St. Landry democrat., 1881-01-22
In Extra Session.
Monroe Bulletin.

AltlClc = aAS ttAS S'oNCillOi}
shall take care that the laws be
faithfully executed, and he may, on
extraordinary occasions, convene
the General Assembly at the seat
Of government, or, if that should be-
come dangerous from All enemy or
epidemic, at different place. The
power to legislate shall be limited
to the objects enumerated specifcal-
" in the proclamation converting
such extraordinary session, therein
the Governor shall also limit the
time such session may continue ::
uouided, it shall not exceed twenty
days. Any legislative action had
after the time SO limited, or as to
other objects than those enumerated
in said proclamation, shall be null
and void.
No matter as to the objections
that might be raised to other articles
that appears to us to be perfectly
plain. There must be an eqt,uoydi-
nary occasion for an extra session F.:
legislation must be limited to the
objects enumerated specifically in
the proclamation in no event can
the session exceed twenty days, and
any action after the time limited or
objects enumerated in the proclama-
ton, shall be null and void. Then
such thing as general legislation
is ont OF the question. The Con-
stitution expressly forbids it. The
Governor is responsible for the call.
Now to the agitators Of an extra
session we respectfully ask, what ex-
fraordinary occasion involving the
whole State would You have the
Governor adduce in his proclama-
ton to Justify himself? What spe-
cial objects of general interest would
you enumerate for legislative action?
What time would YOU require to
bring your recommendations into
laws? Candidly, would the adop-
ton OF your measures be worth to
the people at large the cost of an
extra session
we accord to the press sincerity
III it's motives aud believe it has and
can give reason for them. The
position Of the Governor is deli
cate one, and conceding to him a
wish to do exactly right aud that he
would not hesitate to do any legit-
innate thing that would Tighten any
burden OF promote any change in
fundamental or statutory law that
would rebound to the public inter-
est, entities him to something more
of Difference than he has received
at the hands Of the leaders of politi-
cal thought, Give him light and
we will guarantee a conscientious
and wholesome discharge Of duty.
For him to heed sweeping generali-
ties, shat the Constitution is bad, :"
that lit is a botch'' and all such
other qualifications, and call an ex-
ira session on fancied and imaginary
causes at an expense Of not less
than $4,000 and recommend to it
the propriety and necessity OF an
other convention that would cost
100000, all of which would have
to be raised by additional taxation,
when thousands are not even able
to pay arrears with all the leniency
that could be extended to them,
would be a madness the State has
not yet seen and which may God in
his infinite mercy ever keep con-
cealed. The complaint from New
Orleans is local and not in point.
The objection to the revenue bill is
too late to accomplish ANYTHING
more than the regular session, for
its provisions will have been acted
On and in part enforced before any
act of the extra session could be-
come law, Amendment is inlpos-
sible under Art. 256 before the next
general election, 80 that any haste
will only make matters worse.
The idea of tinkering any further
with the public debt is a delusion
that if it is not criminal, it is suici-
dial. The current of recent deci-
sions is that legal obligation re-
quires legal settlement. The
ways and means are the only things
in order and they are not even con-
structively included in the scheme