The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-11
TWRLYR HxTRA SESSIONS

OF Congress WIN Have Keen Convened on
the 18th OF Next MOnth-The Last Was
Called in March, lsI0-The First Held
in 1907, at the Gail OF John Adams.
Tho last extra session of Congress
was convened on March is, 1870, over
fourteen yeaEsago. The one which will
meet on August will be the twelfth in
the history OF the government 1t is
impossible to determine from the
length of any Of the previous sessions
what the duration Of the one now pend
ing will be, The day Of extended ora
tory is not past by any means, and
while the early political fathers delight
ed in lengthy debates and sometimes
extended the sessions OF Congress In or
der to indulge their passion, the pres
ent generation OF statesman is not much
different. The membership OF both
bodies is greater than ever before and
there are more emulators OF Clay and
Webster to ill the Congressional Record,
The first extra session OF Congress
was convened under a proclamation OF
President John Adams on Alay 10, 1897,
the occasion being the suspension OF
diplomatic relations with France,
Thomas Jefferson found it necessary to
call Congress together twice in extra
ordinary session during his administra-
ton. The first was called on October
IL, 1903, on account OF trouble over the
accession OF Louisiana by Spain to
France. This session did not adjourn
until the following March, Trouble with
Great Britain required the calling to-
gether Of Congress again by jefieraon
on October 26, 1907,
President Madison was compelled to
bring Congress together on November
4, 1871, Great Britain's conduct again
furnishing the cause, This session did
not end until July Q, 1912. Troubles
growing out Of the War Of 1879 required
Mr.. Madison to call another extra SOS,
sion on September Is, 1874, this being
the fifth since the organization OF the
Government
For more than score Of years the
regular sessions OF Congress were suffi.
Gent in which to transact all the press
ing business OF the country. On Sep
TENDER 4, 1887, Congress met in extra
ordinary session at tho call OF Presi-
dent Van Buren, to devise some remedy
for the serious condition OF the coun.
try's finances, which had been injured,
40 it was claimed, by iniudicious legis.
lation during candy" Jacksou's admin
istration. The needed relief was not
found, for on March IL, lS4l, President
William Henry Harrison issued a call
for an extra session to convene on May
81, the threatening condition OF the f.
nances and revenues demanding imme.
diate relief. President Harrison died
before Congress met, and the message
to that body was transmitted by Vice
President Tyler.
On the 21st Of August, 1856, Presi-
dent Pierce called the eighth extra ses-
zion in order to make appropriations
for the army, q duty Congress had ncg-
lected or refused in regular session.
The ninth extra session was the most
important in the history OF tho govern
ment. 1t was called by President Lin
coin on July 4, 1861, and was made
necessary by the instruction OF the
southern states. President Hayes
found 1t necessary twice to convene
Congress in extra session in order to
pass appropriation bills which had
failed in the regular sessions, The first
was on October 10, 1877, and the second
on March is, 1870.