The Indianapolis journal., 1889-07-09
THE FOUR NEW STATES.
When Their Representatives In Congress Are
to Be Elected-ProvisiOns of the Law.

When Their Representatives In Congress Are
to Be Elected-ProvisiOns of the Law.
F. A. Carle, in Washington Post.
Writing on the elections to Congress in
the new States, without q copy of the law
before it, the Post falls into natural error
There is nc. need of special election for
members of Congress after the President
shall have proclaimed the Territories ad-
mitted as States. The law provides tSec-
tion 81 that the Representatives to the Fif-
ty-tirst Congress, together with the Gov
ernOrs and other officers provided for in
said Constitutions, may be elected on the
same day tOct. II OF the election for the rat
itication or rejection of the Constitutions
Candidates for Congress, as we'll as for
State Offices, will be nominated in all the
Territories in conventions to be held about
Sept. !. They will be voted for at the gen.
eral elections provided for in the act on the
this election are to be canvassed by the ter
ritOrial Governor and two Supreme Just
ices. Upon their return being made to the
President he shall issue his proclamation,
declaring the Territories States. provided
that the votes upon the Constitution are
affirmative.
Section "a of the act declares "that the
constitutional conventions may, by ordi-
nance, provide for the election of officers
for fu! g state ate goyer,nments lnc1nding
sentatives in the Fifty-frst Congress, but
said State governments shall remain in
allegiance until the States shall be admitted
into the Union respectively, as provided in
of said proposed States shall be ratified by
the people, but not otherwise. the Legis-
lature thereof may assemble, organize and
elect two Senator'S of the States; and the
Governor and Secretary of State of such
proposed State shall certify the election of
the Senators and Representatives in the
manner required by law; and when such
State is admitted into the Union. the Sen
atOrs and Representatives shall be entitled
to be admitted to seats in Congress- and to
all the rights and privileges of Senators
and Representatives of other States in the
Congress of the United States; and the of
ficers of the State government formed in
pursuance of said constitutions, as provided
by the constitutional conventions, shall
proceed to exercise all the functions of such
State officers; and all laws in force made by
such Territories, at the time of their adj
mission into the Union. shall be In force in
said States except as modified or changed
by this act or by Constitutions of the States,
respectively"
That is to say, the State governments 60
into operation, and the rights of the Repre-.
sentatives in Congress to seats are COM
pleted as soon as the President shall have
issued his proclamation. This may. easily
be done within two weeks after election,
or by the 18th of October. The Governors
and Secretaries of State may issue
certificates of election to the members OF
Congress-el upon returns turned over to
| them by the territorial government and
| Supreme Justices as soon as they themselves
are inducted into Office. Upon the presen-
| tation of these certificates to the Clerk of
the last House it is clearly his duty to
| place the names of the members-elect from
| the new States upon his roll. together with
| all other members select of the Fifty-firs,
| Congress, whose seats are not contested.
| Shonld an extra session be called any time
after Oct. Is, the members of Congress-ele
| prima facie right to seats and votes as
| other members-elect against whom notice
| of contest is not filed. To deny them a
| place on the roll. after the conditions of the
| act above described are fulfilled, would be
a tlagrant breach of duty on the part of the
Clerk of the last House.