PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
to the election at the spring election, held on the first Monday of April, 1880, the number of votes for and against each amendment was announced by proclamation of the Governor, and published April 18, 1880. In a case arising at a city election in May, appealed to the Supreme Court and determined in June, the question of the ratification or rejection of Amendment No. 1 was involved, and, as a matter of law and judicial knowledge of historical facts, it was held that a majority of the electors of the State had not ratified the same, and, therefore, that such amendment had not become a part of the Constitution. Although the number of electors voting for other amendments proposed was larger than the number of those voting for the first,' the principle settled has been accepted and acted upon with reference to all. If the enumeration of male inhabitants over he age of twenty-one years required by the Contstitution and made the basis of an apportionment of Senators and Representatives, and Representatives in Congress among the several Counties be accepted as a census of the electors of the State during the ensuing six years, and an affirmative vote of more than one-half that number be necessary to ratify a submitted amendment, the problem is easily solved and comprehended by any one familiar with the passage of bills through your two Houses. If it be enough that a majority of those voting shall favor a proposed amendment, it should be submitted to the electors at a special election in order that no question could arise as to whether the amendment had received a majority of the votes cast. It remains for you to provide for again taking the sense of the electors of the State, or in your large discretion to declare that he amendments proposed have ceased to be living issues before the people, and are no longer awaiting the action of a succeeding General Assembly or of the Electors."
It is nearly thirty years since the present Constitution of the State was adopted, during which time the State has increased in population from less than 1,000,000 to nearly 2,000,000. The in- crease in wealth and business has been equally great. In view of the facts that some of its provisions have become obsolete, and that experience under it has suggested many important changes and amendments, I recommend that the calling of a Constitutional Convention, believing that to be the best mode of revising the organic act of the State I would further recommend that the Convention consist of fifty members chosen from the Senatorial Districts. I believe the body would be large enough, and with the old Constitution before them as a guide, many of the provisions of which would undoubtedly be incorporated in the new, the sitting of the Convention need not necessarily be protracted for any considerable length of time. But if you should not deem it advisable to call a Convention, I recommend the revision of the proposed amendments, and in addition to those recommend an amendment make in the tenure of all the State offices four years, the incumbent to be eligible only four years in every period et years, the election to occur tween the Presidential elections, so as to eliminate State from National politics. I can see no good reason why the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Clerk and Reporter of the Supreme Court should be elected for four years, and the Secretary Auditor and Treasurer of State for two years. A like provision for equalizing the terms of County officers would doubtless be favorably received.
