The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1866-10-18
A Propo.iIion 70 our Legislature.

The Mobile Gazette, edited BY Al
minl Semmes, In its Issue of the Stl
|, contains proposition which it submit
TO the Legislatures OF the SontherI
States and particularly TO the Missis
: sippi Legislature, inasmuch as il meet,
next week The Gazette quotes as
follows from the Constitution of the
United States
"The Congress, whenever two thirds
of both Houses shall deem ii necessa-
~, shall propose amendments TO this
Constitution, or on the application of
the Legislatures of two thirds of the
several States, shall call convention
for proposing amendments, which, in
either case, shall be valid, to all intents
and purposes, as part Of this Constitu.
ton, when ratified by the Legislatures
of ee-fourths of the several States,
or by conventions in three fourths
thereof, as the one or the other mode
OF ratification may be proposed by
Congress, etc" In Art !, of the same
instrument, it is provided that Gan
Legislative powers herein granted, shall
be vested in Congress of the United
States, which shall consist of Senate
and House of Representatives
The House of Representative shall (
be composed of members, chosen ev-
cry second year, by the people of the
several States, and the electors in each
State shall have the qualifications
requisite for electors of the most nu-
merous branch ofthe State Legislature.
The Senate of the United States
shall be composed of two Senators,
from each State, chosen by the Legis-
lature thereof, for six years and each
Senator shall have one vote.'' Again,
it is declared in the same article, that
"Every order, resolution, or vote, to
which the concurrence of the Senate
and House of Representatives may be
necessary Except on a question of
shall be presented to the
President of the United States and
before the same shall take effect, shall
De approved by him, or, being disap-
proved by him, shall be repassed by
wo- thirds of the Senate and House of
representatives, according TO the rules
md limitations prescribed in the case
# bill" Z
Then it goes on to prove that there
no question Of amendment before
he Legislatures, because it does not
ONE up in the mode pointed out by
he Constitution. After dwelling up
n this point some time, it comes to
ne proposition, which is as follows:
We respectfully suggest, that each
I them, as they take this subject up,
dept the following, or a similar joint
solution:
F." ResotUed, etc, That the several
mendments to the Constitution of the
'nited States, which, it is proposed,
hall form the l4th article of that in
and which have been trans
lifted to us bv the Secretary of State
I the United States, through His Elk
cheney, the Governor, not having
cen proposed to us, by the body point ~
| out by the Constitution, or under 81
lie ''rules and limitations" prescribed -
that instrument, there is nothing
efore the Legislature of this State
lling for its action
We think the Gazette's reasoning
'rrect. The Constitution expressly u
Divides, that no bill shall become a
W, until the President has voted upon
He either votes "aye," in which
Sc, he approves it, or he votes 'no," WI
which case he vetoes it; but it is
solutely necessary, that he should SCI
tie one way, or the other. No bill = r
n become a law, unless he does so. !
nd as all resolutions, or votes" re-
firing the concurrence of the two
uses, before "the same shall take
ect,' must be passed, according to
rules, and limitations, prescribed
the case of BILL" it follows, that
amendment sent to the State Leg
atures, not having been submitted w
the President, is a nullity
The Gazette's views are worthy Of
nsideration and we commend them
our Legislators.