Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-02-03

"
We have heard, sir, with no little pleas
ure, the learned argumentand the admira-
bic piece of mosaic which our friend, the
Senator from Philadelphia, (Mr. CON
NELL has elaborated at oar expense If,
sir, be means 10 say that we are the revo-
lutiousts OF this chamber, we deny and
repudiate it. If, sir, he means to assert
that in standing behind the ramparts Of
the Constitution, in placing ourselves upon
The "musty" precedents Of seventy years
and upon the landmarks of the past mark
ed out by by the men who framed the Con-
etitution of 1890, and who administered il
for thirty years it, sir, he means to say
that in this we are guilty Of using red tape,
sirs, we glory in the red tape; and !, as
one of the sixteen Democratic Senators
upon this floor, land speak not alone for
myself, but for each and all OF u.s. will
ever stand behind these ramparts and up
On these "musty" precedents, sustaining
this doctrine of red tape. Sirs, you are in
Revolution, and you know it not. Sirs, the
"musly records" of the past are those that
preserve to this people their liberty, their
property, their ancient birth-right and
are these the ''musty precedents" Of the
past and this Constitution, formed by the
fathcrs Of the Revolution, TO he swept out
of existence, to be ahrogated, and new pre-
cedents ard new doctrines to be initiated
here, because, forsooth, to-day we have
learned that they are red tape? Sirs, al
Though younger in years than the Sera-
Tor from Philadelphia. am one of those
Old fashioned men who believe in stand
ing Jy the teachings of the past who be-
lieye there, and there alone, are we to fud
safety now and in the future. And, sirs, MS
read this Constitution, we are right and
yon are wrong. If you desire an organi-
zation Of this Senate, why in Heaven S
name do you not organize it B.? If the can
ron was pointed at the Capitol, and We
had no organization by which to vote men
and means to save the Commonwealth, is
ita' our doors the responsibility is to rest
S,rs ,rs rest upon the history OF the past,
upon The letter Of the Constitution. You
rcst upon the presents Of to-day. We say
10 you, Republican Senators, ifsuch were
the case, i. ia upon yopr heads rests the
Responsibility, it is in yorr hands to organ
he this body, and yop fail to do it.
/ will state the legal propositions that
believe conclusive upon this question
bear with me whilst state them. The
Constitution Of the Commonwealth OF
pcnusylvania-and l cite it, however
"musty and antiquated" the proceedings
may be- the Constitution of Pennsylvania
lproyides, in section 10, that "the General
Assembly shall meet on the first Tuesday
in January Of every year unless sooner
convened 10y the Governor" What is The
General Assembly? What is defined in
the first section Of the same article? The
legislative power Of this Commonwealth
fhall be vested in Senate and a House o.
Representatives Thus we have what the
words General Assembly" mean a Sen
ate and house of Represent tative.
Now we pass to section IL, each house
Shall choose its Speaker and officers, The
Senate shall also choose a Speaker pro tenn
.psrc when tho Speaker shall exercise In,
toiico Of Governor" Now, the first ouer,
Is, what do these words each house a
used IN the eleventh section mean? Tn,
Interpretation given to them by the frs
section of article 1, shows that they mear
Senate and House of Representative
each house." then means a Senate or
House of Representatives.
There is in addition TO this obiviOu
meaning, another meaning. They hav,
reference to tie duration Of the existence o
those two bodies These words "eacl
iihouse' measure the time during Whicl
those two bodies are to exist. If tn,
words General Assembly" mean a Hous,
a Senate-the words each house" ulear
each Senate and each House of Represen
tatives-and thus We have each Ssuaie sLal
choose its Speaker and other officers. There i
no eyadrng this construction, 1t is clear
: ly and distinctly laid down by the word
of the document itself. Now, is this Scaat
. the Senate that existed last year or tn
z Senate that exists this year Thus | sa
that the plain and obvious meaning {
=, these two sections of the Constitution 9
bearing upon the duration of the existenc
of this body, is, that each Senate sha
choose its Speaker and other officers. tn
words here are. plain and they limit an
control the construction. We have thes
words leach house" used no less than 81
times in article first. Let ussee how the
ii are used. We take the section immed
ateiy following section second: