Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1876-09-01
TIE LEGlsLATUHE.

TIE LEGISLATURES.
The Helena. papers announce that III
Legi51ktAjre OF Montana Will meet on tn
I'd Mond1y 10 January, 1877, All appro
ptsatl6n having been made at III recen
session TO- defray the expenses of tn
same. It appears that the bill whicl
p1Sega both branches of the Legislator
last winter, providing for meeting Q
that bodyen-that day did not receive tn
annfoxal Of Coy. Potts. and is therefor
not q law. The question is, therefore
Involved in some difficulty, but if tn
act of OoDgress, making the sppropria-
tion. states that it is to pay the expense
OF the Legislature, which is 10 assemble
On the ID Monday In January, 1877
the authority to meet and hold a session
OF 40 days 10 sufficient of itself. fol
Congress controls the Territories But
to avoid all difficulty and complications
Major Maginnis. when Congress meets or
the first Monday in December next, CT
get IN act passed su thorizlng this meeting
Of the Legislative on the day named
above.
We regard It as important that the ex-
pressed will OF the Legislature should moi
be thwarted and that The evils under
which the Territory has been lsboriDg fol-
several years may te removed. The
object in passing the bill last winter was
{, bring the meeting of the Legislature
nearer the period at which its members
were elected, ard this is very desirable il
every point Of view.
We saw some time since a suggestion
in the Indepe ndent, in regard to the
election of ALL the CouDcilmen and
members Of the House at the ensuing
election Id November. We learn that the
bill was lost by failure of tie Governor to
Sign it. making such provision. If that
bill had become law, there was no ques
ton of the power of the Legislature to do
this. but IS 1t is not q law, members Of
the Council elected in 1875 would have
, right to take their seats at the Les,s,a-
ture to meet in January next. In the
article referred 10, published by The Indc-
pendent, it was argued that the the term
of conncilmcn elected in 1875 would ex-
pire 1877, and that there would be no
COuncilmen in some districts from that
period till the meeting of the Legislative
in January, 1879, and that, because of
this partial want of Councilmen, The
Legislative functions of the Territory
would lapse. The writer in saying this;
did not give the question proper consider
alton. For full 60 years Of the history
of the Congresses OF the United States.
there were many States without singleI
member Of tho House Of Representatives.
from March to December /. The
Congresses commence on the 4th of March
every two years, yet heretofore large|
majority Of the States did not elect mem
bcrs till in August and October. New
Hampshire and California. within the
last few years. held their regular elections
for Congressman after Congress had met,
which it did on the 4th of March, during
Andy Johnson's presidency. 1t is mis-
take to urge that the Legislative deIarts
men. of . Territory, State or General
Gov ernment lspses .b-cadse of vacancies
In either branch Of the Legislative De-
partment.
It 1871, when General Harrison came
Into the preside ncy, he called an extra |
session. and the various States had to hold
. special election for members Of Con-
gress.
When Abraham Lincoln became presi-
dent 10 1861. and called m extra session
Tor July 4, 1851, the same course was
pursued, and many States had to hold
special elections. Members drew their :
pay from the 4th of March, although
chosen.at later period. ,
We trust that all difficulties in the way .
Of meeting Of tho Legislature in Jan
harry next will be satisfactorily adjusted /
md removed, We think it of vital i'm L
portance to our interests and condition
that the Legislature should meet at the I
lime named. X