The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-23

SEATTLE. TUESDAY. MARCH xs.
EXTRAORDINARY SESSIONS.

Including tbs present. one there have
been thirteen extraordinary sessions OF
congress held since tie foundation OF the
government. The philadelphia Press "a
recent number. contains an Interesting his
torlcai s;1etcn Of those various exiraordi-
nary sessions, tisa reasons which ed to
;hei- being called and the work which
each OF them accomplished.
II was one hundred years ago when Pres
sdent Adams called tire Fifth congress to-
gsgher ia extraordinary session. the reason
Tor tee call being the necessity presented
OF providing come means TO prevent dep
relations upon American commerce and
,bs impressment Of American ssamen.
This session commenced on May -, l1s7.
Six yeAss and FIVE months later. on octo-
Der =, lsge. President Jefferson convoked
congress In extraordinary session to pro-
vide Tor carrying iato effect the treaty
With the Emperor Napoleon by which the
Lou1iana territory had been acquired.
trsa.s which added territory now making
eleven states. 10 the possessions OF the
United StateE. -Four years later. President
Jefferson called the Tenth congress in ses-
sion On October. 1867. the occasion being
the attack made by the British frisate
Leopard upon the American frigate cnesa-
peake. The embargo act was passed at
this ssmion. Ths war Of lsl2 Was the oe-
casson OF two extraordinary sessions OF
congress.
aafa me-
held until 1857, when the financial crisis OF
thar year compelled President Van Bursl
to call congress together In september to
legislate on the monetary situation. An
sxtraordinary session OF the Twenty sew
attn congress was called by President
William Henry Harrison TO meet on May
~. isal but when 1t assembled President
John Tyler was in the White House. Pres
ident Harrison having died shortly before
The next extraordinary session was cali
ell By President Pierce In August. lS56. the
failure OF tho army and navy appro-
priallon bills at the regular session having
made IL necessary TO reconvene congress
In order that they should be passed.
The most important extraordinary ses-
sion ever held vas tina; which converted
Ia response to the proclamation OF PrsSi-
dent Lincoln. on July 4. lsai- In the pro-
ciamatson calling the Thirty -seventh cen
sress together President Lincoln gave IA
the reason for his action that ''the laws Ct
the United States have been for some time
past and now are opposed and the execu-
lion thereof ehstruelsd Ia the states of
South Carolina. Georgia. Alabama. Flori-
da. Mississippi. Louisiana aud Tcaas by
combinations too powerful 10 be suppress
81 - the ordinary eoersse of judicial pro-
ereaings or by Tho powers vested In tho
,aarshais By law. Now. therefore.
=. Ahrshem Lincoln" etc.
No formal call Of ~ extraordinary ses-
sioa was necessary during the war. nor dur
mx Reconstruction days \. hich followed.
for e.iSres,i was Substantially IN eo1t.n-
uous session dnrtns tne whole tin,e- Pres
ilens Hayes Vas. however. compelled 10
can ~ Forty aith congress together n
extraordinary session on OctoteF ID. Isl.
and tie Forty ~slxta congress on March IS
iSss. &c a.rount % the failure q certain
appropriation bills 60 pass The last ex
traordeary session. prior 20 the present
one was thas called by President Cleve-
laua On August :. 1885, the alstoFy OF waieh
Is familiar 10 al.