The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-03
THE CALLED SESSION.
THE GLOBE AGAIN

THE GLOBE AGAIN.
We are not addicted to do the Globe the ho-
nor Of frequent notice so much at large but a
word or two more may not be amiss, since the
sequel Of the article we noticed in our last has
appeared.
AT last the Globe has barely alluded to the
true constitutional question, though it has not
ventured to quote the warrant Of special ses-
sion in form. II is remarkable that one of its
premises is, that il was possible for the 26th
Congress to convoke the 9th! Another, that
the extraordinary occasion" must alise after
the adjournment Of the last Congress to justify
special session. Even by this rule the case is
a clear one. We have not only a new Govern
ment, but new Congress, and SO far as their
acton and responsibilities are concerned, the
occasion" of the called session, in every sense
and application of the Constitution, comes upon
them since the administration Of the Govern
ment has passed into their hands. II was not
possible that it should even erist before, in re.
gard to them as rulers, or in any manner TO cast
upon them the responsibility Of its management
and as new as if it never had been heard Of
Even though the previous administration and
the 26th Congress had been agreed, that II was
necessary and highly important to act upon this
extraordinary occasion" Immediately after the
4,h Of March, 1S4l, or any time before the regu
lar session, they were barred from action by the
Constitution, and could do nothing in the way
of advice to the succeeding Administration, or
of calling special session Of the 9th Congress
And yet the Globe assumes, as the platform Of
its argument, that all this could be done, and
that this was the regular counsel This is either
ignorance or cheat. We are content that the
Globe should make its own election between the
two.
But the very and the sole reason why the late
Administration and the majority of the 26th Con-
gress have been turned out, was because they
would not act on this extraordinary occasion"
as the nation wished and required. And now,
forsooth, because the "extraordinary occasion"
is as old as it is distressing, and distressing be-
cause it is old, and much more urgent because
it is both old and distressing, may not be taken
up and acted upon by special Congress, when
all this mighty struggle has been gone through,
and this glorious victory achieved, that these
stupendous, and ruinous evils might be got rid Of
as soon as possible Was there ever such i'm
pudence in set of impudent fellows, or such in
suit to an injured and long suffering people?
1t will be seen, however, that to General Har-
rison as President of the United States from
the 4th of March, 1S41, and to his Cabinet as
his advisers, the occasion is not only techni-
cally and consttutionaly, but strictly, and, in
every practical sense, nep. 1t has sprung and
come upon them, as to their official capacity, an
the recess AS President and as Cabinet, they
neither knew Of it, nor could they have had any
thing to do with it, before, and It imposes upon
them precisely the same responsibilities, as II II
had forever been unknown TO all the world till
after the 4th Of March.
Moreover, as matter Of fact, the "sundry
important and weighty matters, principally
growing out of the condition Of the revenue and
finances of the country" were, as we are given
to understand, from credible sources, actually
new and extraordinary occasions" sprung
upon the new administration after they came
into power, of which they had no knowledge
before, and could not have. So wickedly had
the late administration contrved to embanass the
present, SO UT dCHeiouo bau 'hs wv" ~ 49, -
terests of the country, so reckless OF the ruin
they were Matching for the people, and so disre
qardful of their solemn oath Of office, as II SC
many evil spirits had been let out from the abyss
to work mischief with all possible despatch
"knowing that their time was Short" we WI
venture to say, that no government OF a civilized
country ever passed in a regular constitutional
succession into other hands, in worse condi
tion. a. TO the means Of being carried on Ih'
present Government were astounded and dis
MAYED at the facts disclosed, when they entered
their Offices and began TO inquire, and the!
would have been equally treacherous TO thei
trusts as their predecessors were, II they had no
taken the course, and the only course, open be
fore them. in summonng to the earliest constl
tu,ional action the only branch oil the Govern
ment that cou d afford relief
Fortunately for the country, on such an 'ex
,raordinary OCCASION" the Constitution repose
this confidence and devolves this responsibllit
on the Executive and his advisers, to act II
their best di ,cretion and on their conscience u
calling special session Of Congress, I'll IN
"occasionn itself can be more fully revealed y
the presence and under the counsels OF this CO