The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-09

extraordinary occasions, conVen o'h
houses or either of them AS origin
ally reported by John Rutled'' ol
Soutn Carolina, from the committee on
detail of the, Federal convention OF
17>7, article III, was as follows
rhe legislative power shall be vested
in u congress, to consist OF TWO sepa-
rate and distinct bodies OF men,
house of representatives and senate
each of which shall in all cases nave
a negative on the other. The 'rsls'a-
ture shall meet on the first Monday III
De eml er every year.
When that article was taken uo Tor
cons deration, James Madison, OF Nr
glaia, desired to know the reasons OF
the committee for fixing by the consul
tuition the time of meeting OF congress-
suggesting that only one meeting
should be held every year, leaving the
time to be fixed or varied by law. Gov
errsur Morris, of New York, moved
to strike out the sentence, as 1t was I'M
proper, he thought, to tie down the
legislature to particular time. Ma
thaniel Gorham, of Massachusetts
thought the time of meeting should be
fixed as otherwise states would be at
a loss to adjust thereto the times Oh
their elections In New England states
the annual time of meeting had been
long fixed by their charters and con-
stitutions, and no inconvenience had re-
suited. He thought 1T necessary there
should be one meeting at least every
year as a check on the executive depart
ment. Oliver Ellsworth, of Connecticut
was opposed to striking out the words.
Rufus King, of Massachusetts, did not
think there was a necessity for meet
ing each year A great vice in our
system was that of legislating too
much. The most numerous objects Oh
legislation belong to the states. Those
of the national legislature were but
few The chief of them We're commerce
and revenue.
MR.. MADISON OBJ ECTED.
Mr.. Madison renewed his objection to
the provision, and added as a strong
consideration that it might happen that
the congress might be called together
by the public eXigencies and finish their
session but a short time before the an
nual period, in which case it would be
inconvenient to reassemble 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 the country
will supply business, and if it should
not, the legislature, besides Legislative.
is to have inquisitorial powers which
cannot safely be long kept in state
of suspension" Roger Sherman, of
Connecticut, was decided for fixing the
time, as we'll as for frequent meetings
of the Legislative body. Disputes and
difficulties Will arise between the two
houses, and between both and the
10 III
quent meetings of Parliament We're re-
Quired, at the Revolution in England,
US an essential safeguard to liberty.
SO also are annual meetings in most
of the American charters and constitu-
tions. There will be business enough to
require it. The Western country and
the great extent and varying state of
affairs in general will supply objects"
Edmund Randolph, of Virginia was
against fixing any day irrevocably
but as there was no provision made
anywhere for regulating the periods
of meeting and some precise time must
be fixed, until the Legislature shall
make provision, he could not agree to
strike out the word altogether. In
stead of which, he moved to add the
following words: "Unless a different
day shall be appointed by law" Mr..
Madison seconded the motion, and 1T
was agreed to by vote of to ?, New
Hampshire and Connecticut voting in
the negative.
Mr.. Morris moved to strike out De-
cember' and insert May" TT might
frequently happen that our measures
ought to be influenced by those in Eu-
rope, which were generally planned
during the winter, and of which in
telligence would arrive in the spring"
Mr.. Madison seconded the motion. He
preferred May to December, because
the latter would require the travelling
to and from the seat of government in
the most inconvenient season of the
year" Mr.. Ellsworth was opposed to
May, saying: The summer will inter
fere too much with private business,
that of almost all the probable mem
bers of the Legislature being more or
less connected with agriculture" on
the question to insert May" the ayes
We're (South Carolina and Georgia)
and the noes We're s. The amendment of
Mr.. Randolph We're thereupon agreed
to.
Article III, as reported, was further
amended by striking out the words
leach of which shall in all cases have
a negative on the other" and by adding
the words unless they shall by law
appoint different day"
This, in the final revision became
clause 2, section 4. Article l., with the
substitution of the word Congress
for Legislature" The judgment of Mr.
Madison, that the extent of the coun.
try would supply business" was vim.
dicated by the first congress. The frs
session-convened on March 4, l7S9-diC
not adjourn until Sept. %, a period o.
2l0 days, while by act of Sept. 29 4
fixed the day of meeting of the frs
session on Jan. 4, 1890, that session last,
Ing 22l days. BY act of March ., 1871
the Second Congress convened on Oct
"a OF that year, sat until May 8, 1892
and, by act of May 8, convened the sec
ond session of that Congress on Nov
B. Prior to the Fourteenth Congress!
there had been five extra" session!
called, and by act of Congress the tim,
was changed from the first Monday
IN December in seven other Congress
es to about the 5th of November.
The provision that the Presiden
may, ON extraordinary occasions, con
Vene both houses, or either of them
was in the report of Mr.. Rutledg
from the committee on Detail, save tn
words 'or either of them" 1t led to NJ
debate or contest its necessity beinl
apparent by the experience Of the Con
tinental Congress and the belief tina
exigencies should be provided for,