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 important 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 presi. ded, 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 hands-in his safe and prudent counsel as a member of the legal profession, which he adorned-and in his devout and consistent bearing as a professed and humble follower of our blessed Lord and Saviour." We are sure all who knew Mr. Earl will admit that this eulogy was well merited. 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 Delaware 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 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 important 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 hands-in his safe and prudent counsel as a member of the legal profession, which he adorned-and in his devout and consistent bearing as a professed and humble follower of our blessed Lord and Saviour." We are sure all who knew Mr. Earl will admit that this eulogy was well merited. 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 Delaware 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 ties they respectively represented. It ought, however, to be stated, that both the democratic and whig parties seemed to have been impressed with the importance of selecting their ablest and best men to represent them in this assembly. We shall not undertake to designate the many distinguished individuals of which this body was composed. To allude by name to individual members, eminent for their talents and for their standing in society. might be deemed invidious. It must therefore suffice to say, that if we pass in review the whole body, they constituted an assemblage of men of great experience and weight of character, and highly distinguished for their talents, patriotism, and private and public virtues. There was one, and but one, of the members of this convention who was a member of the convention of 1821. That member was Gen. JAMES TALLMADGE, from the county of Dutchess. It will be recollected that each county was entitled to the same ratio of representation in the convention as under the then existing constitution it had in the assembly. Of course the whole number of delegates was 128. Of this number 43 were farmers. 45 lawyers, 8 physicians, 12 merchants, 6 mechanics, 2 surveyors, 1 banker, 1 furnace-man, 1 dealer in paints, 1 blacksmith, 1 printer, 1 engineer, 1 miller, 1 manufacturer, 1 iron-master, 1 geologist, 1 teacher, and 1 author. Three of the delegates were natives of Ireland, one of Scotland, 12 of the state of Massachusetts, 13 of Connecticut, 6 of New Hampshire, 6 of Vermont, 3 of Rhode Island, 1 of Maine, 2 of Pennsylvania, 3 of New Jersey, 1 of North Carolina, 1 of Virginia, 1 of Maryland, and the residue, being 75, were born in the state of New York. The convention assembled on the 1st day of June, and were called to order by Mr. Benton, the secretary of |