The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-21
SPECIAL SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY

1t 10 stated-not on very good authority,
but it may be true nevertheless that the
governor has determined not to call
special session of the general assembly, in
accordance with the request of the centen-
NAL committee and more than two thirds
of the senators and representatives. As
suming the report to be true, we do not
look upon the refusal of the governor to
comply with the expressed wish OF two
thirds of the law making power and the
almost unanimous sentiment of the press
and people as an altogether unmixed evil
The responsibility was the governors, not
the legislatures or the peoples. The letter
Of the constitution authorized him to sum
mon the general assembly together--it may
be that its spirit did not. The only consti-
tutional provision on the subject is, that
the governor "shal have power to call to-
gether the general assembly, when neces-
. sary, before the day to which they shal
90 stand adjourned"
1t was for the governor to determine
whether or not it was "necessary"-and
this, assuming the report to be true, he has
determined in the negative. If the words
when necessary" are TO be construed as
meaning I'm cases of emergency ms used
in the constitutions of other states, then
we think that no such necessity was shown
as would require the convening of the
general assembly in special session. IL
was necessary in this sense, to call the
general assembly together, a year ago, 10
provide for the reform school. That was
necessity which could not have been an
ticipatcd, and no prior legislation could
have provided for the event, and the inter
ests Of the state would not allow of the
matter awaiting the assembling of the next
regular general assembly some two years
thereafter. Such n necessity, also, existed
at the burning of the state house, on the
breaking out Of the rebellion, and on other
occasions which will be readily recalled.
Such, however, has not been the practi-
cal construction Of the words "whep ncces-
sarY.' The general assembly was con
vened in special session, by Governor
Smith, in March, 1865, to act upon the
amendment 10 the national constitution
abolishing slavery; and, by Governor Dill
bingham, in March, 1867, to enable certain
towns in western Vermont to aid in build
ing railroad without the state-neither of
which occasions were Unnecessary" in the
sense Of being "emergencies.
Moreover, in these instances, nor in cases
OF actual emergencies, has the general
assembly confined itself to the business, to
transact which it was convened. In Feb
ruary 1857, it was called together to pro-
vide tor the building of state house, and
having accomplished this, it proceeded to
altering names, incorporating hotel com
panies, amending the charters of railroads.
and female institutes, and to other matters
Of general, or special, legislation.
la April 1861, il was convened to pro-
vide Tor the emergencies growing out of
the rebellion, but it. also, altered names,
resolved in reference to the erection of a
statue TO Ethan Allen, ETC., etc.
In March, 1865, after having assented TO
the thirteenth amendment to the national
constitution, 1t passed general law pro-
yiding for change of venue in certain
class of criminal cases.