The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-01
THE EXTRA SESSION.
TIL E GLOBE.


1t is misfortune to those who oppose that
which is doing, to give poor reason. Better
let it go on. The Globe, of Monday, has dis
covered, that General Harrison's call of an
Extra Session Of Congress is without warrant.
1t is true the Constitution says, ''He (he Pre-
sident) may, on extraordinary occasions con-
vene both Houses (of Congress) or either of
them" But the Globe does not think it worth
while to encounter this lisence yet one could
not easily see how it could be altogether set
aside in taking up such position. Here, how
ever is the warrant, aud that is enough, unless
it can be proved, that the " occasion" is not Eek
traordinary." Even then, the warrant is suffi-
Gent if the President thinks it is so, as il is
question for him alone to determine, or for him
and his Cabinet If they have not judged right,
they must take the responsibility. We are
strongly inclined to think, it will generally be
admitted, that the state of the country is some
what extraordinary" at least that the state Of
the revenue and finances" is so.
Has there not been an extraordinary" change
in the country Mr.. Benton, Of the Senate,
thought so, and put the whole body and the spec
tators (Mr. Benton's blackguards") into
laugh, by the confession, that it was not only
extraordinary, but that he could not account for
il! And when he saw them laughing, he said
it over and over, till they laughed at his insisting
uron it SO strongly! Well, then, it may be pre-
sumed there were some extraordinary" rea-
sons, as in truth we think there were. 1t is
enough for our purpose, that the nation has
tn ought so, of which we have the strongest evil
dence We are glad to have Mr. Benton's sup
port on this point He was absolutely puzzled
into confusion. That, surely, was very sex
traordinaryn for him to blush More so, being
philosopher, that he could not account for il !
The nation understands it very well. The peo-
pie have not done this " extraordinary" thing in
the daik.
An extraordinary" man, General Jackson,
had the " extraordinary" presumption TO assume
an extraordinary" responsibility, and thereby
to bring about an extraordinary state OF things
Another extraordinary" individual, Martin Van
Buren,, was extraordinarily" compliant with
the mandates Of his extraordinary and illustri-
Gus predecessor" and between the two. the cri-
sis 10 which they brought the country was er-
tremely extraordinary"
Finally, an extraordinary" political revolu-
ton, which Mr. Benton could not understand,
made William Henry Harrison President OF
The United States. All these extraordinary"
events, if our immaculate neighbor, the Globe,
needs information on that point, brought about
the extraordinary occasion" Of calling an extra
session for the 3lst OF May, lS4l.
Bot the unfortunate obtuseness Of the Globes
perceptions cannot discover how, in point oil
law and fact, the 4th of March should have been
very extraordinary" in comparison OF the 80 OF
the same month, or the day preceding. Clearly,
we would suggest, if not extraordinary" It was
al least very pleasant to think Of the change.
But '.the occasions for calling a special ses-
sion Of Congress had been of such long stand
ing, they could not be said, technically speak
ing, to be EXTRAORDINARY" We'll, If the Globe
chooses to put it on the ground of techncalities,
we would respectfully suggest, that technically
speaking" General Harrison was not President
of the United States till the 4th Of March, 1S4l,
and, technically speaking" the rule Of the
Constitution, requiring "an extraordinary occa-
sionn for called session, could not go inR ef-
feet. till the 4th Of March had arrived, consider
ing the temper OF the old dynasty.
Technically speaking, therefore, the "extra-
ordinary occasion" had existed for years, but
could not be used for this end, till an 'extraor-
binary" political revolution had brought 1t with
in the rule of the Constitution It is 10 be hoped,
therefore. since the nation has waited so patient
IL and suffered so long, under these ''extraordi-
nary" circumstances that the Globe will ga
ciously be pleased, "exuaordinary" though It may