Year: 1874

The CONGREGATIONAL Amendments Re-


lating to LeRislstion.


The most important Of the amendments to
the State constitution adopted at the late
election are those relating to legislation. The
principal changes are as follows:-The MEM
bers of the Legislature will receive hence
forth one thousand five hundred dollars
annual salary and a mileage of one dollar for
every ten miles they shall travel in going to
and returning from their place of meeting
once in each session on the most usual route.
When the Senate alone is convened in extra
session, or as O court for the trial Of impeach-
ments, its members and not moro than nlne
members Of Assembly, who may be appointed
managers of an impeachment, will receive an
additional allowance of ten dollars q day.
Under the present constitution the pay Of
members of both houses is three dollars q
day and the same mileage, the Speaker of the
Assembly receiving four dollars day; but
the pay for the regular session is limited
to one hundred days. The old amount, so
notoriously insufficient was looked upon as
one of the leading causes Of corruption, and
the change is counted on to work q reform in
this respect But it is hard to believe that
the legislator who would be guilty of selling
his vote when he received three hundred dol
lars for the sessions labor would not do the
same when in receipt of fifteen hundred or
fifteen thousand dollars.


The holding of civil Office under q city
government by q legislator is made cause OF
ineligibility or forfeiture, in addition to the
existing prohibition in relation to the civil
Offices of the State and the United States.
This amendment will in future prevent mu-
nicipal officers from drawing their pay from
the city treasury, neglecting their municipal
duties and going to Albany as Senators and
Assemblymen with the object Of advancing
city


Hitherto laws have been passed re-enacting,
altering or applying existing laws, and refer
ring to the latter by title and section only.
The amendments require that in all such
enactments the laws re-enacted, altered or
applied shall be embodied in the new act.
This puts stop to system Of blind legisla-
ton, deception. and trickery too common ut
the State Capitol.


A mass of special legislation by private or
local bills is now prohibited. The most i'm
portant subjects embraced in this prohibition
are the selecting. drawing, summoning or
impanelling grand or petit jurors; the regu-
lation Of the rate Of interest on money the
opening or conducting of elections or desig-
mating places of voting the creating, increas-
ing or decreasing the emoluments Of public
officers during the term of their election or
appointment; the granting of a railroad fran
chise. and the granting of any exclusive
privilege or immunity to private associations
or individuals. The Legislature is required
to pass general laws relating to all these cases.
1t will thus be seen that, among other enact
ments, we are to have new legislation on the
interest question. and it is probable that while
q legal rate of interest, in the absence of spe-
cial agreements, will be fixed, the penalties Of
the present usury laws will be abolished and
the validity of special contracts confirmed
The amendments also prohibit laws authoriz-
ing the construction ''or operation of street
railroad except with the consent of one-hali
the property owners on the line and of the
local authorities, with proviso for the inter-
vention Of the Supreme Court of the district
in case of opposition against the public inter-
ests on the part of the property owners.
The prohibition of the auditing or allow
ance of any private claim against the State
and of the granting of extra compensation to
any public officer or contractor will be gener-
ally approved, as will the valuable amend
ments by which the Governor is authorized to
veto one or more items of an appropriation
bill while approving the remaining portions,
and by which the vote OF two-thirds of all
members elected is required top pass bill over
the Governors veto. Under the present
constitution vetoed bill may be passed by
two-thirds of quorum, or less vote than is
required to pass the bill originally. All these
amendments are important, and the next
Legislature will have grave responsibility in
shaping legislation to meet and carry out
their requirements.