The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-21
THE LEGBLAT IRE.


mics In his party to give him good spanking"
Says The Journal, "Thats all there Is In IT, aud It's
asking good deal OF men who have no interest In
either OF the spankcrs or the spankees." But The
Journal must remember that the Legislature itself
Is In the middle Of a fix II sstlll cOnstructyely
in session, having only taken recess, and 1t will
have 10 meet 10 adjourn. II for nothing else. II
would DO an objectionable negligence II tho
Legislature should never lawfully and constitutions
ally adjourn. II would be worse than childs play
for 10 responsible body TO confess itself unable 10
do tho simplest duty imposed upon II, the most
judicious act within the scope Of IL powers, that
Of ending H. session In due form OF law aud good
order and propriety. But II Is serious question
whether tho Legislature can adjourn sine die
wiihouta quorum present and voting in both
houses The Legislature OF 1885 disbandod without
n constitutional adjournment but that miserable
disregard OF propricty and law should not DO nc.
copied rs precedent There lisa right way to do
n thing. and the Legislature should take that
right way. Whom tho responsible lsw-maklng
power oiicnds the legal and constitutional propro
ties and dlsregnrds the spirit OF our institutions It
sets wociul example 10 the people.
Tho Constitution provides that less than
quorum Of members 'may adjourn from day 10
day, aud may be authorized by law 10 compel the
attendance OF absent membcrs" But the Consil
by los than n quorum. We have serious doubt
whether loss than quorum can properly take
recess longer than single day, such an one "A the
Legislature took until the 9Th OF May The oyi.
dent purpose OF the Constitutional authorization
Of n day 10 day adjournment by less thnnA quorum
was 10 enable the Legislature 10 keep In session
until the attendance Of absent members could be
compelled that the business Of the % sion could
be- lcgitlmaoly transacted, one part Of the lcgtl.
mate business OF n General Assembly Is IL formal
sine die adjournment The lnal adjournment cor.
responds IN the essentials OF FORM order and legal
ny with the organization A Legislature cannot DO
organized w'thouta quorum and by a logical
parity Of reasoning, II cannot be- regularly adj.
| l0urncd without quorum.
Now, suppose the Gcucral Assembly should 1ud
Itself without n quorum In both houses In May.
Clearly, Il would not bo able transact any busl.
ness II would not be able To regularly adjourn
/ Could qnorumloas Legislature compel the attend.
anoc Of absent members after the prescribed limit
Of the session has been rcachcdf Gould quorum.
less Legislature compel monbcn 20 servo without
compensation The history OF the struggle In 1856
l. irsh In the mind. II less than quorum can
consuiuiionally terminate q session. how many
lcssi II one les, then ten or twenty less II nity
members ia the House aud fifteen members IN tho
senate tau regularly adjourn tho General Assem-.
house can adjourn body which could not be or.
ganiScd without full quoumS Isn't such propo.
ston brilliantly absurd II tho Legislature have
no quorum In May Il can only fall 10 pieces like a
loose ald irresponsible aslcmblayo OF citizens
Aud such farce tina, would bel
Evidently we need morc Statesmen aud students
OF The Constitution In Tennessee. pNashrAle banner.
This editorial is couched in the proper
spirit, Is instinct with a becoming dig.
nifty In treating Of grave question and Il
ought TO DO felt by The KnorriHc Journal
as a fair measure Of Just and timely 70.
proof Neither the convenience Of legis.
lators nor the conditions or position Of
Gov. Taylor should for moment have
any weight OF effect TO prevent the attend.
ance OF any Of them at Nashville on the
7th Of May. II Is their bounden duty "a
bc there, II for no other purpose than ia
adjourn tho Legislature pro Jorma in a
docorous and dignided way rs the people
have a right TO expect they will. Tho
Journal Is quite we'll aware Of this
but the partisan fcoling II has displayed
whenever Gov. Taylor has been called In
question and It's partisan hostility 10 the
Democratic party induced no doubt tho
ill-considcrcd paragraph which invited the
comment Of The Banner But neither the
political parties nor the cnmiiics or enc.
mics Of the Governor should be permitted
10 Interfere TO prevent tho performance oI
duty that Is "a incumbent aud as grave
one rs the opening Of the Legislature,
In presence Of the immincncc OF default
In 10 plain a duty. the facts Of the differ.
enoc between the Governor and n majority
Of tho members Of tho Legislature who arr
Of his own party wholly disappear. But
Is such default imminent We doubt H.
We have reason TO believe that a majority
Of the members Of the Legislature win be-
present, and tina, before adjourning sinl
dc they will pass tho Moody bill. which
besides that Il provides for the building o.
new pcnitcntiary, makes plain III,
anxiety Of the Democratic majority TO TAX,
steps looking to the abolition Of the con
Wet lease system, no rcpugnant 10 al
classes OF the people OF the State. As WI
showed In yesterday ArrEAL, In a para
graph quoted from NE Journal, even that
paper Is pleading against n continuance o.
the present peni,onliary. which. besides
that II Is wholly inadequate 10 the pur.
poses for which II was intended, is mad,
an excuse for the continuance Of the lcas,
system, tho barbarilcs aud crucltics oI
which have boon made plain In CAREFUL,
prepared aud well vouchod for Legislaiiv,
reports For this reason, as well rs Tor Ia,
necessity Tor proper adjournment Of III,
Legislature, TnE ArrrAL believes IN,
members will respond to Senator Moody
appeal.
!
TnE predictions Of bloodshcd that hay,
been NO general tho past month with
those who had an intimate knowledge q
the class and character OF people VIII,
have taken the lead Of great column O
immigrants la tho march 10 Oklahoma