The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-07
THE EXTRA-SESSION TALK.
WHAT WILL THE GOVERNOR DO?
Not Enough Names Yet Obtained-The Sit
untion Last Night.

uation Last Night.
notwithstanding the action Of the DEM
ocratic caucus the necessary number OF
Bembers-two thirds Of both branches
have not yet signed the application to the
Governor to convene the General Assembly
In extra session oD March 18th.
Mr. Koiner signed the call, but fearing
that there would be too lavish appropria-
tion OF money withdrew his name.
IL IS possible that the needed uames will
be obtained, but then arises the question,
"Will the Governor feel obliged to con-
vene the General Assembly on the day de-
signated ?" There is rumor coming from
some OF bis friends that he will feel at lib
erty to appoint any day he pleases for the
meeting in extra session. That may or
may not be so.
The language OF the Constitution is:
"He shall convene the General
Assembly on application Of two thirds OF
"the members OF both houses thereof, or
'when in his opinion the interest OF the
Commonwealth may require it."
The Code OF 1873 contains an act (passed
1923 under the old Constitution as fol-
lows:
3. Whenever majority Of both houses
Of the General Assembly shall after their
adjournment sine de desire TO convene
the same in conformity to the Constitution
they shall make application in writing to
the Governor, under their own signatures,
and the same shall be deemed n proper
application by the Governor. and he shall
thereupon convene the General Assembly
at such time and place as shall be desig-
mated by said application; or il the time
and place be not so designated, then at such
convenient and reasonable time and place
as he shall appoint.
The old Constitution Code OF lSG0)
says He " shall convene the
General Assembly on application Of
"mdJority OF the members OF both houses
"thereoi, or when in his opinion the
"intcrest OF the Commonwealth may re-
"quire it,"
The only change is substituting " two
thirds" for " majority"
Last night the advocates Of an extra ses-
sion seemed hardly to know whether to
have faith in the extra session beng called.
Two OF the Democratic senators (Messrs.
Brown and Cotrane) are away from the
city, and viii have to be written TO on the
subject: but that can be easily done be-
tween this and the 13th-the day proposed
for the extra session to begin. After they
have been gotten, one COalitiOnist in the
Senate 0Inless Mr.. KOiner recOnSiders) and
one in the House will still have TO be OBJ
tliped to Gil out the requisite number.
-Four or five OF the senators who signed
the application to the Governor did SO only
in Difference TO the general Judgment.
They fear that due caution will not be oh
served in yOtiag away public money. So
far tue record Of the Democrats is very
good, and they would keep II so.
It IL admitted that the tax and appro-
priation bills can now be passed in few
days. bet it is undeniablc that the House
calendar especially is crowded with bills
important bills. both public and private
while several important investigations are
incomplete. This latter is notable in the
case OF Jackson l.. Valentine, county SUI
perintendent Of schools for Hanover, who
has been duly impeached by the House,
and who is, il time allows, to be tried by
the Senate. IL all due dignity, decOrum,
and precision in evidence and argument Is
observed there, as it would be IN a court,
that alone will take somewhere near 4
week.
Upon the whole it is certain that il the
two houses are called in extra session they
will have plenty Of work for thirty days.
On the other hand some very intelligent
members think and say that they can hold
4 quorum in each house until the urgent
business is disposed Of and that that done
they can safely return to the bosom OF their
constituents