, 1889-08-01
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
Members Defining tho Duties OF State
Officers.

Mr.. Weir moved that the convention
60 into committee of the whole to fur
ther consider the report of the commit
tee on executive department.. Adopted.
Mr.. T. NJ. Reed in the chair.
Mr.. Griffitts moved to reconsider sec
ton 7, in order to offer an amendment,
and this motion prevailed. He then
moved to so amend that the governor
will be required In convening extraor.
dinary sessions of the legislature to
state the purpose of the session in the
call therefor. The amendment was
adopted; .D{@ n,,.r ao.;rsd ~ add "and shall
have no power when so convened 10 act
upon any other matter not so stated IN
the proclamation"
Mr. Griffitts declined to accept it as
any part of his programme, so Mr.. Dyer
offered it as an Independent MOTION OF
his own, and the committee waited with
some expressed impatience for him to
put it into writing.
such restriction of the representatives OF
the people.
NIr. Moore opposed it also: 1t was
usual to restrict city councils in this
was, but he did not believe the legisla-
ture should be so treated. Their Wis
dom
DISCRETION AND RESPONSIBILITY
to their constituents should be trusted
II.
ther declared that he saw great ten
dency in this convention to put too
many "dont's" in the convention. He
went into some comments OH Mr. Grii-
fits amendment, and the gentleman
called him to order for discussing some
thing already adopted.
Mr. DYER had not examined them all,
but thought the majority of state con-
stitutions had this wise ana safe Pro-
vision.
There was altogether too much legis-
lation in this country, anyhow, ana he
believed in holding II down.
Mr.. Moore suggested that Important
public matters might come up between
the date of the governors call and the
meeting of the legislature,
Mr.. Dyer's amendment failed.
Mr.. Shoudy offered as an amendment,
"and all their acts shall be as yalid q
as If transacted in regular session."
He explained that the courts had some
times held that only such matters as
were stated in a call could be legally
acted on. The amendment was lost.
Mr.. Buchanan thought the words
of she" in stating this section. He
moved to SO amend but they were too
many for him. Section 7 was then
adopted.
Section was taken up, as follows;
The pardoning power shall be vested III
the Governor under such regulations
and restrictions as may be prescribed by
law. A.
following:
1.-THE pardoning power shall lie in the
governor and board to be styled the
governors council, consisting OF the
Secretary of state and attorney general,
under such regulations and restrictions
us may be prescribed by law" ,..,
~
cal machinery to deal with criminals.
Mr.. Weir said the committee had con.
sidered this subject fully and decided
that this power should be lodged in d
single individual who could be held re-
sponsiblc.
Mr.. Convey said that this argument
would prevent the formation of any
board, for there was. a divided response
bility in every board. Tho older states
are adding board of pardons,.
Mr.. Turner cSs;s was opposed & 70 tda. this
vested In the executive head of the gov,
ernment from the earliest history Of oui
country, and there will be less likeli
hood Of abuses by leaving IL there than
by dividing the responsibility.
Mr.. Cosgrove said the section already
with this subject, which could not b,
done If this castiron restriction was pu
into the constitution. The amendmen,
was lost.
Section 10 (proyiding for the duties o
the governor, to devolye In turn upoi
the lieutenant governor and secretary o
state) and section IL providing that thu
governor may remit fines and forfeiture'
and shall report all such cases, .ane
all pardons and reprieves to the legisla
ture) were adopted.
Section II, prescribing the governor
power to sign or veto bills, the methoc
Of adoption over his veto, etc, and de
cluring him 10 be ineligible TO the Office
of United States senator during hii
term as governor, was read.
NJ. Towers moved to amend by pro