CHAPTER XXI. CONVENTION. Place of birth of the Delegates-John Tracy elected President-A Com. mittee of seventeen appointed to report on subjects to be considered by the Convention-Their Report-Debate on restricting the eligibility of citizens for the office of Governor-On the Executive Veto-On the Legislative Department-Report of the Judiciary Committee-Of the persons who composed that committee-Proceedings on Mr. Chatfield's Report (No. 6) on the State Officers-On Gen. Tallmadge's Report, from No. 11, on Rights and Privileges--Proceedings in Committee of the Whole on the Report from the Judiciary Committee-Mr. Hoffman's Report on Canals, the Public Revenue, &c., from No. 3-Proceedings in Committee of the Whole on Mr. Hoffman's Report-Mr. Cambreling's Speech on Currency and Banking-Debate on the question of extending to colored freemen an equal Right of Suffrage-Mr. Clyde's Resolutions in relation to the Tenure of Real Estate-Final adjournment of the Convention-Concluding Remarks. THE election of delegates to the constitutional convention in 1846, in most, if not all the counties in the state, was made a party question, and the democratic party succeeded in electing a majority of them. Messrs. Harris, Shaver, Stanton, and Willard, from Albany county, Jordan (though then residing in New York) and Clyde, from Columbia county, Waterbury and Burr, from Dela. ware county, and Van Schoonhoven, Warren, and Witbeck, from Rensselaer county, were nominated and supported by the anti-renters, and were claimed by that party as their representatives. Judge Nelson, from Otsego county, and William Maxwell, from Chemung, were democrats, but were elected in opposition to the regularly-nominated democratic candidates in the coun on the resolution in an open, manly manner. noes. The resort to a secret ballot was a k sin-like policy instead of honorable warfare. In the senate, on the 7th of April, an atten to elect a president pro tem. Mr. Lott, wh last year of service, was proposed by his fr choice was to be made by open nomination. was 14 for Mr. Lott and 12 for Col. Young. tering votes. Of course no person was ap; this case all the radicals voted against Mr. I. could be no personal objections against Mr was distinguished for his courtesy towards opponents, and was, as we have reason to be ly esteemed by all his fellow-members. I: however, the opposition was not concealed Some time afterwards Col. Young was chose pro tem., and upon taking the chair, assured that he had no agency in becoming the opp date to Mr. Lott. Thomas Farrington, the former treasurer. this session again chosen to that office. W. he was adjutant-general of the state; upor elected treasurer, he resigned the office general, and the governor appointed Robert to fill the office thus vacated. This was an excellent appointment. Col. " a well-educated, enterprising, chivalrous your. had received a military education, and was popular. At this moment he commands a re is in the service of his country in some of territories. The term of Judge Parmelee as record who was appointed by Gov. Seward, and v M∙Kown is thus restored for many years, he dischar and with conceded impart lection be sudo neet T is simple justice to say i de Recorder Parmelee, hat le tation for tents and efica The once of circuit uage come vacant by the resignat and impartiality the de: e retirement of Judge z Gray was deservedly pra of congress on the ar sustained himself Tees man of remarkane. a sound and toe aw The governor an another excellent Lewis H. Saniem cted President-A Com jects to be considered by stricting the eligibility of Executive Veto-On the ary Committee-Of the dings on Mr. Chatfield's en. Tallmadge's Report, edings in Committee of y Committee-Mr. Hoff&c., from No. 3-ProHoffman's Report-Mr. -Debate on the quesRight of Suffrage-Mr. f Real Estate-Final adnarks. stitutional convenounties in the state, democratic party em. Messrs. HarOm Albany county, v York) and Clyde, id Burr, from DelaWarren, and Witnominated and supre claimed by that ge Nelson, from Otell, from Chemung, in opposition to the ndidates in the coun York. He is a very learned man and an able judge. His appointment was hailed as a most fortunate and judicious one, not only by the bar of New York, but by the legal profession throughout the state. Although Mr. Wright was complained of by the hunkers for leaning too much towards the radicals in the distribution of the state patronage, the highly importan! appointments just mentioned were certainly very judicious and beneficial to the community. In concluding this chapter, it is with painful sensations we record the death of an old and valuable state officer. We allude to Jonas Earl, of Onondaga county, who for many years was a canal commissioner, and who had, we believe, been twice elected senator of this state. He died at Syracuse in October. A meeting of the bar of Syracuse was held on the occasion: Judge Pratt presided, and among other resolutions introduced by Mr. H. Baldwin, and adopted by the meeting, was the following "Resolved, That in the retrospect of the well-spent life of our friend, while we mourn his loss, we find much to assuage our sorrow and console our grief in his unblemished and spotless life-in the purity of his character as a citizen and as a man-in the scrupulous fidelity with which he discharged all the high and multiplied public trusts which, for a period of more than thirty consecutive years, were by his confiding fellow-citizens committed to his h in his safe and prudent counsel as a member profession, which he adorned-and in his nsistent bearing as a professed and humble r blessed Lord and Saviour." ure all who knew Mr. Earl will admit that was well merited. |