The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1909-02-04
INAUGURATION OF GOVERNORS

Does Not Assume His Duties Until
Several Days After Term Begins
Administrator CT the Oath
Where the Inaugurations Have
Taken Place.
Richard H. Battle, in North Carolina
Education.
1t is singular that practically q
Governor-elect in this State is never
the actual Governor for several DAYS
after the Constitution says his term
is to begin. Article III, section l,
provides that the term of the Gov
n and the other executive officers
shall commence the first day of Jan
uary next after their election and
continue until their successors are
elected and qualified; and section 8
says the returns of election "Shall be
sealed up and transmitted to the seat
of government by the returning Off
Ger, directed to the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, who shall
open and publish the same in the
presence of both houses of the Gen
eral Assembly," Article II, section
2, provides that the General Assem-
bly, shall meet biennially on the first
Wednesday after the first Monday in
January, after their election. So, it
cannot officially be known who is the
G~overnor-elect until the legislature
shall have met and the Speaker of
the House has opened and published
the returns of election. The result
is, that the new Governor cannot be
inaugurated until about the 10th or
18th Of January.
Of course, the difficulty might be
net by the calling of the Legislature
to meet in special session some time
between the day Of election (the first
Tuesday after the first Monday in No
vember) and the first of January fol
lowing; but as this would be an ex-
pensive and announcement expedient,
the outgoing Governor holds over a
few days.
How it Came About.
The reason this state Of things ex-
lists is, that under the old constitu-
ton which was replaced by that of
1868, the General Assembly met on
the third Wednesday yin November,
and the returns of election were re-
ceived and published before the LIST
of January succeeding; and the pro-
vision about the commencement of
the term of office was copied from the
old Constitution.
So now, the outgoing Governor
holds over until some day agreed on,
about a week afr the meeting of the
General Assembly, when the returns
of election having been opened and
published, everything can be in read
mess for the Inauguration of the new
Executive.
The Oath of Omce-Where and by
Whom Administered.
As a condition p~recendent, or pre-.
cedent, or preliminary to the Cover.
nOr's assuming the office, it is requir.
ed that he shall, in the presence of the
members of both branches of the
General Assembly, or before any jus
tice Of the Supreme Court. take ar
oath or affirmation that he "Shall
support the Constitutions of the Unit
ed States and the State of NORTH
Carolina, and that he will faithfully
perform the duties appertaining tc
the Office of Governor" etc.
As the exact day fox the Inaugural.
ton is not fixed, so the place is not
fixed; but the ceremony is nearly al
ways held in the presence Of the
members of both branches of the
legislature, and the oath administer
ed by the Chief Justice or an Associ
ate Justice of the Supreme Court. I
might, however, be administered il
the presence of the General Assembly
by a justice of the peace for Wake
county. I think this has been done
when there happened to be no Jus
tice of the Supreme Court presen.
in the city.
Where Some Notable Inaugural Cere
monies Were Held.
Before the war of 1861 to 1865, thu
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