The sun., 1879-03-15
THE NEW JERSEY LEoIsLAruRE
Its Adiournuhe Yesterday y-lts Special Laws
for CitIes-KeIsey WhItewashed.

TRENTON, March 14.-The New Jersey
Legislature adjourned yesterday after the short
est session for years Its most important act
was that OF authorizing Gov. Mcclellan to ap-
point commission to frame Il general law for
the government Of cities as required by tho
Constitution. 1t is not credtabc to New Jersey
legislation to say that tho fourth session has
closed since the adoption Of tho constitutional
amendments imposing this requirement. and
nothing has been done toward obeylng Il.
On the contrary. the statute books have
been loaded with laws that seek by rounda-
bout language to evado Il. The tme OF the
Supreme Court has been very much engrosaed
with this subject during tho past three years.
and II has wiped out such laws as fast as they
came before It,
On Thursday last Chief Justice Bcaslcy made
n decision that will dispose Of a score or more
OF them. law passed in 1868. which. though
general on its face. was mennt to cut down the
pay OF city officers In Hohoken, wns contested
on the score OF unconstiiutionnity. and the
Chief Justice decides in favor Of the contestants
This decision Kills several bills intended to re-
licve Jersey City and other cities by Topping OF
some OF their inordinate expenses; but they
are better without makcshins. Under proper
general law they will be rid Of their extrpya-
giant systems as well as OF the special leGisla-
tion that brought such systems about.
The Legislature might have done, more and
that infested il. The Central Railroad has
busted itself to elect members pledged to make
Jersey City. build bridge whose chief pur-
pose seemed TO be to cut of the Lehigh Valley
Railroad. n rival corporation. from getting a
terminus Mt the Hudson. alongside OF the Gem
tral. The effort to pack q Legislature was fu.
| tile, however, and whether there shall be q
bridge or not is still left to the choice Of Jersey
City.
grab Of about ~ 900 year for sending the State
laws in printed slips to the newspapers author
ized to advertise them resulted in whitewnshinR
referred to the Judiciary Committee upon the
motion of Senator Ward Of MIR. kelsey's own
county instead of 10 special committee. The
Legislature passed u law in 1876 nenr tho close
OF Secretary kelsey's last term. TO reduce the
compensation OF his successor for this work TO
II 600. but Gov .Bedle did not sign the act until
tw0 days alter ho had made Secretary Kelsey
his own successor. and that gentleman has
therefore had tho color OF law Tor poeketina
1t was Secretary Kelsey who Inst year en-
Rineered the indictment OF Mr.. T. +. Patterson
editor OF the Newark Courier, procuring the in
dictment in Sussex County. whore Mr. Patter-
son was unknown and friendoss. Mr.. Kelsey
being boss politician in Sussex. Editor Putter.
son was convicted rs u matter Of course. and
| sent to jail. IL ia gratifying to know that tho
LEGISLATURE passed n bill introduced by honest
| Dominic Robinson OF Passaic, requiring In
| dictments for libel 10 be tried ln the county
where the libel is published and now that tho
| New Jersey newspaper editors can meet Mr..
| Kelsey In tho courts on more even terms. they
| should not let his $1,000 grab OF pnearned
money be forgotten while Gov Mcclellan Keeps
| him in office.
The Senators paid Gen. sewell. tholr Presi-
dent: well deserved compliment by present
| ing through Senator Ludlow the Democratic
| leader, a handsome silver pitcher aud gohlets.
| His response. in which he said that he had In
herited nothing at his birth but an honorable
| name. and that be was thankful for their aid in
transmitting II nnsullied at his death, was a
neat one. Mr., Blodgett. on behalf of his coll
| leagues ofthe House, presented to Speaker Jack
son a handsome gold watch. There we're num-
| Der OF congratulatory speeches in both Houses,