51 N.J.L. 62 | N.J. | 1888
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The act of 1888, on which the relator founds his right to the possession of these records, abolished the office of the respondents and transferred its duties to the relator.
The act thus drawn in question excepts from its operation “ cities of the first class.” It is insisted that for this reason it is a special and local law regulating the internal affairs of cities. The classification of cities was made by the act of March 4th, 1882. Rev. Sup., p. 506. That statute divided cities into four classes — cities of the first class, consisting of those having a population exceeding one hundred thousand; cities of the second class, those having a population not less than twelve thousand nor more than one hundred thousand; cities of the third class, consisting of those not embraced within either the first or second classes, excepting cities on the Atlantic ocean which are sea-side or summer resorts, the cities thus excepted being designated as cities of the fourth class.
The scope and purpose of the Classification act of 1882 has been a subject of misapprehension which has occasioned some faulty legislation. The act, properly construed, does not purport to establish an absolute rule to discriminate between classifications which are admissible under the constitutional provision and those forbidden by its interdict. The office of the act is to provide a classification for the convenience of municipal legislation, analogous to the interpretation clauses frequently inserted in statutes, or general acts, assigning a meaning to particular words or a particular construction to statutory expressions, such as the general act relative to statutes. Rev., p. 1120. The third section, which declares that laws referring to cities under the classification therein made shall be construed to apply to and embrace all cities within that classification, clearly indicates the purpose to be . that of statutory construction. Assigning to the act of 1882 its appropriate office, the result will be that the statute under consideration will read as excluding from its operation cities having a population exceeding one hundred thousand inhabitants; and upon such a rendering, the question will arise whether the classification adopted is such, in substance, as to bring this act within the category of general laws.
Randolph v. Wood was decided upon an act entitled “An act concerning cities of the third class,” approved April 20th, 1883 (Rev. Sup., p. 527, § 129), and framed in compliance with the Classification act of 1882. It enacted that in cities of the third class the term of office of the legislative body should be for as many years as there were members from each ward, and provided for so classifying members that the term of one member from each ward should expire each year, and one member from each ward should be elected for each year. The act wrought a radical change in the organization of cities within its purview, and was conspicuously a regulation of internal affairs; and in the Classification act of 1882, cities of the third class were those with a population of less than twelve thousand, excluding cities bounding upon the Atlantic •ocean which were sea-side or summer resorts. The act was ■upheld by this court and the Court of Errors as a constitutional exercise of legislative power. In State, Hart, pros., v. •Scott, the section in question prescribed the minimum fees for licenses to sell liquors, graduated by a classification upon population, $100 being the minimum fee in municipalities having a population of not more than three thousand ; $150 in municipalities having a population exceeding three thousand and not exceeding ten thousand, and $250 in municipalities with a population in excess of ten thousand. It was conceded that this section was a regulation of the internal affairs of
It must not be inferred from these decisions that classification on the basis of population may be resorted to as a means of evading the constitutional interdict of local and special laws, where the classification is plainly illusory. Mr. Justice Knapp, in dealing with the case then in hand, states the principle in these words: “A law is to be regarded as general when its provisions apply to all objects of legislation, distinguished alike by qualities and attributes which necessitate the legislation or to which the enactment has manifest relation. Such law must embrace all and exclude none whose condition and wants render such legislation equally necessary or appropriate to them as a class.” He states the question for decision to be whether, for the purpose of legislation, enlarging the term of office of councilmen, smallness of population may not be a substantial and sufficiently important ground to distinguish such communities from the great cities of the state, and answers it in the affirmative, assigning as a reason therefor that the duties of such office in small cities, were measurably small; that such offices in small cities were avoided by proper men; that unless the duty which election to public office enforces is imposed for a considerable term, competent and experienced service is not likely to be obtained, and that in this ■ larger cities differ. He adds: “ That if these or other considerations justify the drawing of some line of demarcation between the larger and smaller aggregations of people, it is for the legislature to say where that line shall be placed. I am not prepared to say that the selection of the smaller municipalities from the whole, as the objects to which this legislation shall apply, is so inappropriate that we may deny to the legislation based upon it the quality of a general law.”
In State, Hart, pros., v. Scott, Mr. Justice Van Syckel declared that the diversity created by the section under consideration would be fatal to its validity unless the basis of classification was substantial. He continued : “ Whether the basis of classification is wise or judicious, or whether it will
The act applies to cities of the second, third and fourth ■classes. At this time Newark and Jersey City are the only cities excepted. In respect of population, these cities rank •among the cities of this state as a class by themselves. The large population in these municipalities, the great amount of property to be protected by the municipal government, the extent and cost of local improvements necessary to the growth and prosperity of these cities require efficient and expensive city governments. The affairs of these municipalities could not be managed by local governments adapted to cities of the population and insulated position of the smaller cities of the state, and it would be oppressive to force upon the latter municipalities a local government such as is essential to public welfare in these two cities. On considerations of this kind in sister states having constitutional restrictions on special laws like that in our constitution, the courts have sustained classification acts similar to the act of 1882. Wheeler v. Philadelphia, 77 Penna. St. 338, 350; Kilgore v. Magee, 85 Id. 401; Walker v. Cincinnati, 21 Ohio St. 15; State v. Powers, 38 Id. 54, 61; State v. Brewster, 39 Id. 653, 659; Bronson v. Oberlin, 41 Id. 476, 481; State v. Hawkins, 3 West. Rep. 125, 128; State v. Hudson, Id. 159.
The legislation in question comprises the entire scheme of
It was also objected to the act that it was not a constitutional exercise of legislative power, in that the act did not take effect in any city within its purview unless accepted on a popular vpte. Acts of parliament to take effect on similar conditions are found in the English law, and have been put in force without scruple. The act of 22 Geo. III., ch. 83, popularly known as Gilbert’s act, is an illustration of this sort of legislation very like the present act in this particular. It propounded a new and elaborate scheme for the support and employment of the poor, for adoption within any parish, town
To sustain the construction that a law general in form is special if submitted to acceptance on a popular vote, the respondents rely upon Scranton v. Lackawanna Iron and Coal Co., 4 Cent. Rep. 311. Elsewhere it has been held to the contrary. People v. Hoffman, 3 West. Rep. 523, and cases
In the third place, it was insisted that the object of the act was not sufficiently expressed in its title. The title of the act is, “An act concerning the construction, care and improvement of the public ways, parks and sewers in certain of the cities of this state and assessments for the same.” This title embraces every object to which the act relates. The precise objection on this head is that it also abolished offices, boards and commissions theretofore exercising the powers granted by the act to the common council or board of'aldermen. The act of 1888, being a general law, of its own force operated to repeal all inconsistent legislation (Bowyer v. Camden, 21 Vroojn 87), and taking from other bodies the jurisdiction conferred on the common council is not foreign to the object of the act, but is manifestly cognate to it. Payne v. Mahon, 15 Vroom 213 ; Bumsted v. Govern, 18 Id. 368, 375; 19 Id. 612.
Another constitutional objection raised related to the effect of this law upon the city of New Brunswick. By the act of 1871, which created the office of the relators, the commissioners were empowered to make and issue bonds in their official name, and pledge the credit of the city for their payment; and assessments made by them were required to be invested for the payment of such obligations. It is insisted that the act of 1888 conflicts with the rights of creditors holding these bonds. Creditors holding bonds issued by the commissioners have no security for payment beyond the credit of the city and the pledge of assessments. These bonds are obligations of the city, and are enforceable against the city, notwithstanding the repeal of the law under which they were issued; and assessments pledged for their payment may be made available at the instance of creditors, notwithstanding a change in the official body having the collection of them. A change in the mode in which creditors’ rights are to be enforced, which does-not affect any substantial right, is no infringement of the con
The case was argued exclusively on the constitutional questions we have considered, probably with a view to a speedy decision of this controversy on the merits. We find no constitutional grounds on which to deny the validity of the act of 1888.
A technical question, however, stands in the way of allowing the relator a mandamus at this time.
The act of 1888 is a public act, and subject to the rule that a public act does not go into operation until the 4th of July next after its passage, unless otherwise specially provided in such act. Rev., p. 1122, § 13. The eighth section of the act provided that it should take effect immediately as regards the submission to a popular vote. In pursuance of that special provision the act was submitted to a popular vote April 10th, 1888. The other provisions of the act did not become operative until July 4th, 1888. Demand of possession of their records was made on the 1st of June, which was before the relator was entitled to have them. The rule to show cause was granted and argued before the time as of which the respondents’ office ceased, and before they could be required to yield possession of the books.
A new rule may be taken and the case set for argument immediately upon another demand of the books, and be heard on the state of case agreed on, and be decided upon the argument already had, if that course be desired. Whatever disposition of the case be made under this rule to show cause will be without costs. If a new rule is required, costs may be awarded.