The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-06-24
TIE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR,

The question as to whether LUuisiana
has = Lieutenant Governor or not, has
been raised in the Legislature By Gov.
MeEpery's message to the Senate urging
the necessary legislation for filling Of the
Office Of Lieutenant Governor and has
been argued with strength by papers
and periodicals throughout the State.
Article 62 Of the constitution makes it
the duty of the President Of the Senate,
If there is no Governor and also no
Lieutenant Governor to SO act, but no
direct and unqualified provision is made
for the filling of the office, should the
Lieutenant Goyernorship alone become
vacant, and only by Implication and
argument can the President of the Senate
be made to fill that position. Article GA
of the constitution has made the Lieu
tenant Governor President of the Senate
ex-officio, and has instructed that body
to elect one of its members as President
pro tempore, which has been done. Now
it is urged that no provision having been
made for filing the Office; it follows by
implicit construction that the officer
who is constitutionally required to be
elected for the purpose OF filling the
functions of the Lieutenant Governor in
the Presidency of the Senate must fill
the Office of Lieutenant Governor until
the vacant clair be filled or for the
residue Of the term, but we fail to see the
matter in this light, and agree with the
Judiciary Committee i'll the opinion
expressed in it's report upon the matter
on the 22nd inst, that under the consti-
tuition the President pro tenn. of the Senate
is not and can not be Lieutenant Cover
nor, but we disagree with them ii they
think that by Il simple resolution OF the
Assembly he can be made SO. The
Legislature under the present state OF
affairs, should consider the matter we'll,
and, when it is called up for action,
lesislate in such manner as that the
strange sight of Louisiana being without
the power Of filling the Office Of Lieu
tenant Governor when vacant may move.
be seen again.
The report Of the Committee has it
| that
Under the constitution of 1879 the Office OF
President pro tenn. of the Senate is consti
| tutional Office, with certain inalienable
rights attached thereto. One of these is tc
| preside over the Senate, and another to
| exercise the powers and duties OF Governor
on the contingency set forth in Article G. Of
the constitution. Being now an office OF q
| character far graver than has ever before
been recognized by the fundamental Law
itself, with the right of succession to the
Governorship attached thereto, the person
filling this office and elected thereto under
the direction of the constitution can no
\ summarily aud without cause be removed
from this constitutional Office; he can only
be removed as other constitutional officer
are removed Hence Hon. W. A. Robertson
is still President pro tenn. Of the Senate, hi
attempted removal being arbitrary, withou
cause, and in violation of law. The consti
tuition of 1879 never, contemplated TIL
anomalous situation of having an Office q
such importance as Lieutenant Governor
an office necessary to the administration Q
, | j
for any length Of time.
Legislation at Baton Rouge is pre-
crossing very slowly. The truth is, tn
, change Of the Capitol from New Orlean
to Red Stick was not known to til
majority Of our modern Solons, SO tia
enough members to constitute q qnorul
went to the st. Louis Hotel, New @,
leans, and lounged around that histori
building until they were told that tt,
old Bastile, with all its ups and downs
no longer figured as the seat of govern
ment This misapprehension on the PAL
of a large number of our lawmakel
caused considerable delay in the OF
ganization at the new Capitol and az
counts for the tardy progress oflesislativ
) enactments. Now that nearly all of til
members know where the seat of govern
= ment is, it is fair to presume that til
good work Of framing laws for the pei
pie will proceed with accelerate
u promptitude It would he we'll for CO
Ogden and President pro tenn. Walton
= to see that guides are furnished to poil
out to such legislators as are not famili;
with the topography of the State, IL
way by which many of them can fin
their homes, and thus relieve the mine
of their families of no little anxiety.
Y An attemnt at suicide WAS strange