The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-03-31
THE GENERAL AssEMBLY MAY CONVENE TTsEIF

N written constitution, by which the people set boundaries about the which would be established them.
 unnecessary for the purposes of this discussion, to the which the first tcut into being.
 jealous of their prerogatve. Their legislature they constituted he of the Com monweah, They kept in their hands the by which this might at moment be called in to action.
 the magistrates shall either neglect refuse to call the two General standing Courts either of hem also at other times when the of the Commonwealth require, the freemen thereof the major part of them, shall petition them to do and if then be either denied neglected the said freemen the major part of them shall have to give to the consabes of the towns to do the and may meet together and choose to themselves modea tor and proceed to do act of which other General courts may"
 When nearly centuries laer the people created the Constitution under which Connecticut lives careful dis buton of powers provided "a government of three dis tinc departments each of them conded to separate magistracy to wit those which legislative to those which are executive to anoher and those which are judicial to another"
 All legislative powers confded to the General As semby and among these powers the assemble the power to meet and do business is the important power
 The meet important that has been regard ed in America as inherent in a legislative body
 The makers of the Constitution did not leave important matter to inc general statement all legislative pow must be the function of the legislative branch.
 Article Third creates the Legislative Department n of Article Third is declared that there the General Assembly SUCH OTHER TIMES AS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL JUDGE NECESSARY"
 The time for the stated session has been several times
 
 ed that the sessions must with exception to be noted be held in Hartford The sessions changed to annual sessions and then to biennial stated sessions The of the General Assembly to meet at such other times it shall judge necessary has not been changed
 This essential power in which retained the full author iy of the legislative branch and the spirit of the Fundamental Orders the first Constitution of Connecticut and tain today, as it in 1918.
 addition the power given Assembly to meet at its pleasure power also given on to he administering the office of the Assembly in special emergencies pow to the Assembly at other than the stated pace in of contagious disease, other circumstance.
 This power to the governor purely permssive limitation upon the power of the Assembly to own will It was broadening of the purpose of the people legislature whenever there should be occa siOn occasion known to them governor
 But power of the governor was limited He must not act except special emergency when there might aous disease other circumstance which would make sary special place of meeting.
 It not the purpose here to show that emergency exist and that Governor olcomb fully warranted in ing the prerogave which the constitution and the statute gives him. but rather that estops the General Assembly from exercising its Plenary to meet "as it shall judge necessary.'
 The power to having shown to belong to the nature of delberatve body having been shown power which the people carefully cherished in their constitution and maintained in their second constitution but enquire by what in the present emergency the power may be most wisely and certainly exercised.
 With deliberate and purposeul intelligence, the of the constitution provided for such siuaon in Section o Article Third
 "A majority of House shall quorum to do number may adjourn from day to day compel the attendance absent and under such penalties, each House prescribe
 That is to say of the members bene duly assembled require the attendance the others compel it by any whatever and infc penalties for dsobedience may best, The power is ample
 How then to call the General Assembly being.
 It would be enough that members of either House, should after of them have reasonable notice to the others meet in their respective Houses at the Capitol there duly ganize and proceed majority is in attendance to the bus mess in hand and if majority not in attendance to require the attendance of the majority ssch and penalties each house may prescribe"
 In taking such the Assembly would be merely cising it's constitutional prerogatve which, since majority the assembly have petitioned for special session