The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-01-12
A RIr or HISTORY.
Extra sessisns OF Congress STAGE the
Foundation Of the Government.
tChicaso Inter-Oceau.


fae suggestion that there may be an
extra session ot the Fifty-hrs, Congress
cs'ls the attention 10 tho extra aessions
whra have been .s held, ,sa Elaere have
oesu thus far in our history. eleven ex-.
ira sessions OF Congress.
Pr. sident Wssl.tng,.in, although he
convened the Senate ia special session,
did not fiud the presence of Congress
necessary, but President Adams, on
March 20, 1907, in consequence of the
threa'ened trouble with Ffance, did
ca'I Congress together by prociaMa-
ton which has been foI.owed as the
mod whenever it has since been ne.
cessary to convene Congress in special
session. That proclamation was ss
'.By the Presidential proclamation {:
Whereas, the Consultation OF America
provides that the President may, on
extraordinary occasions, convene both
houses Of Cnngress, and whereas, an
exlraordinHry occasion exists for cou.
ventrg cOugress and divers Weighty
matters claim their consideration. I
have, therefore, thought it necessary
to convene, and 80 do, by these pres.
enis, convene the Congress Of the Uni-
ted States Of America, at the city Of
Philsde'phia, on Monday, the 10th day
of May nexi, hereby requiring the sen.
ators and Representatives in congress of
the United States Of America aud every
one of them, that, in laying aside all
other matters and cares, they then and
there meet and assemble in congress In
order TO consult aud determine on such
measures for the safety aud welfare of
the United States. In tesli1n0py
whereof, etc. JOHN ADAMS.
The directory had then possession of
the French government. Three mill
tsry directors had been appointed. The
first advance had been made toward
military despotissn' Garnet and other
leaders Of the roy alist councils had been
transported, and among other facts OF
the directory had been the expulsion Of
CHARLES Cotesworth Pinckney, minister
of the United States, from France.
President Adams, in very spirited
message and In an equally spirited
correspondence, resented this act, and
ii was deemed expedient to convene
congress in extra Session in order that
the United States might be prepared to
maintain its rights. There was long
diplomatic correspondence upon the
subject, after which The war-cloud
disappeared. is#
D. Congress was convened for the second
time in October, 1902, upon tho prccla.
nation OF President Jefferson. The
special purpose of this session was to
authorize the purchase by the United
States, of Louisiana, which had been
conceded by Spain to France. The
purchase was consummated by the
United States on April 30, 1903, for
$l5 600 900, Immediately after which
provision was made for the territories
IF Mississippi and Orleans.
President Jefferson found ii necessary
to convene congress in extra session
five years later. His proclamation was
Issued July 30, 1907, and congress me,
October 26, Of that year. Tine immedi-
ate cause WAS the aggressions of Great
Britain aud the capture OF the United
States war vessel Chesapeake in Hamp-
ton Roads on June ~. This seizure
was one of the results OF the dispute
with England, arising from the capture
and condemnation OF several American
vessels about to enter biockeded ports,
and from the assumption by EuRlsnd
of the right of search. The British
government Of the Admiralty courts
revived the maxim Of 1856, which as
sumeu that DeutraIs in time Of war
could carry out no trade which they
had not been accustomed to carry out
in time Of peace. This neutral trade
was therefore considered as destructive
to EugisnG's property and as war in
Disguise. England adopted at that
time a t-mporizing policy, end tho war,
which then seemed inevitable, was
postponed. In the debates at this ses-
sion Of cong ress, the tail Of The British
lion was twisted a< it had seldom been
before.
The controversy With Great Britain
was not, however, to be ended without
a war, and President MADISON, in July,
1911, found i! necessary to convene c0n-
gress in advance OF the usual time.
The twelfth congress was convened in
special session On November 1, 1911,
Henry Clay, of Kentucky, being
speaker. War with Great Britain was
then deemed inevitable, and President
Madison sought to have supplies voted
in order that the vacancies in the army
could he filled and authority secured
| to recruit additional men. lie was au.
thorized to call for $1,000 volunteers;
and an embargo for sixty days was de-
clarcd on April 4, 1912, and war was
declared against Eugisnd OH June lS.
The continuance Of the war made II
necessary for President Madison to con.