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American　colonies　at　a　very　early　date。　　The　Declaration　of　Independence　was　made　by　the　revolted　colonies　in　1776；　and　in　1777　the　first　constitution　was　adopted　by　the　State　of　New　York。　　In　1822　this　was　changed　for　another；　and　the　one　of　which　I　now　purport　to　state　some　of　the　details　was　brought　into　action　in　1847。　　In　this　constitution　there　is　a　provision　that　it　shall　be　overhauled　and　remodeled；　if　needs　be；　once　in　twenty　years。　　Article　XIII。　Sec。　2。　　〃At　the　general　election　to　be　held　in　1806；　and　in　each　twentieth　year　thereafter；　the　question；　'Shall　there　be　a　convention　to　revise　the　constitution　and　amend　the　same？'　shall　be　decided　by　the　electors　qualified　to　vote　for　members　of　the　legislature？〃　　So　that　the　New　Yorkers；　cannot　be　twitted　with　the　presumption　of　finality　in　reference　to　their　legislative　arrangements。　The　present　constitution　begins　with　declaring　the　inviolability　of　trial　by　jury；　and　of　habeas　corpus〃unless　when；　in　cases　of　rebellion　or　invasion；　the　public　safety　may　require　its　suspension。〃　　It　does　not　say　by　whom　it　may　be　suspended；　or　who　is　to　judge　of　the　public　safety；　but；　at　any　rate；　it　may　be　presumed　that　such　suspension　was　supposed　to　come　from　the　powers　of　the　State　which　enacted　the　law。　　At　the　present　moment；　the　habeas　corpus　is　suspended　in　New　York；　and　this　suspension　has　proceeded　not　from　the　powers　of　the　State；　but　from　the　Federal　government；　without　the　sanction　even　of　the　Federal　Congress。　〃Every　citizen　may　freely　speak；　write；　and　publish　his　sentiments　on　all　subjects；　being　responsible　for　the　abuse　of　that　right；　and　no　law　shall　be　passed　to　restrain　or　abridge　the　liberty　of　speech　or　of　the　press。〃　　Art。　I。　Sec。　8。　　But　at　the　present　moment　liberty　of　speech　and　of　the　press　is　utterly　abrogated　in　the　State　of　New　York；　as　it　is　in　other　States。　　I　mention　this　not　as　a　reproach　against　either　the　State　or　the　Federal　government；　but　to　show　how　vain　all　laws　are　for　the　protection　of　such　rights。　If　they　be　not　protected　by　the　feelings　of　the　peopleif　the　people　are　at　any　time；　or　from　any　cause；　willing　to　abandon　such　privileges；　no　written　laws　will　preserve　them。　In　Article　I。　Sec。　14；　there　is　a　proviso　that　no　landland；　that　is；　used　for　agricultural　purposesshall　be　let　on　lease　for　a　longer　period　than　twelve　years。　　〃No　lease　or　grant　of　agricultural　land　for　a　longer　period　than　twelve　years　hereafter　made；　in　which　shall　be　reserved　any　rent　or　service　of　any　kind；　shall　be　valid。〃　　I　do　not　understand　the　intended　virtue　of　this　proviso；　but　it　shows　very　clearly　how　different　are　the　practices　with　reference　to　land　in　England　and　America。　　Farmers　in　the　States　almost　always　are　the　owners　of　the　land　which　they　farm；　and　such　tenures　as　those　by　which　the　occupiers　of　land　generally　hold　their　farms　with　us　are　almost　unknown。　　There　is　no　such　relation　as　that　of　landlord　and　tenant　as　regards　agricultural　holdings。　Every　male　citizen　of　New　York　may　vote　who　is　twenty…one；　who　has　been　a　citizen　for　ten　days；　who　has　lived　in　the　State　for　a　year；　and　for　four　months　in　the　county　in　which　he　votes。　　He　can　vote　for　all　〃officers　that　now　are；　or　hereafter　may　be；　elective　by　the　people。〃　　Art；　II。　Sec。　1。　　〃But；〃　the　section　goes　on　to　say；　〃no　man　of　color；　unless　he　shall　have　been　for　three　years　a　citizen　of　the　State；　and　for　one　year　next　preceding　any　election　shall　have　been　possessed　of　a　freehold　estate　of　the　value　of　250　dollars；　（50l。；）　and　shall　have　been　actually　rated；　and　paid　a　tax　thereon；　shall　be　entitled　to　vote　at　such　election。〃　　This　is　the　only　embargo　with　which　universal　suffrage　is　laden　in　the　State　of　New　York。　The　third　article　provides　for　the　election　of　the　Senate　and　the　Assembly。　　The　Senate　consists　of　thirty…two　members。　　And　it　may　here　be　remarked　that　large　as　is　the　State　of　New　York；　and　great　as　is　its　population；　its　Senate　is　less　numerous　than　that　of　many　other　States。　　In　Massachusetts；　for　instance；　there　are　forty　Senators；　though　the　population　of　Massachusetts　is　barely　one…　third　that　of　New　York。　　In　Virginia；　there　are　fifty　Senators；　whereas　the　free　population　is　not　one…third　of　that　of　New　York。　As　a　consequence；　the　Senate　of　New　York　is　said　to　be　filled　with　men　of　a　higher　class　than　are　generally　found　in　the　Senates　of　other　States。　　Then　follows　in　the　article　a　list　of　the　districts　which　are　to　return　the　Senators。　　These　districts　consist　of　one；　two；　three；　or　in　one　case　four　counties；　according　to　the　population。　The　article　does　not　give　the　number　of　members　of　the　Lower　House；　nor　does　it　even　state　what　amount　of　population　shall　be　held　as　entitled　to　a　member。　　It　merely　provides　for　the　division　of　the　State　into　districts　which　shall　contain　an　equal　number；　not　of　population；　but　of　voters。　　The　House　of　Assembly　does　consist　of　128　members。　It　is　then　stipulated　that　every　member　of　both　houses　shall　receive　three　dollars　a　day；　or　twelve　shillings；　for　their　services　during　the　sitting　of　the　legislature；　but　this　sum　is　never　to　exceed　300　dollars；　or　sixty　pounds；　in　one　year；　unless　an　extra　session　be　called。　　There　is　also　an　allowance　for　the　traveling　expenses　of　members。　　It　is；　I　presume；　generally　known　that　the　members　of　the　Congress　at　Washington　are　all　paid；　and　that　the　same　is　the　case　with　reference　to　the　legislatures　of　all　the　States。　No　member　of　the　New　York　legislature　can　also　be　a　member　of　the　Washington　Congress；　or　hold　any　civil　or　military　office　under　the　General　States　government。　A　majority　of　each　House　must　be　present；　or；　as　the　article　says；　〃shall　constitute　a　quorum　to　do　business。〃　　Each　House　is　to　keep　a　journal　of　its　proceedings。　　The　doors　are　to　be　openexcept　when　the　public　welfare　shall　require　secrecy。　　A　singular　proviso　this　in　a　country　boasting　so　much　of　freedom！　　For　no　speech　or　debate　in　either　House；　shall　the　legislator　be　called　in　question　in　any　other　place。　　The　legislature　assembles　on　the　first　Tuesday　in　January；　and　sits　for　about　three　months。　　Its　seat　is　at　Albany。　The　executive　power；　Article　IV。；　is　to　be　vested　in　a　Governor　and　a　Lieutenant…Governor；　both　of　whom　shall　be　chosen　for　two　years。　The　Governor　must　be　a　citizen　of　the　United　States；　must　be　thirty　years　of　age；　and　have　lived　for　the　last　four　years　in　the　State。　He　is　to　be　commander…in…chief　of　the　military　and　naval　forces　of　the　State；　as　is　the　President　of　those　of　the　Union。　　I　see　that　this　is　also　the　case　in　inland　States；　which　one　would　say　can　have　no　navies。　　And　with　reference　to　some　States　it　is　enacted　that　the　Governor　is　commander…in…chief　of　the　army；　navy；　and　militia；　showing　that　some　army　over　and　beyond　the　militia　may　be　kept　by　the　State。　　In　Tennessee；　which　is　an　inland　State；　it　is　enacted　that　the　Governor　shall　be　〃commander…in…chief　of　the　army　and　navy　of　this　State；　and　of　the　militia；　except　when　they　shall　be　called　into　the　service　of　the　United　States。〃　　In　Ohio　the　same　is　the　case；　except　that　there　is　no　mention　of　militia。　　In　New　York　there　is　no　proviso　with　reference　to　the　service　of　the　United　States。　　I　mention　this　as　it　bears　with　some　strength　on　the　question　of　the　right　of　secession；　and　indicates　the　jealousy　of　the　individual　States　with　reference　to　the　Federal　government。　The　Governor　can　convene　extra　sessions　of　one　House　or　of　both。　He　makes　a　message　to　the　legislature　when　it　meetsa　sort　of　Queen's　speech；　and　he　receives　for　his　services　a　compensation　to　be　established　by　law。　　In　New　York　this　amounts　to　800l。　a　year。　In　some　States　this　is　as　low　as　200l。　and　300l。　　In　Virginia　it　is　1000l。　　In　California；　1200l。　The　Governor　can　pardon；　except　in　cases　of　treason。　　He　has　also　a　veto　upon　all　bills　sent　up　by　the　legislature。　　If　he　exercise　this　veto　he　returns　the　bill　to　the　legislature　with　his　reasons　for　so　doing。　　If　the　bill　on　reconsideration　by　the　Houses　be　again　passed　by　a　majority　of　two…thirds　in　each　house；　it　becomes　law　in　spite　of　the　Governor's　veto。　　The　veto　of　the　President　at　Washington　is　of　the　same　nature。　　Such　are　the　powers　of　the　Governor。　　But　though　they　are　very　full；　the　Governor　of　each　State　does　not　practically　exercise　any　great　political　power；　nor　is　he；　even　politically；　a　great　man。　　You　might　live　in　a　State　during　the　whole　term　of　his　government　and　hardly　hear　of　him。　There　is　vested　in　him　by　the　language　of　the　constitution　a　much　wider　power　than　that　intrusted　to　the　governor　of　our　colonies。　But　in　our　colonies　everybody　talks；　and　thinks；　and　knows　about　the　governor。　　As　far　as　the　limits　of　the　colony　the　governor　is　a　great　man。　　But　this　is　not　the　case　with　reference　to　the　governors　in　the　different　States。　The　next　article　provides　that　the　Governor's　ministers；　viz；　the　Secretary　of　State；　the　Controller；　Treasurer；　and　Attorney…　General；　shall　be　chosen　every　two　years　at　a　general　election。　　In　this　respect　the　State　constitution　differs　from　that　of　the　national　constitution。　　The　President　at　Washington　names　his　own　ministerssubject　to　the　approbation　of　the　Senate。　　He　makes　many　other　appointments　with　the　same　limitation；　and　the　Senate；　I　believe；　is　not　slow　to　interfere；　but　with　reference　to　the　ministers　it　is　understood　that　the　names　sent　in　by　the　President　shall　stand。　　Of　the　Secretary　of　State；　Controller；　etc。；　belonging　to　the　different　States；　and　who　are　elected　by　the　people；　in　a　general　way；　one　never　hears。　　No　doubt　they　attend　their　offices　and　take　their　pay；　but　they　are　not　political　personages。　The　next　article；　No。　VI。；　refers　to　the　judiciary；　and　is　very　complicated。　　As　I　cannot　understand　it；　I　will　not　attempt　to　explain　it。　　Moreover；　it　is　not　within　the　scope　of　my　ambition　to　convey　here　all　the　details　of　the　State　constitution。　　In　Sec。　20　of　this　article　it　is　provided　that　no　judicial　officer；　except　justices　of　the　peace；　shall　receive　to　his　own　use　any　fees　or　perquisites　of　office。〃　　How　pleasantly　this　enactment　must　sound　in　the　ears　of　the　justices　of　the　peace！　Article　VII。　refers　to　fiscal　matters；　and　is　more　especially　interesting　as　showing　how　greatly　the　State　of　New　York　has　depended　on　its　canals　for　its　wealth。　　These　canals