The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-04-01
WHAT IS THE, GENERAL ASSEMBLY

@ HE FOLLOWING letter has been received from per
 plexed reader of The Times. The writer raises an in teresng question: may be of interest to others these times when the enranchsement of the of the United States delayed by the failure of the legislature to ratify the woman suffrage amendment ,---.
 Your editorial declaring that under the Connecticut conseu wir time have with with what your paper says
 til the representatives at established the pedeter mined by the Constitution If there no General AeIoS, @ the members of met and organized then it could not assemble sen5iasa~ asl D'''l0'0''
 Our reader has confused two thngs the General by which is the legislature thing The to legis late is another thing
 The powers of the government are by the Consultation vded into three distinct departments The first of these the legislative
 The legislative power distinct houses branches.
 The Senate.
 The House of Representatives.
 To be styled both together THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY The Representatives consists of electors residing in the towns from which they elected.
 The Senate consists of 3 senators elected from senatorial Assembly consists of the duly elected and qualified members of the Senate and House of Representatives Under the laws of the body never dies It is al ways existence It not always in session. but the people have provided most complete for bringing it into It must assemble stated occasion fixed by the Con- situton.
 It may assemble whenever it shall judge necessary
 The may assemble it in emergencies, spe- ca1 occasions.
 The General Assembly always exists but it cannot exercise its legislative until it assemblies and organizes
 What constitutes assembage of the General Assembly Of such nature that it's legislative may be exercised? What constitutes the adequate assembage necessary to erclse legislative at this me the body being duly ganized and scattered without date for meeting?
 The General Assembly, through grants of power as body or to It's several houses has two broad grants of legislative power
 The first and primary grant of legislative power given ito majority of each house" when present
 Even though the General Assembly be in ing and ready to do business it will be Of the majority called the absence of is discovered THAT THE BUSINESS OF THE LEGISLATIVE DEPART MENT MAY NOT BE PARALYZED BY THE NEGLECT OR THE REFUSAL OF A MAJORITY TO ITS WORK, THERE IS GIVEN TO "A SMALLER NUNBER' A SINGLE VAST BIyI NECESSARY, GRANT OF LEGISLATIVE POWER.
 This smaller number attendance and desiree to do business may adjourn from day to day and-
 Compel the attendance of absent and under such penalties each house may prescribe
 The General Assembly always exists.
 Its full legislative exist whenever majority both houses assembled at the lawful place.
 It has the legislative necessary to compel tendance of absent members whenever any number majority assembled the constitutional place. ready to dc business.
 The has power to call the Assembly, bu when there is special emergency.
 The General Assembly may by own will wher it necessary
 The procedure demanded this time Connection not be disgraced in the eyes mankind ators and representatives who believe the ratification suffrage amendment ought to be had shall tice for date and themselves repair upon that necessary the members by tn powers abundantly given to them by the people.
 LOOKING BACK FIFTY YEARS.