Year: 1867

the rate Of from one hundred to one hun.


dred and fifty miles an hour or more, with


out fear of accident or inconvenience from


dust and smoke, and at q much lower


cost than the present railway rates, they


certainly will not patronize the existing lines.


There is nothing speculative in the advantages


claimed for the pneumatic system for they


are being daily demonstrated in the line now


in operation for the transportation OF goods


and baggage in London. II is found to work


perfectly, and passenger line on the same
principle is on the point Of being constructed
there. The moment that it is shown to be
success we shall have Q multitude Of similar
enterprises started here, and before five yea rs


have elapsed they will have monopolized the


entire goods and passenger traffic of the coun-


try. Those who have heavy interests in the
existing lines had better look out They will


scarcely have had time to realize the impor-


tance of the change that is approaching before
they will find that all they possess is valueless
The State Constitutional Convention Vote
for Delegates at Large.


The copperhead organs are grinding out q
very dolefnl tune just now about the radical
scheme for obtaining control of the State Con-
stitutional Convention" and claim that the
election Of delegates by Senatorial districts
will unfairly deprive the democrats Of the
representation to which their numerical strength


in the State entities them. Well, they will


have an excellent opportunity to prove whe-
ther their complaints are well founded. One
Of the principal and most important features of
the election will be the vote on the thirty-two
delegates at large. only sixteen Of whom are
to be placed on each ticket. One half of these
delegates will be nominated by the republi-
cans and one half by the democrats; and, as
there will be strict party vote cast for each
SET the result will show the relative aggregate
strength Of the two political organizations in
the State. This will not only test the force Of
the objections made on behalf Of the demo-
cracy to the law to provide for the election of
delegates, but will have good effect upon the
reconstruction question at the South, as some
of the Southern politicians have been expecting
and claiming, from the sporadic case in Connec-
ticut, that the whole North has become suddenly


revolutionized and that the next election would
bring New York to the side of the democracy.
1t would have been desirable, as the revision


of the constitution is entirely State affair, in


which all citizens have an equal interest, to


have held political issues aloof and to have


made nominations singly with view to the


character and capacity Of the nominees. It


seems very doubtful, however, whether this


will be done on either side. In looking over


the list Of the delegates from this city to the


democratic nominating convention, which


meets in Albany to day, we find the same names


that secured the nomination Of Hoffman for


Governor, or Morrissey or Fernando Wood


for Congress. In like manner the republican


nominating convention is composed in large


part Of tho most notorious ward politicians and
once holders in the organization. tits scarcely
to be hoped that such bodies will ignore parti-
san considerations and make choice Of indie
pendent and capable men to represent them
| in the Convention of Revision. But the repub-
licans are certain Of large majority in the
Convention upon the Senatorial basis Of cleo
| ton, and they will be held responsible by the
people for the action Of that body. It is, there
fore, especially incumbent upon them to put
forward as delegates able, practical, repre-
sentative men, who will bring business capacity,


integrity and thorough conversance with the


varied interests Of the State, to the work they


are called upon to perform. They will also be


expected to show themselves consistent and


honest in their professions Of regard for the


rights Of the colored race, by placing . fair
proportion Of them upon their general ticket
as delegates at large. There seems to be
strong inclination in some quarters to bestow
this consideration upon two prominent colored
citizens, Fred Douglass, the lecturer, and Down
ing, the oyster merchant and millionaire. We
have no doubt they will make as good mem,
bers Of the Convention as many white men
who could be selected, and they would GER
tainly be better than some Of the dead men
whose names fossil editor has proposed as
candidates.