Evening journal., 1896-12-17
ONE CENT.
AT WORK IN EARNEST.
Report of Committee on Gov
ernor Before the Convention.
ELIGIBLE FOR A SECOND TERM

THE COMMITTEE ALSO RECON-
MENDS THAT HE BE GIVEN THE
VETO ER-PRACTICAL Es-
TABLIsHMENT OF A BOARD OF
PARDONs.
DOVER, Dec. 1.-THE members Of
the Constitutional Convention settled
down to hard work yesterday. Rules
to govern the body were adopted and
the committee on the governor and
other executive officers made a partial
report This was ordered printed for
the information of the members and
was referred to the convention as a
committee OF the whole The report
makes a number of important recon-
mendations. The most important
change made is that the governor is
given a veto power over the General
Assembly. Heretofore the governor
has had no such power and the General
Assembly could poss any measure
which it desired without any fear Of
being checked. The rules were then
taken up and some important changes
In them were made. The rule requir-
ing q two-thirds vote on a proposed
section of the new Constitution was
amended so that only a majority vote
would be required
The committee on the governor and
other executive offices made the fol-
lowing report:
Strike out all of section of article
III and insert in lieu thereof the fol-
lowing Section 3. He (the governor)
shall have the power to remit fines and
| forfeitures. TO grant reprieves, commu-
tation of sentences and pardons, except
in cases of impeachment; but no par
don shall be granted nor sentence COM
muted except upon recommendation. in
writing. of the chancellor, speaker of
the Senate, attorney general and sec
retary Of state, or any three OF them
After full hearing any such recon-
mendations, with the reasons therefor
at length, shall be fled and recorded
in the Office of the secretary of state.
who shall forthwith notify the gov
ernOr thereof Insert next after
the end of section 10, of article III, the
following. Section IA. Every bill
which shall have been passed by both
houses of the General Assembly shall,
before It becomes a law, be presented
to the governor; If he approves it he
will sign il, but If he shall not approve
it he shall return It, with his obiec-
, tions, to the House in which It shall
have originated, which house shall
enter the objections at large on the
Journal and proceed to reconsider it,
IT, after such reconsideration. two
E thirds OF all the members elected to
that house shall agree to pass the bill,
it shall be sent, together with the OBJ
iections, to the other house, by which
IL shall likewise be reconsidered, and if
s.I Is4 4 I. t.In 81 al
I the members elected to that house, It
e shall become a law. But in all such
cases the votes of both houses shall be
4 determined by the yeas and nays. and
, the names OF the members voting for
2 and against the bill shall be entered
2 upon the journals Of both houses. re-
spectlvely. If any bill shall not be re-
1 turned by the governor within ten
q days (Sunday eXcepted) after IL shall
! have been presented TO him, the same
e shall become law In a like manner. as
r If he had signed Il, unless the General
Assembly SHALL by it's final adjourn
] ment, prevent its return, in which case
IL shall become a law without the ap-
prOval Of the governor No bill shall
become a law after the final adjourn
Iment of the General Assembly unless
approved by the governor within thirty
days after such an adjournment. The
governor shall have power TO disap-
prove of any item or items of any bill
making appropriations of money em-
bracing distinct items. and the part or
parts so approved shall be the law and
the item or items Of appropriation dis
approved shall be void unless repassed
according to the rules and limitations
prescribed for the passage Of other
bills over the executive veto.
Every other resolution or bill to
: which the concurrence of both houses
{ OF the General Assembly may be nee
, / cssary Except a question OF adjourn
men) shall be presented to the gov
ernor and before the same shall take
effect shall be approved by him, or.
being disapproved by him, shall be
repassed by a vote Of two-thirds of all
the members of each house OF the Cen
eral Assembly, according to the rules
and limitations provided in the case of
bill
In addition TO giving the governor a
veto power the report recommends that
the governor be made eligible to a sec
} ond term. He can serve but one term
as the chief executive of the state at
present. The report also practically
makes a Board of Pardons. AZ present
the governor has absolute power in
reference to granting pardons and
committing sentences. After the report
had been read and referred to the COM
mittee on the whole 500 copies were
p ordered to be printed. These will De
distributed among the people of the
state who are interested in the matter
, so that they may express their views to
the convention.