Washington telegraph., 1862-08-27

ceeding ~ nearly simultaneous with the
first session II Congress in which the
Senator WI, to lit. This happened some
mon ,hs after tho exPirat on of the term
OF his predecessor, which always expired
the 4rh of March preceding the election
of his succe-spr
The e"untcr-evils were that during
riiose months the State lacked its
full representation. Although no reeu-
iar session ~ Congr : required il, yer in
case MI 2 called session, which were al
ways. from ti.cr nature. important, il was
supposed dangerous I'd leave such vacan-
cirs
- far IL 'Ir.s-tn-; the Federal Gov
eTuncnt, The consideration of this ball
anee ii evils was well enough, left with
each State, To- decide for itself But in
the heat of ? ,li;ical strife it led to griev-
lou, internrl d;-cori in some Of the States.
! legislature being subject to no eonsti-
iufiUnal restriction. sometimes, viUlaied
the prrr dents If thc State. aud fear
". change NJ parties in the succeeding
legislature, anticipated it, will By elect
~. Senator cur Of the usual time, and
long before il was required by necessity.
This caused Of course great Indignation,
attended By counter acts OF injustice as
the other parry rose to power, which things
increasing caused much disturbance to
the epiiimnu viii.
The political history Of the States fur
ni-h f"rcib!e illustrations of thu above re-
mark. ana dear experience dictated the
necessity IT putting this subject at rest
ID the Southern Confederacy. Our con.
sti'urion therenpon, unlike that Of the U.
:. fixed the time for the election Of Sena-
tors from a State to be "by the Legisla.
fure thereof, at the regular session next
Immediately preceding the comm ence-
m~ns IF fhs term Of serrice," which is
equivalent to the expiration of the term
OF lis predecessor.
Il may he stated, historically, that IN
der tile Provisional Constitution of the
Confederate States, before the operation
of Ihc Permanent Constitution. which We
are now considering, the Congress by law
permitted ncw States coming into the
ConirdrracY, in Which no regular session
was held previous 10 the meeting Of the
LIT CoDgres, to elect Senators at a called
session. 1t was thus our present Sena-
tors from Arkansas were elected. Here
after (,he Permanent Constitution being
ia force all Senators must be elected at
the time therein prescribed, which is net
subject 10 Congressional alteration.
BY the II. = Constitution it was re.
quired that person must have resi-
ded nine years 10 the United States be-
fore becoming eligible to the Senate We
dispense with any previous residence Citi-
zenship Of the Coufc deracy, and being an
inL0Jitdm Of the State is sufficient in
this respect. The other qualifications
are the same
GENERAL PEov >IoSs.--The old pro-
vision that The times places aud manner"
"f eleciing Senator'S and Representa- tives,
shall De left with the iiffere nc States i.
preserved, except a. to the time of elect
ing Scnlrrrs which our constitution fixes
rs abrve stated. Our Congress also, las
under lie ed consrirutipu) is empowered
to take the matter out If the hands of the
States AMI regrlata all these by general
law except a. t" times a~l places of elect
ing Senators C"iii Congress exercises
this pDwr "a .-miI.I- with the States.
The meanin. 81 all which is. That each
State ha- the absolute right to determine
At ~ii pkIce it will elect Senator aud
Congress cannot control its discretion.
No State ha- any option AZ to the time
rheH il must elect that being fixed by
the constitution. With regard to all
other matters respecting the manner Of
elccting Senators. and the time place, and
hummer Of elsctiug Representatives,, eacL
State may make its own regulations in the
absence of any law of Congress Bui
Congress may at any time take the mat
ter into its own hands, and pass gener-
al laws regulating these pro ceedings BY
which oil the States will be bound.
BY tile old Constitution each house was
enabled % expela member By vote nf two
thirds Of the house That means two
thirGs Of quorum. by ours the vote Of
two-thirds Of the rhoic number is required.
Our constitution ad DIS the following
clause to the section forbiddi pg persons
holding Office under the Co Moderate
States from being a member Of either
house during his continuance in ofice.
"But Congress may, by law, grant to
the principal officer in each of the EKecu-
Ia arfr on re q H. e