78 INTRODUCTION. 



The term of the executive office, under the old constitution, was three years. 

 It was now reduced to two; thirty-one members voting in favor of continuing 

 the term three years ; sixty-one voting to fix the term at two years, and fifty- 

 nine for reducing it to one year. 



Mr. Root made an unsuccessful effort to procure a provision in the constitution, 

 inhibiting courts from granting new trials, after two verdicts had been rendered. 

 Mr. Duer made a like effort to incorporate in the constitution an article, declar- 

 ing that indictments should not be found for what was resolved in meetings of the 

 people, peaceably convened to consider the action of the government. 



The debates in the convention disclosed the fact, that there were three opinions 

 among its members on the question of suffrage. One of them contemplated re- 

 taining the qualification of a freehold, valued at two hundred and fifty dollars, as 

 a condition of suffrage for senators. Nineteen members voted for this proposition, 

 viz. Messrs. Bacon, Fish, Hees, Hunter, Huntington, Jay, Jones, Piatt, Rhinelan- 

 der, Rose, Sanders, I. Smith, Spencer, Sylvester, Van Home, Van Ness, Van 

 Vechten, E. Williams and Woods. A second opinion was favorable to universal 

 suffrage by white persons. This opinion was supported by Mr. Root, Mr. Tomp- 

 kins, Mr. Radcliff and Mr. Young. The third opinion was conservative and mid- 

 way between the extremes ; and it was supported by Mr. Van Buren, King, 

 Sutherland, Duer, Nelson and Nathan Williams. The result was a compromise 

 between these conflicting opinions. But so strong was the popular sentiment in 

 favor of universal suffrage, that the constitution was amended five years after- 

 wards, so as to dispense with all other restrictions than those which are specified 

 in our synopsis of that instrument.* The exclusion of colored persons from suf- 

 frage, unless they had freeholds valued at two hundred and fifty dollars, was 

 carried by a vote of seventy-one to thirty-three, and was based upon the ground 

 that the African race were in a condition of hopeless degradation and ignorance. 

 The proposition was opposed with great zeal and ability by Peter A. Jay. 



* Hammond's History. 



