Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-12-31

Bpeculhtipn as 10 WnAb ihe ciefh VI ebo
last House Of Representatives will do
4 at the organization Of the new House
at Dover, next week, and some ignor-
ant and irresponsible writer's are cloth
ing him with extraordinary powers. A
correspondent of Philadelphia paper
goes TO the extent of sending of the
following astounding miainformation
The Addicks men have one advantage
over the Democrats in that they con-
troll the clerk OF the Houss OF Repre-
sentatives, and the Union Republicans
can be sworn in according to law.
Clerk Hastings will swear in the Union
Republican, of Kent county il the de-
cision of the court of errors and appeals
is in their favor, and then Addicks'
men will have u ma iority. and they
will endeavor to seat the Sussex county
delegation.
The Democrats also have another plan
should Clerk HASTINGS refuse TO swear
them in. They will go right ahead
and organize the Legislature, ignoring
the clerk, who is the man provided for
by law to swear in the new members.
The Democrats have precedent for such
proceeding, and they will undoubt-
eddy do il.
As a matter of fact, the clerk Of the
House has no such powers as are as
cribed to him in the above extract.
The law does not make it bis duty to
call the House to order, and he has no
more right to swear in the members
elect than the page would have.
Ii has been the custom for years,
however, for the clerks of the proceed
ing General Assembly to call to order
the respective bodies at the succeeding
session. But there is no law governing
the matter, and should the clerks fail
to appear. any member elect can per-
form the purely perfunctory service Of
calling the body TO order. In fact,
dispense with the services of the old
clerks in this respect, they can do 30,
and then the clerks would have nc
moro right to participate in the organi-
cation proceedings than any other pri.
waite citizens. Aside from the time.
honored custom by which they are &C.
corded this privilege, they are functus
officio.
Below, we give the formula OF tn,
proceedings attending the organization
Of the General Assembly. 1t is taker
at random from the first legislativ,
journal at hand, that Of the House O
Representatives at the SESSION OF 1877
twenty years ago:
AT the session Of the General Assem-
bly, OF the State OF Delaware convened
and held at Dover, on Tuesday, tn
second Gay of January, in the year o
our Lord one thousand eight hundrel
and seventy seven, and CT the independ
euce OF the United States of Americ
the one hundred and first, Messra
there follow the names of the members
appeared and took their seats.
The House was called to order b
William -. HAZEL, former clerk.
On motion of MIR. Wright. Mr.
Thomas Holcomb was appointet
Speaker pro tempore.
O3 motion of Mr.. Robinson, Mr.
BuDdite was appointed clerk pro ten
poee.
On motion of Mr.. Robinson, the re
turns of the election for Represents
tives of the several counties of th
State were read.
Then follows minute of the resu
OF the election, as ascertained by th
reading of the certificates by the ccr
pro tempore, after which the Hout
proceeded to organize permanently /
the election of Speaker, clerk, Sc
geant-at-arms and chaplain. ID
Hugh Martin was chosen Speaker, au
Immediately after his election wi
qualified by Representative Holcom
OF Nav Castle county, who had bot
Speaker at the preceding session
Then Speaker Martin swore in ii
other members The fact that Il
Speaker and other members were tn
qualified is duly entered upon the mi
utes as being according to the Go
stitution aud laws of the State OF Del
ware, and the act of Congress ontitl
An act to regulate the time and ma
ner of administering certain oaths,
Mr.. Holcomb and Speaker Martin joi
ing in attesting a certificate 10 t
effect that the oaths of Office wore tn
administered. Then the other Office
were chosen.
This is the form OF organization IL
has prevailed at Dover for prohaI
close upon Il century, without mater
change. 1t will be observed that I
clerk of the previous body figured OF
TO call the body to order. After p
forming that function he ceased to
factor in the proceedings. And,
wo remarked above, his presence
this purpose IL merely a custom, "a
is not required by law. There ht
been sessions OF the Legislature VIII
the ole clerks were unable TO appe
but this did not interfere with tho
ganization. Anyone may call the bu
TO order
After this complete explanation,
hope there will be no more idle Il
about what the clerk of the last Hot
may do towards furthering the echeu
of the Republican revolutionists at
organization Of tho House of Repres
tatiVes At Dover On Tuesday next
has no legal right to do anything
may in accordance with custom and
the absence of objection. call
House to order and put the motion
tho election of Speaker pro tempo
but wien that is done he is done.