The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-03
A Synopsis Of a Speech by l. II
Jarvis. Of Hancock,

A Synopsis Of a Speech by L. NJ,
Jarvis, Of Hancock,
In the House of Representatives on the
lst day of March, 1866, upon Mr. Ar
nelrs motion, that two-thirds of the
members holding seats on the floor,
providing that they constitute a major
ity of the whole House, be recognized
as a legal quorum.
Mr. SPEAKER: We are here as the Repre-
sentatives of the people OF Tennessee we
have assembled here to enact Legitimate
laws for their Government; We should be
proud of our position. And ! am sorry 10
see honorable members on this floor adytca-
ting unconstitutional measures upon q PLAIN
constitutional question.
The people OF the State expect US TO pass
such laws az the courts Of the country all
sustain. Il is cur province TO make thela",
and the business OF the courts 70 couetrue.
Vow, upon the motion Of the gentleman
from Nlaurv. to declare a quorum with less
than two-thirds Of this General Assembly,
must be permitted 10 read from Article =,
| Section Ii, of the Constitution of the State
Of Tennessee, which says "Iwo-thirds OF
each House shall constitute a quorum to do
business: bat a smaller number may ad-
iourn from day 10 day and may be author
led bv law TO compel the attendance of
absent members" Now the question ls,
Uhst cou-u.utas this House2 Is It COM
posed Of the whole number OF Representa-
live, allowed by law, or q less NUMBER
II COMPOSED of the whole number allowed
by law, then ei~phty-lour members compose
the House Of representatives,, this being
"a D-A-.n.nHrHrH#. rN.AnHAI be-
law, then two-thirds Of e~lghty-iour must
constitute a quorum to do business, and thus
Il Is apparent to all that iity-six members
are necessary to constitute a quorum.
Is IL possible TO make q quorum OF 'ess
than two-thirds of the House 5? ! maintain
ID IS not; because il less than two-thlrds Of
this body could be made 70 constitute a quo
rum. the question would turn on how much
less. aud iwould be forced 10 fall back upon
the proposition of the honorable and abe
gentleman from SEWER, chat u 81 were 70
resign except three, two O. tbs number
would constitute q quorum lIhe honora-
BILE member from Sewer, rose here aud sta
ted he did not advocate such a pr0pCslton.)
Istated 1 understood him TO do so, but would
stand corrected, as ] did not wish 20 mlsre
present his position; but here / will take iton
Tho prup0sitiou that hfty-hVe membe do
not nor cannot constitute p quorum, and that
nothing less than two-thirds Of this house
/ proper, eau constitute a quorum 10 do tusi-
ness, aud any attempt 10 do Otherwise Is
revolutionary, and OF no binding elect 1t
Is as presuming as the Legislature of 1851
under Isham q. Harris, that carried us
away in the whirlpool Of destruction. Let
us come No TO the coustjtuuon-enact laws
unaer ID, and 10 accordance with IT, and we
have done our duty. III our action is IN
pursuanc, OF the constitution, the courts
viii pronounce 10 valid if not our action
will be reversed. We should be DESTROYS 10
I make laws the courts OF the country would
recognize-ihose that would ring clear like
the constitution Of our STATE.
Ny whole object is to keep within the
pale Of The constitution, that when 10 shall
be necessary TO test cur acuon IN the c0u Is
OF the country, il viii stand. / hope this
is the object Of every member on this floor.
1 regret Is much as any member the reduc-
ton Of this house below a quorum, but
wLen such is the case, my only desire is to
make cur action conform TO the constitution
and laws Of the country.