Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-01-18
MUST THERE BE AN EXTRA
SESSION.

The possibility that General Har
rison Will call an extra session OF
Congress soon after his Inaugural
ton is becoming topic OF consid'
cradle interest to the country and
of ANXIOUS discussion among Sena
tors and Representatives. The
President.elect recently declined to
make a positive engagement to be
in Brooklyn on Decoration Day,
remarking that public necessity
might detain him in Washington.
Surprising his meaning to have
been that Congress might be IN
session on May 80, it does not
follow that General Harrison is in
cIined to call an extra session. Like
the rest of the country, he perceives
that an imperative contingency
NAV arise, but his present feeling
on the subject cannot be deduced
from his reply to the Brooklyn del
egation.
The Democrats in the House,
possibly with q definite intention,
but more probably under the fatu'
GUS prOmptings of original sin, are
apparently doing all in their power
to bring on the requisite emergeh-
CIV, but it is yet too early to con-
clude that the emergency is una
voidable.
Since the foundation of the Gov
eminent Congress has met only
nine times in the first few months
of a new Administration; only
eight of these have been extra ses-
sions, properly speaking, and only
seven of them furnish a real COM
parison. The session which began
on March 4, 1869, tue day OF
Grants first Inauguration, was held
under law passed to thwart the
supposed purposes of President
johnson, and soon afterward re-
pealed, as was the session which
began two years before on the
same date. Following Gardeld's
death General Arthur called Con-
gress together to settle the Presl'
Dental succession, but this is not a
parallel case. The seven extra
sessions which supply a reasona BILE
analogy were called as follows {;
March 4, 1889, to set the Govern
ment in motion; May 10, 1897, IN
response to French threats; May
%, 1909. in connection with an ex-
pected adjustment of our relations
with Great Britain May Fl, 1913,
during the war OF 1872; September
4, 1887 to meet the financial crlsls,
May 81, 1871, to apply the wing
policy aud principles to the none
tary situation, and July 4, 1861, to
provide for the defense OF the
Union. 1t is a curious fact that the
closest analogy is furnished by the
session Of 1S41, which was called
by General Ysrrison's grandfather,
though Congress did not assemble
until after his death. General Gar
field seriously considered the ne
cessity of an extra session to pass a
funding bill, but it was dnally
avoided.
Every President must determine
for himself whether or not the
grave emergency contemplated by
the Constitution has arisen, and
act accordingly, but the objections
TO an extra session at the begin
ming OF an Administration are OBJ
vious. A new Executive may rea-
sonably ask at the outset for as
great relief as possible from the
burdens of government, for time
to lay the framework of his policy
and to concert measures for the
future acton OF Congress, and to
be spared while he can the onset OF
officeseekers. OF the last there Will
be more than enough IN any case,
bat in the absence of Congressman
their constituents are less likely to
besiege the capital. 1t is possible,
and if Democrats continue in their
present course 1t may even become
probable, that General Harrison
will think it his duty TO assemble
Congress in extra session soon at
ter March 4, but perhaps there IS
vet time TO divert what may be-
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