The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-17
wben CONGRESS Should Meet.

When Congress Shouio meee'
The words "Ensign sTEBDISs" stand for
the man who claims TO be In favor Of law
which he IL opposed 10 carrying into eX-
ecusion. The ensign was In favor OF the
Maine liquor law, but opposed to carrying
Il ont. We are OF opinion that when they
shall have reflected more deliberately upon
the subject, good many Of our contempt
raries who have come out In favor oil
changing the law so as TO provide FOR the
assembling Of Congress on the 9th OF March
will be glad that the law Is not already
what they would have 1t 10 be. The pro-
position commends itself 10 general favor
when first It attracts attention, but Its de-
STABILITY becomes less and less as It's pro-
bable results are forecast.
What we would all like 70 see would be
such change IN the Law as would forever
hereafter prevent congressman who have
been defeated OF reelection from legishting
for the country which has given them their
walking-papers. 1t is, indeed, yexatious
70 see these defeated statesmen venting
their spleen upon their constituents or
feaihering their own nests because thelr
previous services had been unappreciated.
The fathers Of the republic-the Trainers
Of the Constitutional not intend that
new elections for congressman should be
held prior TO the expiration OF the term OF
Office Of the incumbents. We can recOi-
lect when the elections for members OF the
House of Representatives took place IN
Virginia after the 4th OF March on which
the term OF all the members OF the. House
had expired. We do not know that this
was the case in all the States when Tue
Government was fresh from the hands OF
its founders; but we strongly suspect that
it was.
Since. however, il has come about that
at the last session Of each Congress there
Is n large number OF defeated members SIT
ting in the House OF Representatives and
making laws for the country, 1t Is not
strange that there should be demand
upon the part of the people for some rem
edy for the acknowledged evil. But the
remedy proposed will not cure the evil.
To change the day for the meeting OF the
new House will not relieve us from the
previous session of the old House.
Another reason given for demanding
that Congress shall meet in March is that
there may at all times be Speaker OF the
House Of Representatives and a Presi-
dent pro tenn. OF the Senate in the
line of succession to the Office OF
President Of the United States. This
reason ought TO be removed by the passage
of the bill which recently received the ap-
proyal Of the Senate, making the highest
Executive Office descend and pass to the
next highest Executive officer, and not to
officers Of the legislative department. 1t
would be ineXcusable in the House OF Re
representatives. to let this bill fail to become
a law. Ii received a two-thirds vote in the
Senate. we. think, and meets all the de-
mands OF the occasion. Let thus bill be
passed, and there will remain no good
reason why Congress should convene in
March.
Who would have Congress to meet on
the 4th OF next month? Nobody, we sup
pose. The business OF the country is
paralyzed by the prospect of changing the
tobacco-tax and OF making a new tariff.
As soon as the present Congress adlourns
this state of paralysis will come to an end.
What is true of this year will, we fear, be
true of 1855, and Of every succeeding
March which sees the end OF Congress.
We conclude, therefore, that the Ensign
STEBBIYsEs who are in favor Of spring ses-
sions OF Congress would oppose the carry
ing out OF such law this spring.