Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-09-25
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Pattisou'S message yotOing the pay iu-
structiOn resolution are beginning to tiud |
themselves mistaken. The message has
made too deep an impression to be dis
posed of in that easy going fashion aud
they have not heard the last OF It yet. II
may not figure in the campaign literature |
of this year but IL is reasonably sure 10 |
have many readings in the fall ot 1851. |
Instead Of being sustained by the Senate |
by mere scratch vote, and laid on the
tablo in the House, the message deserved
to be supported by unanimous vote
in both Houses ON tho law and
merits uf the case. IL WAS clear
and strong presentation Of the attl'
tude into which the Legislature has got
itself by its obstructive proceedings ON the
appOrtiuumcnt bills and the truthiuIucss
of the presentation gave It force and Dig
nifty. The Legislature had sent t. the
governor resolution Of kind that the
law requires shall be submitted 10 him for
approval. The resolution attempted to
enable each of the separate Houses OF the
Legislature to instruct the other as 10 an
appropriation bill, aud further TO prohioN
any pay to the Legislature after certain
date. Il was wretched piece of bunkum
at the best, an artful dodge got up in the
Senate, and bliudly aud Clplessly followed
by the House. II WAS of no binding value
SO far as 1t undertook to tie up the hands
OF either House, aud it was in another
e . f.,1l INF fFf n
the constitution. No resolution can effect
the object intended by that, Neither
House can abdicate the separate and tude'
pendent duties and powers conferred
upon it by the constitution. The Senate
and UOuSs might pass a resolution Of this
kind by unanimous vote On the morning
of every day and on the afternoon OF the
same day refuse to do what the resolution
! instructed TO be done, and proceed to do
! what it said should not be done. II was a
mere futile uuGatory piece of demaGc-
| query as to that part which pretended to
cut oil the pay of members after the lOth
of September. 1t was, as already said, a
dou0ic violation of the constitution. That
instrument forblds any such change III the
law at the present session, called, as 1t is'
for the special aud sole purpose Of passing
apportioument bills and it prohibits any
increase or dminutiOu Of the pay OF legis
lltogs or other officers during their term
Of office. The whole thing was a wretchcd
piece Of humbug, and 1t gave the COVER
nor . tine opportunity to administer the
digniticd reproof 50 admirably conveyed
by the message. lie cited more reasons
for the veto than we have and every one
OF them is to the point. He has done his
duty in calling the Legislature to DO theirs.
II is 10 fault OF his il they fall or neglect
or refuse to 10 il. Nor is he in any wise
10 be brought TO account if they waste
three months or six months in doing moth
ing, at cost of four hundred thousand
or eight hundred thousand dollars. They
are the culprits before the people, aud not
the governor for calling them % the dis
charge of a duty positively commanded by
tho paramount law Of the state, and whlcl
they nave not done.
The situation 1t Harrisburg.
rHnic Ledger, Sept. p, i-,j.
1t is necessary for the people to conside
this attitude of the Senate on its seriOu
side. There is a disposition to regard th,
waste of the public money in fruitcs:
sessions as the worst offence OF the Legis
la'ure. That is bll enough, as useless
sIuanderIug ol the peoples mOoey Away
is but though dIsCrClItaOle and Ccnsur
aOle, 1t is but venial offence complTco
with wiltul neglect and refusal TO oboy th
constitution Of the state. 1t is not mat
ter Of option Or discretion in the Legisla
ture t. pass appOgtIonment bills at tht
time or let it alone as 1t chooses. Th
constitution says the General Asse bly
"sblH apportiOn the state into senatorial
and representative districts, tD,mcdiltel
after each United States decennlal census.
Every senator and representative Ia
sworn to obey that imperative command
TAat oath-bou duty should baga bee
: discharged at tie session which tormina
tel on the 9th Of last Juue ; but the Leg
islature having failed or neglected to do il
the governor Immediately re-convened tn
General Assembly for the sole purpose {
doing what was then left undone. Th
duty is no mere formal or faucy duty /
crack jokes about.
1t is not subject for sport or pastim
or picnic. 1t does not belong to the "wh
cares" or what are you going to do abOu
it, order IL is not question OF whethC
tho fellows" Of this party shall &,
ahead Of the fellows of the other sid
Yet il has been treated in the Legislatur
as if it were any or all of these-a thin
of the lightest possible concern. II
subject of apportionment goes down
the very foundation of just representatic
according TO proportionate numbers
the fundamental principle upon whiC
s American representative government
| built. To compel continuance of Il
D existing apportonment is a violation
! the republican principle of represcntatir
. in proportion TO numbers as well as
= defiant refusal to obey the constitutio
I Whatever the existing apportionment bi
Q may have been when enacted (and it wa
. never fair in one sense), it is grossly u
equal now, and we do not mean unequ
in party sense, but as just q
y pOrtioument, according to populatio
. AS an illustration of our meaning we /