sentation Of the minority secured by provision
that only two candidates should DO voted for one
ulpr
of votes to be elected The City OF Philadelphia has six
delegates at large chosen in like The result Of
this novel method Of election that the Republicans
got majority OF i've only in the Convention. Among
the prominent members whose names known out
sdo of the State jeremiah g. Black formerly Attor
ney-GeDeral OF the United States; VIM. M. Meredith
who was Secretary Of the Treasury under President
Taylor; Charles W. Buckaew, Uuted States SENATOR
George W. Woodward eminent jurist who was a
member of the XLIst Congress; Samuel A. Puryiance
George w. Lawrence. John M. Broomall and W. H. Arm
strong former members of Congress- Henry q. Carey,
the wel-knOwn writer political economy George W.
Bdde. Theodore Cuyler and Lewis G. Cassidy OF PDia
dephia; John Ii. Walker OF Erie; B. F. GOwaD, Presi
dent of the Reading Railroad, and Edward C. Knight
President OF the American Steamship Company.
THE CHIEF PURPOSE OF THE CONVENTION
Tho Convention will frame a Constitution new from
first TO last The last Convention held 1885, cOnontod
itself with adopting numerous amendments To the orig
ina instrument Of 1916, and since then NUMBER Of
amendments have adopted by the Legislature aud
ratified by the people. The present Constitution Ii
therefore a piece Of patchwork some parts Of which
date back to the last century while the greater portion
of it was framed the of railroads and of great
mining aud manufacturing enterprises. These peculiar
industries which produce large share Of the wealth
of the State, then in their infancy. and no one
thought it necessary insert provisions in the organic
law protect the people against the corporations con-
trolling them. AT that time, moreover, 1t was sup
posed that the Legislature could be trusted to look
after the rights and interests OF the people, and few
Limitations were put upon its power OF late years ex
perence shown tho folly Of reposnS any such trust
The Legislature has become dangerous body serving
the great moneyed corporations rather than the people,
and there is o popular demand for stringent consu
tional limitations OF its functions. The Convention
represents people in their struggle against tue Legs
lature aud masters the corporations and the chief
purpose to which it is addressing itself is to hedge in and
lie up the Legislature as 10 keep it from passing
partial and laws and granting extraordinary
privileges and to abridge the powers Of all corporate
bodies and especially railroad companies, By regua-
tions devised the interests OF the public and not
subject to alteration by the Legislature. The Convention
earnest in its determination TO effect these reforms
It is framing article by article. what promises to be the
longest state Consultation in existence and the most
markabe one in respect Of the number Of prohibitions 1t
upon the Legislature and the thOroughness with
which it covers ground that left as proper field for
legislative action IN almost every other State. The
article relating the Legislature as agreed to on the
2st in Committee the Whole ten largo printed
pages and nearly all OF Is devoted 10 telling What the
Legislature shall not do.
SPECIAL LEGISLATION PROHIBITED
The 10th section Of this article Is worth reproducing
fall 1t shows by Its long list OF subjects which the
Legislature is restrained from touching except by gen
eral laws how little confidence ia reposed In that body,
and to what extent has carried the evil OF special
actment5. The following is the section:
The Legislature shall pass auy local special law
authorizing the creation extension or mpang OF Iens;
regulating the affairs Of counties cities, townships,
of persons or places; changing the in civil
criminal cases. authorizing the laying out opening al
alleys; relating to ferries or bridges or incorporating
ferries ami bridge companies, except for the
form boundaries between this and any other state;
vacatng roads, town plats streets or alleys; relating
izng the adoption or lcgtmatlng or children; locating
changing county seats, erecting new counties, or
villages changing their chacteTs for the opening and
conducting of elections or liking or changing the place
or boroughs, changing township lines, or borough
limits; creating offices, or prescribing the powers
bOroughs. townships, election or school districts;
chan ging the law OF descent or succession;
rules evidence In any Judicial proceeding inquiry
before courts, aldermen justices OF the peace sher
Gerry, or other tribunals Or providing or changing
methods for the collection OF deDt, or the enforcing OF
Judgments providing the effect OF judicial sales OF
real estae regulating the fees or extending the powers
ana duties OF aldermen, justices OF the peace, mags-
trates Or cOnstables; regulating the management OF
public schools the building or repairing OF school
houses, aud the raising Of money for sucn purposes
fixing the rate OF Interest; affecting the estates of
minors or persons under disability except after due
notice TO ali parties Ia interest, to be reced IN
the special enactmentj remitting fines, penalties,
and fOrfeitures, refunding moneys legally
paid into tue treasury; exomptng properly from taxa
tOn regulating labor. trade, mining. or manufactur
inQ creating corporations or amending, renewing
extending the charters thereof granting 10 any cOrpO
ration association individual any special exclusive
privilege or Immunity; granting 70 any cOrporatlOn,