The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1850-10-07
The Late Texas Legislature Tho Gov.
3s ernor'a Veto,

Ii hos already been stated by telegraph
that the legislation Of the extra session Of
The Texas Legislature proved a nuility,
that body adjourning on the 9Th of Septem-
ber 10 meet again on tre Sd Monday in
November, after laying the war bill upon
the table, and the Governor veioing the
bill directing him to submit to the people
any proposition from the United States us
to The boundary question. What were
The practical indications Of this veto, wheih-
er favorable or uniayorable to peace and
a final settlement, it has been difficult here
to- divine. Galveston papers of the l7ih,
which have now come 10 hand, with Aus
tin advices to the 9Th, explain the whole
m litter. The following summary staies
the whole case -
The Legislature had passqd very impor.
tant bills--cne authorizing the Governor
to call into service three thousand vollm.
teers, and also organize the militia, for the
purpose Of asserting the rights. by force,
if necessary, of Texas to the territory oI
Santa Fe, in case Congress failed, by the
4th day of March next, to make anypro'
position to Texas for the purchase Of that
country, which should prove acceptable tc
the people. The ether was bill making
il the duty Of tho Governor to submit to
the people whatever propositions to pur'
chuse the country, or settle tho question
Congress should make, and restrained
him from action under the first bill until
after the people had taken action foror u
gainst the propositions.
The first bill passed the House Of Rep
resentutves by large majority, but was
finally lost in the Senate by vote Of ter
10 nine. The second bill was passed il
the Senate, and also in the House, with
an amendment. The House amendment
simply altered the language Of The bill, SC
as to request the Governor to submit pro
positions 10 the people, instead Of making
il his absolute duty 10 do SO, When tht
bill was returned to the Sennle, thdtibody
refused 10 concur in the House amendment
The House then receded from their amend
ment, and passed tho bill as it came from
tho Senate. a ~ asst
Gov. Bell refused TO sign it, and return
led il 10 tho Senate with his objections. =
His first objection is, TINT The Legislature
Ehas no right 10 command bin to submit the
matter 10 the people; he should have beer
left free to exercise his own discretion.-
1 The second objection is, that the constitu
lion Of the Stale gives 10 the Governor
alone, the power 10 convene the Legislator,
lon extraordinary occasions, and Of decidin,
4 when such an occasion exists; wherea
the bill takes that power Of judging from
4 him, and, without permitting him to exer
cise any discretion on the subject, it re
qhires him jlnperallyely 10 convene III
Legislature, in the event Of ne happening
contingency !; and il the Legislature can d
lthis, he contends thnt II cnn wholly sui
lyert and put at nn1ght The constitutions
lproyision which limits their assembling I
biennial sessions. rs 'ela saisg
aThe Senate pnssed the bill over the VI
10. The House sustained the Governor b
alarge majority, and the bill was lost.
| The House sustained the Goyerneri
his veto for ,hefensons contained in his Sc
cohd objection tolhe bill, and not bccaus
llhoy we're opposed 70 submitting the Who'll
matter TO the people. On The conlrnry,
large majority of ihe members wcrcenlir'
iIy favorable to TINT measure.