Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-10

GENTLEMEN OF THE GENERAL. ASSEMBLY: Before calling your attention ts some brief suggestions regarding State matters which have to submit, desire to congratu- lete you upon the honor implied in your selection as the representatives of the people of this commonwealth.
 The constitutional requirement. that all bills shall receive the at proval of the Gov ernor before they become operative, unless they are passed after reconsideration notwith-
 standing his objections, makes him. in some measure, share with you in the responsibility
 for sll legislation; and to the full extent of this responsibility he should expect to be hsld. But the founders of our State govern nent obviously never intended that the Ex- ecutivs should exercise any other than an advisory or persuasive authority ln the mak- ing of laws And when the General Assembly
 continues in session until it's work is wholly
 accomplished, this is the limit of the uty he
 is reqn fred to perform. In States where Q
 veto can only be overcome by 8 two-thirds
 majority, the power Is of so arbitrary 8 nat
 ore that it's use is only justifable in defend
 ing the executive department from legislative infringement, or preventing enactments that are clearly and fagrsntly against the lights of the people. But in our State,
 where the same vote required on it's original passage is sufficient to pass 8 bill over veto, it can never have any other effect than to compel further and more deliberate consider alton of proposed legislation. The will of the people. as expressed by majority of their representatives, can never be defeated by executive action, unless the General As sembly, by it's premature adjournment, leaves the final disposition of legislation contingent upon the Governors approval. And this, I protest, except upon some extraordinary occasion, should never occur. Every depart mene of the government should bear the bur- dens the constitution imposes. This honor able body, 50 impressed with It's duty, will, it is hoped, unlike it's predecessor, continue it's session, however long it may be, until every bill has received all the signatures necessary to it's enactment.
 BIENNIAL SESSIONS.
 4 proposed amendment to the constitu- tion, pro viding for biennial sessions of the General Assembly, received majority vote | of the last House Of Representatives, and 1 will be presented to you for final legislative | action.
 The people had an opportunity in 1879 to | express, after exhaustive discussion. their | opinion of such proposed change in our | organic law: and the record shows that more | than two-thirds of them voted against it. As | nothing has occurred since to add to the | strength of the argument then urged in it's | favor, it is not likely, if again submitted, to | be disposed of in 8 different way.
 The amendment will, of course, command | your legislative approval, if, in your opinion, it ought to bs adopted, and you would your selves SO vote es electors at the polls The | fact, however, that your constituents have so | lately and so decIsively condemned the pro. posed alteration. ought not to be entirely ig- | nored. Ths constitution now provides, in | the annual sessions, an adequate relief from | the operation of unjust laws or oppressive | before the evil they might do | bas time to develop. The substitution of l biennial for annual sessions would undoabt- | edly lessen the political agitation, trouble and expense the people now bear; but this is a 1 consideration, after all of little importance if such change would tend in it's operation to | decrease their knowledge. interest and wig liance In relation to the affairs of the State; | and to further remove them from the exercise of their inherent authority. It is the theory ef g democracy like ours that the people gov-