By the force of the provisions of that Constitution, New Jersey has been enabled to protect her agriculture and manufactures, for both of which she is admirably provided by her fertile valleys and her mines and numerous streams. Her course, since its adoption, has been progressive on all the lines of National prosperity, and now she stands foremost among the States in the acquisition of those appliances which make up an influential commonwealth. Since the Revolutionary war and that of 1812, up to the adoption of the Constitution of 1844, the Judicial and Civil History of New Jersey can be written on a few pages. After a long and somewhat acrimonious discussion between the Commissioners appointed by the two governments, for the purpose of estab lishing peace between England and America, the Articles of pacification were signed on the 30th of November, 1782. Those articles were most advantageous for the Republic and were secured by the skill and perseverance of the American Commissioners, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay and Henry Laurens. They were, however, merely preliminary and the treaty of peace did not go into effect until January 20, 1783. Lafayette was the first to receive tidings of the pacification, which were sent him by letter received March 24th of the same year. The American Commissioners forwarded a copy of the treaty early in April, and on the 19th of that month the war was ended. But prior to that date the declaration of peace had been celebrated with imposing ceremonies at Trenton. Peace had come at last; grim war had ceased, and the patriot soldiers returned to their farms and their shops, soldiers no more, but citizens assuming the duties of civic life in the country they had saved. The Legislature was now freed from the care of providing for soldiers in the field, and, although it had never lost sight of the true interest of its constituents, yet, now, it could give undivided attention to the protection of those appliances which peculiarly demand the fostering care of the law making power. The three branches of the government, the executive, legislative and judicial, were united in their efforts to aid the people in their attempts at recuperation; the people responded willingly and gladly to the demands made upon them by the exigencies of the times. It was a sublime spectacle-the self-sacrificing spirit, the ready alertness, the cheerful performance of duty, which at that crucial hour animated all classes. The people of the State were essentially a religious people, and one of their first tasks was the rebuilding of their houses of worship, many of which had been burned by the enemy. In many instances, where, although church edifices escaped destruction, more commodious ones were needed, it was amazing to witness the energy and promptness with which those wants were supplied. This same indomitable spirit was manifested in all directions; the people were animated with one impulse-to shake off the evils resulting from the war, to free themselves and their families from the hard, grinding poverty which had followed them. The country was free, they were all freemen, the Republic was theirs, and they resolved to make it worthy of the home of Liberty. They were eminently successful in their efforts. In a very few years the State was on the high road to prosperity; manufactures were firmly established; mines were opened; and the wealth stored by Nature in the rugged hills of New Jersey, was made subservient to its success. In all the avenues from whence come appliances for a Nation's best growth, the industries of the commonwealth were stimulated and protected. Wise men were selected for Governors and members of the Legislature. William Livingston, of whom mention has already been made, after thirteen years' service as the Executive of the State, was succeeded by William Paterson, who held the office until 1792. The successors of Paterson, up to the year 1844, when another Constitution was framed, were fifteen in number, ten of whom were of the political party known as Democrats and the others were Federalists. These terms, at first, were intended to represent two political parties, one of which favored the centralization of power in a general government and the other opposed that principle. The Federalist party, which supported the Constitution, was led and largely influenced by Alexander Hamilton, whose masterful spirit controlled and guided it, at first, to victory. Its op position to the war of 1812, and the Hartford Convention aided materially in its total destruction. It disappeared about 1820 and other parties arose under different names and with various principles. The following is a list of the Governors of New Jersey with the times of their service: William Paterson, Federalist... Joseph Bloomfield, Democrat. 1790-1792. 1792-1801. In 1802, there was a failure to elect a Governor, in consequence of a tie vote in the Legislature, and John Lambert, President of the Council and a Democrat, acted as Governor, in pursuance of a provision of the Constitution of 1776. Aaron Ogden, Federalist..... William S. Pennington, Democrat.. Mahlon Dickerson, Democrat. Isaac H. Williamson, Federalist. In 1803 Joseph 1812-1813. 1813-1815. .1815-1817. 1817-1829. In 1829, Garret D. Wall, Democrat, was elected, but declined, and, in the same year, Peter D. Vroom, Democrat, was elected and held office until 1832. A few years before this time, the name Federalist, as distinctive of a political party, had disappeared and the two great parties were known by the names of Whig and Democrat, though the Whig party by no means assumed the principles of the Federalists. Samuel L. Southard, Whig. 1832-1833. Mr. Southard, during his term was elected United States Senator and Elias P. Seeley, Whig, was elected for the balance of his term. Constitution of 1776 Lacking; Attempt made to Change, in 1790; In 1844, Act Passed to Elect Members to Convention to Prepare New Constitution; Provisions of Act; Isaac H. Williamson, President; Alexander Wurts, Vice President; Mr. Williamson Resigns; Wurts Elected President; Convention finished its Labors June 29th, 1844; Constitution Signed, Presented to the Governor and Filed in Office of Secretary of State; People by Large Majority Ratified It; Changes in Government Created by New Constitution; Difficulty about Senatorial Districts; List of Governors Since 1844; Decision of the Courts as to the Constitutionality of System of Dividing States into Legislative Districts. It was very soon ascertained, after the peace between England and America, that the Constitution of 1776 was not adapted to the growing necessities of the Commonwealth. As early as 1790, an attempt was made in the Legislature to provide for the election of members to a Convention to revise the Constitution. But this attempt failed. It was acknowledged by all that there were errors in the organic law, but the people did not seem ready for a change. Discussions in the Legislature and elsewhere took place from time to time, relative to amendments, but it was not until 1843 that the growing discontent culminated and took definite shape. In that year, Daniel Haines was elected Governor, manifested a deep interest in the subject and in his annual message to the Legislature recommended the passage of a law calling a Convention together. to revise the Constitution. In accordance with. this recommendation, the Legislature, on the 23rd day of February, 1844, passed an act entitled "An act to provide for the election of delegates to a Convention to prepare a Constitution for the government of the State, and for submitting the same to the people thereof, for ratification or rejection." By the terms of this act, an election for delegates "to meet in Convention to frame a Constitution for the gov ernment of the State" was to be held in the several Counties, on the 18th of March then next, to elect delegates equal in number to the members of the Legislature from the various Counties. The Convention was to assemble at the State House, in Trenton, on the 14th day of May. After a Constitution had been adopted, it was to be submitted to the people on the 2nd Tuesday of August following, who were to vote by using the words: "Constitution" if in favor, and “No Constitution," if opposed. Isaac H. Williamson, former Chancellor, was elected President of the Convention and Alexander Wurts, VicePresident. Mr. Williamson became ill during the Convention and resigned his office and Alexander Wurts was chosen in his stead. The Convention met promptly on the day appointed and finished their labors on the 29th of June, 1844. By common consent the members were equally divided between the two great political parties then in existence in the State, so that no partisan measure entered into the result of the discussions of that Convention. Great care was taken in the selection of the members and the best men in the State were chosen. Every Article was subjected to the severest criticism and everything was done in order and with deliberation. On the day when the Constitution was signed by the President, Secretary and Assistant Secretary, it was delivered by the President, Mr. Wurts, to Governor Haines, who ordered that the same should be filed in the office of the Secretary of State and the original Constitution thus signed was filed by Charles G. McChesney, then Secretary of State, in his office, on the same day. On the 13th of August, 1844, the Constitution was submit ted to the suffrages of the people and was adopted by a very large majority, the number of votes cast in its favor being 23,371 and those in opposition, 3,526. This Constitution very materially changed the government of the State. The office of Governor had theretofore combined the two departments of the Executive and the Court of Chancery, the Governor being Chancellor. The Governor also was thereafter elected by the people and ceased to be Chancellor. The Council, under the old Constitution, had been the Court of Appeals in the last resort; a new Court of Errors and Appeals was created, consisting of the Chancellor, Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court and lay members, the object of this being to retain the popular element in this high court. Judges of all the courts except Justices of the Peace, Senators and many minor offices were nominated by the Governor and elected with the consent of the Senate, which took the place of the former Council. The rights and privileges of the citizens were specified in what might be called a Bill of Rights introduced into the Constitution. A vexed question arose before the Constitutional Convention, which, at one time, promised to give rise to serious difficulty. The Council, under the old Constitution, was composed of one member from each County. The representatives in the Convention from the larger Counties insisted that this was an injustice; the small County of Cape May had the same influence, so far as votes went, in the proceedings of the Senate, as did the larger Counties of Essex, Monmouth and others. The proposition was introduced and strenuously supported that the State should be divided into senatorial Districts, making the representation in the Senate dependent upon the number of inhabitants and not upon the territorial lines of the Counties. One gentleman who strenuously supported the district system, a man of great sagacity and undoubted patriotism, left the Convention and refused to sign the Constitution, because this plan was not carried out. The Governor was to be elected for the term of three years and was not eligible for office at any time during the three years succeeding the expiration of his term; neither could he make any nominations during the last week of that term. These were the main differences between the two Constitutions Since the adoption of the one of 1844, various attempts have been made to amend it. There are different opinions as to the character of this new Constitution, but, whatever they may be, it certainly was a great improvement upon |