Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-08
ri,ne for the Meeting Of Congress-.


7, was stated in the papers OF Sunday
that Mr. fuckers committee had agreed
upon a report changing the TIME lor INC
meeting az each new Congress from inc
first Monday in December to the 4th OIL
March. and providing also for the snort
session to begin in January.
For so long "A time has Congress adhereu
IN the custom Of meeting on the hrst
Monday in December that the impress
sion has been made upon many minus
that IL would require CONSTITUTIONAL
amendment 10 change the day OF meet
ing. But the fact is that the trainers OF
the Constitution left the question open
as to the time hen Congress shall meet
but wisely provided that ii should meet
on The first Monday in December untii
another day had been provided by law
for its assembling. In like manner the
trainers Of that instrument provided III
If that until otherwise provided by law
each state should have 50 many represent
tst,yes in the lower house OF Congress
that IS TO say, until new enumeration
of the inhabitants OF the several States
had been made.
We do not regard 1t as at all certain that
the two houses Of Congress VIII agree
10 change the time for their annual ses-
sions to begin, nor that they Will pro-
vide for the short session to begin in
January and the long session to begin
i'm March. TO make these changes in the
law would be TO provide in effect for Il
continuous session Of Congress during
one year of the congressional term and
no session at all during the other year
Of the congressional term. At least this
seems to be result that might follow.
Let US see how the new law would
operate First. our representatives in
the lower house of the Fifty-fourth Con-
grcss would be elected by the people
on the Tuesday next succeeding the
first Monday in November next. Then,
the short session Of tn, Fifty-third Con-
gress would begin on say the first Mon
day in next January. and end of course
on or before the 4th day Of March,
1895. Then the long session Of the Fifty
fourth Congress would begin on the
4th of March. 1895. and end whenever
Congress might choose TO bring its
session To a close.
To assume that Congress will agree to
begin its first long annual session IN
March is TO assume that that body will
be willing on occasion TO stay in Wash
ington city all the summer and legislate
upon the most important of subjects
during the dog-days. Nay. it is TO as
sumo that the President OF the United
States is hereafter to be denied the privi-
'ge of taking any rest during the sum-
NOR months-at least Of every other year.
In fact, all the social arrangements Of
all the government officials would be
upset and a new condition of things
provided for. Cabinet officers would be
kept In Washington all the summer OF
every other year, and II the President
happened to be an executive martinez,
there would be no end to the annoyance
which he could visit upon secretaries
bureau officers. clerks. and all OF the
thousands OF persons in the service of the
government.
States might possibly be affected by the
change of the law under consideration
The lawyers from all sections OF The
Union might prefer to continue the pres.
ent arrangements. However. the Supreme
Court will be able to accommodate itself
10 the new order Of things. All that We
desire to do is to show that the new bill
TO be reported by Mr.. Tucker may never
become a law.
Congress now adjourns every other yeai
on the 4th of March, or rather the tern
OF every Congress expires on that day
and the new Congress meets $50 its Gus
tom is) on the first Monday in the next
December. Under the new bill Congress
would be in session during the very
months which the members Of that bod,
now spend at home or at the springs OF
elsewhere. On the other hand, Congress
will not he In session during some Of the
summer months which that body would
Otherwise spend in legislation.