, 1856-02-01

believe that this legislature has righ
to elect a man to an Office which is, ant
should be the legitimate business of tn,
next legislature. As member of this body
| would like to know, Mr.. President if
have not the same right-the same duties
and if so, do not stand upon the same basis
and am not bound by the same Oaths? Thcr
/ have, and previous legislators ave fIilcC
to discharge their duties. If, sir any lcgiS
lature, that ever has convened in Washing
ton Territory, has had more power more
authority tnan this has, then am wrong
And if it is true as has been asserted, that
because a former legislature has passed al
act which this one cannot accedc to, that
this one is bound by, and must act in ac
cOrdance with that act, then sir, until now
l have been ignorant Of parliamentary law
/ take the position that no legislature
or parliamentary body ever did, or ever vii
exist, that had or may have, the power OF
authority to bind or control the action O
another body Of the same kind, aud having
the same power. Upon this position, an
content to rest thc whole matter.
The President requested Mr.. Bigelow tC
take the chair.
On Mr.. Digelow's taking the chair Mr.
C.tlin addressed the Council at considerable
length, which we give as follows:
Whereas, it is reported that the House
Of Representatives has met in joint convcn
lion, in accordance with the resolution for
the election Of certain territorial officers oI
which the public prilter was nat one, there.
fore it is moved that the Clerk be directed
to record on the journal that the Council
did not meet the House in joint convention
yesterday, aud that the Clerk be instructed
to inform the House that the Council will
not meet the House in joint convention for
the purpose Of electing officers until tie
Council has some assurance that the bISi.
ness will he fairly and hon rably conducted
according to Council joint Res luton No. 3,
Mr. President, If words and wind were
should give il up But have
seen storms before, that blowed o;cr
without doing much harm. admit much
that the gentleman says-that It was our
duty 10 go into joint convention That we
did 70 intO joint convention on Thursday,
Path inst. An, what then? Iu order to
place myself right, will state what Joint
convection is, its object, its form, and its
duty. 1t is got up by joint resolution Of
the two houses to meet at certain time
for specific duties assigned II in the reso-
luton, and it can do nothing else lawfully.
1t has to be passed and approved by each
house separately in their legislative capa-
city, the same as any other law.
The form is, when the time arrives.
both Houses in session in their respective
houses. The House, by message informs
the Council that it is ready, to receive the
Council in joint convention to do the du.
ty assigned TO it. The Council then, as an
organized body, with the President at
their head, proceed to the House of Rep
resentatives, and take their seats on one
side. The President Of the Council be-
comes Speaker Of the convention. When
convened, its duties are assigned it hy net
Of the legislature. 1t has no. legislative
powers. 1t can entertain no motion, put
no question, ouly in relation to the bust
ness assigned to it. am sorry that have
to refer 10 the acts Of that convention, but
their misconduct is my Justification there
for. | shall handle them without gloves.
The Office of Public Printer was not en-.
braced int the resolution, and could not he
without an act Of the legislature, WHICH it
had refused to do. Well, l said VIC got
into convention, d the first motion made
was, that we now proceed to the election
Of Public Printer. ruled it out Of order.
An appeal was taken from the decision Of
Tie Chair. l decided that ont of order, as
it required an act Of the Legislature, aud
we had no legislative powers. An appeal
was made TO the Speaker Of the House TO
put the question. He refused to do it, ns
he had no right to. Here the gentleman
says l was wrong-that | ought to have
put the appeal-that the convention were
the judges Of what they should receive,
and what they should do-lhat they had a
right to do any thing they thought proper
to do. If that is the genilcman's position,
l envy not his standing as a lawyer and q
If they have right TO
do one thing for which they were not con-
vened, they have a right to 10 another or
any other. If they had right to elect a
printer, they had right 10 elect Presi.
dent Of the United States, or pass Ne
braska or Maine liquor law. From the
countenance and appearance Of the House,
if / had put the question, it would have
passed. 1t was little, low, deceitful dirty
trick, to get the Council into convention,
and to overpower them by numbcrs-to do
in convention what they could not do in
the legislature.
Mr.. Wallace said-The gentleman says
he has seen storms before, and think he
has said truely. He has seen storms, this,
sir, think very likely. The gentleman
says we were, and that were not in joint
convention. In one portion of his argu.
ment he admits we were in joint couven-
tion, and then denies the fact in the other
portion of his argument. When men, borne
down by 10 years of age will allow their
feelings to get the advantage Of their bet
ter judgment, it is time to pause. Mr.
Chairman.I would like to have the gen