The herald., 1895-03-13

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Congress in session to meet on May 31st.
Congress abolished the independent treas
ury and passed a bill creating United
States bank. This was vetoed by Tyler,
the Vice. President, who went to the Presi-
dency on Harrison's death. Another bank
bill was framed with the features oblec-
tionable to Tyler, as its champions
imagined, left out, and this, too, was
vetoed. This enraged the men who elected
Tyler. He was "read out OF the party, !"
and all his cabinet except Secretary Web
ster resigned. The extra session ended on
September 18th.
An extra session which began August
81, 1856, and ended August 30th was con-
vened by Pierce. In the regular session
which closed on August 18th, the House,
which was Republican, refused to pass an
appropriation bill for the army stationed
in Kansas, except on the stipulation that
the soldiers were not to be used in en-
forcing the DEGREES OF the pro-slavery Leg
islature of the territory. The extra ses-
sion was for the purpose of securing the
appropriation without any conditions,
and the House gave way.
Now comes an extraordinary session in
which more constructive legislation was
had than in any other equal period in the
history of Congress. This is the session
called by Lincoln, which began on July 4,
1861, and ended on August 9Th. 1t was sum-
moned to provide ways and means FOR
carrying on the war against the seeded
states, and to uphold the national au-
thority. In the thirty three days which
Al 80, md
seven private bills and five joint resolu-
tions were passed. Measures were enacted
calling out 500, 900 volunteers; making
large appropriations for their support; con-
structing a navy; closing the ports of the
seeded states; defining conspiracy
against the Government and providing
punishment Therefore contiscating all
private property, including slaves, used
against the Government, and increasing
duties under the Morrill, tariff. This act,
in its original shape, was signed by
Buchanan about two days before he re-
tired from Office. The changes made in
it in the extra session Of 1861, however,
would ordinarily have consumed nearly
as many months of time as it did days
then.
Twice Congress met in extra session
during the Hayes administration. The
Congress which stepped down with Grant
on March 4, 1877, had failed to make the
necessary appropriation for the support
of the army an omission which was par
tcularly embarrassing at that time, as
the great railroad strikes in the summer
of that year necessitated the use of troops
at several points of disturbance. Con-
gress was convened on October 18th, con-
tnued at work until the regular meeting
day on December Sd came, and provided
the appropriation. Hayes next called
session met on March Is, 1879, and closed
on July LIST. The work provided for it
was the passage of several money bills
which had failed in the preceding Con.
gress The new Congress, which was
Democratic in both branches, persisted in
attaching to the bills riders" which the
President opposed. After long wrangle
between President and Congress, during
which some of the bills were vetoed all
of them were enacted without the objec-
tionable provision except one measure,
which was killed for the session.
On August I, 1898, Congress met IN
special session under the call of President
Cleveland to repeal the purchase clause of
| the silver act of 1890. The repeal bill
! was passed by the House on August 2sth
by the Senate on October Both, and Con-
gress adjourned on November Sd. These
comprise all the important called sessions
of Congress which have been had since
the beginning of the Government under
the Constitution. is.e