MR. BUTLER'S DISCOURSE.                                  53
and paying taxes.* Provision was made for increasing both branches with the increase of population, but the Senate was never to exceed one hundred, nor the Assembly three hundred.f
The Executive power was vested in a Governor, and as his substitute, a Lieutenant Governor, to be chosen by ballot, by and from the freeholders qualified to vote for Senators, for three years ; and the Judicial, in a Chancellor, and Judges of the Supreme Court, and first Judges of counties, to hold respectively during good behavior until the age of sixty years, and in other courts, judges and inferior magistrates, holding at the pleasure of the appointing power.J
A court of last resort and for the trial of impeachments, was formed on the principle of the English House of Lords, and of the Colonial Council. It was to be composed of the Lieutenant Governor, the Senators, the Chancellor, and the Judges of the Supreme Court; the Chancellor having no voice in the determination of appeals from his decrees, nor the Judges in that of writs of error.§
The appointing power was vested in a Council of Appointment ; consisting of four senators selected annually by the assembly, who, with the Governor, were to form the Council. To this body, was given, the power of appointing and removing, at pleasure, all officers in the State, except the Chancellor, Judges of the Supreme Court and first Judges of counties.||
To prevent the passage of laws inconsistent with the spirit of the constitution, or with the public good, there was established, a Council of Revision, composed of the Governor, the Chancellor, and the Judges of the Supreme Court, in which was vested the power of negativing all acts passed by the Senate and Assembly; the veto of the Council being absolute, except when the bill should be repassed by a vote of two-thirds of each house.Tf
The constitution, after reciting that the opinion had long prevailed, among the people of New-York, that voting by
• Articles 2, 4, 7, 10,11, 12. Altered by amendments of 1801 ; by Constitution of 1821 ; by amendment of 1826 ; and by Constitution of 1846.
t Articles 5, 16. Id.
} Articles 17, 20. 24, 28. Term of office altered as to governor and lieutenant governor, and first judge, by Constitution of 1821; as to all judicial offices by Constitution of 1846.
§ Arts. 32, 33.    Court abolished in 1846.
|| Arts. 23,24,27, 28.    Council of appointment abolished in 1821.
If Art. 3. Council of Revision abolished in 1821, and qualified veto given to the Governor, who still retains it.