The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
EXTRA SESSIONS.
a HrsToRIoAB REVIEW.

che Congress Clause in the Constellation.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 2e.-The Constitution.
Article H., section g., provides that 1.-THE
President may, on extraordinary occasions,
convene both houses or either of them.'
As originally reported by John RutledRe Of
South Carolina. from tho Com mittco on De-
tail of the Federal Convention of 1857, Article
III. was as follows:
Tho legislative power shall be vested in . Con-
sress. to consist of two separate and distinct bodies
OF men, n House OF Representatives aud \ Senate.
each of which shalt In all cases have q negative on
the other. Tho Legislature shail meet. on the nrst
Monday in December every year.
When that article vas taken up for consid-
Grafton. James Madison of VIRGINIA desired
TO know the reasons of the committee.for TX
ing by the Constitution the time of meeting of
Congress, suggesting that only one meeting
should DO held every year. leaving tho timo to
DO fixed or varied by law. Gouverneur Morris
of New YORK moved to strike out tho sentence.
as it was improper. he thought, to tic down
the Legislature to n particular time. Ma
thnntcl Gorham of Massachusetts, thought the
time OF meeting should be lxed, as other wise
States would be at a loss to adjust thereto tho
times of their elections. In the New England
States tho annual time Of meeting had been
long fixed by their charters and constitutions.
and no Inconvenience had resulted. lilo Thought
It necessary there should BIO one meeting at
least every year. as n check on tho executive
department. Oliver Ellsworth of Connecti-
cut was opposed to striking out tho words.
Rufus King OF Massachusetts did not think
there was n necessity for n meeting each year.
A great vice In our system was that Of legis-
lating too much. Tho most numerous objects
OF legislation belong to the States. Those of
the national Legislature were but few. The
chief OF them were commerce and revenue.
Mr.. Madison renewed his.obiection to the
provision. and added as a strong consideration
that 1t might happen that the Congress might
be called together by the public exigencles
and finish their session but q short time before
the annual oeriod. in which case 1t would be
inconyenient to Reasonable so quickly. Mr..
Mason of Virginia believed that an.annual
meeting should be required as essential to the
Preservation of the Constitution. The extent
of tie country will supply business. and II It
should not. the Legislature. besides lcglsla-
tive, is to have inquisitorial powers which can
not safely DO long kept in a state of suspen-
sion" Roger Sherman OF Connecticut was
decided for fixing the time. as well as for fire.
Quent meetings OF the legislative body. Dis
uutes and difficulties will arise between the two
houses. and between both and the States. IL
the time be changeable. Frequent meetings of
Parliament were required. at the Revolution In
England, as an essential safeguard to liberty.
So also are. snnuai meetings in most of the
American charters and constitutions. There
VIII be business enough to require It. Tho
Western country aud tho great extent and
varying state of ou- a fairs in general will
supply objects"
Edmund Randolph OF virginia was against
fixing any day irrevocably. but as there was
NO provision made anywhere ia the Constitu-
tion for regulating tho periods of meeting and
some precicc time must be liked. until the Leg
islature shall make pro vision. he could not
agree to strike out the words altogether. In
words: Unless a different day shall be ap.
pointed by law:" Mr.. Madison seconded the
:. New H Ia and CONNECTICUT r', Voting in IN
Al M ;.! Morris : moved to. to strike ntks :, on. Dec nser"
by those in Europe. which We're re 'G renersliS
teilIsence would arrive in tho sprins." Nj.
Madison seconded the motion. He preferred
auire the travelling to and from the seat of
government IN tho most inconvenient season
May. saving: "Thc summer will interfere too
much with private business. that Of almost all
the question to Insert MAY" the ayes were s
!soata CO. Ina and GeorRia,. and 9 noes
were !. - ame-dment or MIR. Randolph
Article Ill. as reported. was further amend
shall in all cases have a negative on the other"
and by adding the words unless they shall by
law appoint q different day
This, in the final revision. became clause 2.
i *. Word i .: AFtlcl. L. :, f S,th the sIsstlsr It TS of
The country would supply business was vim
Dictated by tho First Congress. The first ses-
hion co lvened on March 4. 7S9-dld not adj
tourn until Sept. 20. n period of 2lO days. While
b. act Of Sent. 20 1t fixed the day of meeting of
lasting 2$i days. By act Of March efA. ?. I7 7tI
the Second Congress convened on Oct. 2l of
that year. sat until May &, 1892, and. by act of
NAV n convened the second session pf that
Congress on Nov. D., Prior to tne Four zenith
Congress there had been Ave extra" sessions
called. and by act of Congress the time was
changed from the first Monday in December, in
seven other Congresses to about the 5th OF
November.
The provision that the President may. on
extraordinary occasions. convene both houses.
Rutledgc from the Committee on Detail. save
the words or either OF them 1t led to no de-
the experience OF the Continental Congress
and the belief that exigenciss should be pro-
The power of conyening Congress ION ex-
Hereditary occasions" has been exercised by
nine Presidents, viz: John Adams. Jefferson
Pierce. Lincoln, Hayes ltwicel. and Cleveland.
making IN all twelve extra" sessions out Of
century OF our existence US a nation under the
&he first extra session of Congress was
sailed by President John Adams. and convened
on Monday: MAY 10. 1907. and was the first
session of the Fifth Congress,
~ Is N.''hA va "NNcAEat va bhS VI
diplomatic Intercourse With France. on the pre-
text, on the part OF the Fren III Directory. that
the Jay treaty was II violation on our part OF n
solemn compact in relation to the French West
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Our Minister to France. Mr..
Charles G.. Pinckney. bud been expelled from
that country by the Directory. which la | is
sued further orders for depreciation on Amer
lean m moro unjust and injurious than
their former DEGREES.
Mr.. Dayton OF New Jersey was again elected
Sneaker. and, there being a decided Federal
majority In each branch OF Congress. the Pre- ST.
dents recommendations were promptly car
ried out. Several important measures were
passed, including acts for the organization OF
the militia and pro- iding for q naval armament,
tho session closing on tho 10th of July, after
fixing Nov, II as the time of meeting of the
second session.
The next extra session was the first sas-
sion OF the Eighth CJnRr sss, convened by Presi-
dent Jefferson on Mon lay, Oct. II. 1903.
The "extraordinary occasion" necessltaLinR.
in the opinion OF Mr.. Jefferson. an extra ses-
sion of Congress-. was the secret cession of
Louisiana by the King OF Spain to France, the
lntendant of Louisiana being instructed 10
make the formal delivery precisely. as 1t was
held by France when celed TO Spain. In the
execution of this mandate the Intendant pro-
claimed that New Orleans was closed as a place
OF lnnoslI for merchanlisa. foreign coIrmarca