Year: 1867

The Convention sf Revislsn.


!. Tho approaching State Constitutional Con-
vention appears to give the party journals and
politicians . great deal Of trouble, and to
create quite commotion in the rival organi-
cations in this city. There is likely to be .
mixed fight on the Senatorial district delegates
in New York, II not all over the State, and the
election will probably foreshadow the general
disruption Of parties that is almost certain to
take place next fall. There will, Of course, be
large majority Of republicans returned to
the Convention, and with the exception Of the
sixteen delegates at large, who are sure Of
election, the democrats will have very
meagre show. They are not at all likely to
secure as many members Of the Convention as
they now have Representatives in the State
Assembly. The probable results are already
beginning to be discussed by the party jour
mails, which are predicting what will
be done, or discussing what ought to be
done by the Convention, according to their
several political proclivities. The Convention
will have it in its power to consider and re-
model the whole constitution from beginning
to end; but there are, In fact, only few points
which there is any real necessity to touch.
The reform of the judicial system, the increase
Of the power Of the Governor, plan Of re-
sponsible government for the cities Of the
State, and few minor matters, such as salaries
Of public officers and the pay and term Of the
Legislature, are sll the subjects to which the
Convention need give attention; and as these
are important and necessary to the well-being
Of the State, the more plainly and simply they
are put before the people the better.


We have no doubt there will be large
majority Of second rate politicians from both
the republican and democratic parties in the
Convention, and the chances are that they will
control It's action. The effort on the side Of
such republicans win be to frame q constitution
under which they would be enabled to secure
party advantages and to psrpetuate their
power In the State, while the democrats
win strive to embarrass the proceedings Of the
Convention and to crowd in some Questionable
amendments that may enable them to defeat
the revised constitution by the popular vote
next nh, and to leave the judiciary and the
executive and the municipalities in their
present condition. taes


The large majority Of the intelligent, respon-
sibls citizens of the State are in favor Of GER
tain great reforms in the State constitution.
OF that there is no doubt The elective sys-
tenn Of the judiciary has proved worse than .
failure. It has fastened political judges upon
the State and rendered law and Justice only
terms Of mockery. The business Of the courts
ID crowded and numbered up 80 that It would
be impossible to clear the calendars for the
next ten or fifteen years, II oil litigation should
cease tomorrow and the present system be
suffered to continue. At every term, especially
in this city, the impossibiity Of keeping politi-
cal influence out Of the halls Of justice Is made
painfully apparent Crime il suffered to 70
unpunished, whenever the criminal can COM
mand the influence Of the grog shop politicians
and ward bullies who are all powerful at The
polls The people earnestly desire to see this
dangerous evil removed and the bench puri-
aed by. having JUICES appointed for life, during
good behavior, Or until reaching sixty years
Of age, and then to be retired with pension
equal to half thsir salaries. By this means
they hope to secure an independent, fearless
and capable judiciary. II is also the popular
desire to increase the responsibility and
efficiency Of the executive by enlarging the
powers of the Governor, electing him every
year and holding him answerable for the good
conduct Of tbe whole State government.
Under our preent system the Governor has
but little more pal authority than the 6gure-
head of our Municipality, called Mayor. He
should have the power to appoint all the sub
ordinate heads ,f the State departments, and
should be responsible to the people for their
honesty and capacity. The system Of muni-
cipal government laid down in the constitu-
ton for the cities Of the State should be framed
on the same model as the State government
The Mayor, a the chief executive officer,
should be Il fact, as well as in name, the head
Of the municipality, a the Governar should
be Of the Stte. He should have the power to
appoint allBub ordinate heads Of departments
under him without the cooperation Of the
Aldermen, Ind should be held responsible to
the peopielfor the cnaracsor and conduct OF
his appointes. He should be elected only for
one year, 10 that his responsibility to the
people mift be direct There should be no
other or c&flicting executive authority In the


whole Enforcement and the powers Of the
Board Of aldermen should be simply and
strictly le}slative. These reforms we believe
the State leeds and the people desire but
from the dhracter Of the nominations thus far
made by Nth political parties for delegates to
the Convection Of Revision, We see but little
hope that they will be secured. On neither
side, withtery few exceptions. do we recog-
nise the nines Of men Of eminence and supe-
rior qualifications for the trust, and at present Il
seems as ithe heavy expene incurred by the
taxpayeryn account Of the Convention will be
onlv 40 uich money thrown awav.