Article I, Section 4, Clause 2

They are neither to wait the call, nor abide the prorogations and diſſolutions of a perverſe or ambitious Prince, for they are to meet at leaſt once in every year, and to ſit on adjournments to be agreed on between themſelves and the other ſervants of the people.

The paragraph says the representatives are to meet at least once in every year, the wording of Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

The Congreſs ſhall aſſemble at leaſt once in every year, and ſuch meeting ſhall be on the firſt Monday in December, unleſs they ſhall by law appoint a different day.

The paragraph prints Article I, Section 4, Clause 2 of the Constitution as signed; the quoted words are the same as the clause's (apart from capitals and the long s), though the pamphlet's punctuation differs in places.

Our Constitution says that Congress shall sit annually.

The speaker says "Our Constitution says that Congress shall sit annually."

Is it not a fact that Congress, under the Constitution, has the power to fix the date for its meeting?

The paragraph names the power of Congress under the Constitution to fix the date of its meeting, which is given by Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in -every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law -appoint a different day.

The paragraph quotes Article I, Section 4, Clause 2 in full, introduced in the preceding paragraph as "the section of the Constitution" the speaker will read.

…Congress, and for about six years this was the law, until the passions of the Civil War had somewhat cooled, when the law was repealed and Congress went back to the original provision of the Constitution regarding the meetings of Congress, from which no subsequent Congress has departed?

The paragraph names the provision of the Constitution regarding the meetings of Congress, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

As the Constitution now is the meeting day is fixed bY the Constitution and Congress can not change it.

The paragraph names the provision of the Constitution fixing the meeting day of Congress, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

…recently there was no effort on the part of anyone to change this provision of the Constitution, but it has been so long since any legislation has been enacted under the provision which per- . mits Congress to meet at any time that there has gone out over the country the notion that Congress can not meet until 13 months after election, and that the retiring Member continues to serve until December.

The paragraph names the provision of the Constitution on the meeting time of Congress, which lets Congress appoint a different day; this is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

In earlier days, on a number of occasions, Congress did act under the constitutional provision relating to meetings of Congress, and fixed the date when Congress should assemble.

The paragraph names the constitutional provision relating to the meetings of Congress, under which Congress may fix the date it assembles; this is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

Therefore in the early seventies this statute was repealed and Congress went back to the time fixed by the Constitution in case . Congress fails to set a different date.

The paragraph names the time fixed by the Constitution for the meeting of Congress unless Congress sets a different date, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

Congress can change the time of its meeting when it sees fit. That is in the Constitution. It does not take a constitutional amendment to change it.

The paragraph names the provision of the Constitution under which Congress can change the time of its meeting, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

The present section 1 of the joint resolution is one which seeks to amend Article I, section 4, of the Constitution, ~ The . Congress shall assemble at lea.st once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December unless they shall by law appoin.t a different day.

The paragraph cites Article I, section 4, of the Constitution and quotes its second clause ("lea.st" and "appoin.t" are OCR splits).

It is true under the Constitution that Congress may fix any date for its convening, but there are practical obstacles well-nigh insurmountable.

The paragraph names the power of Congress under the Constitution to fix the date of its convening, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

!, section 4, subdivision 2, that Shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be the first Monday in December, unless they shall appoint a different day.

The paragraph cites "article . !, section 4, subdivision 2" of the Constitution (Article I, Section 4, Clause 2) and quotes its words on the meeting of Congress.

Under the Constitution, as it is at the present time, each session of Congress begins early in December and the long session may extend until the corresponding time a year later.

The paragraph names the provision of the Constitution as it then stood for the meeting of Congress in December, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

MoNTAGUE] have pointed out clearly that the amendment is unnecessary for the purpose of fixing the time for the meeting of sessions of Congress, since Congress, under the Constitution, now has the power to appoint the meeting times.

The paragraph names the power of Congress under the Constitution to appoint its meeting times, which is given by Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

Of course, as is well known under the present Constitution, Congress must assemble on the first Monday of each year unless Congress should fix another date by law.

The paragraph names the provision of the Constitution as it then stood for the meeting of Congress unless Congress fixes another date by law, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

…Congress, and for about six years this was the law, until the passions of the Civil War had cooled down, and the law was repealed and Congress went back to the original provision of the Constitution regarding the meetings of Congress, from which no subsequent Congress has departed.

The paragraph names the provision of the Constitution regarding the meetings of Congress, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

I observe that in the original Constitution the word is " be " and not " begin "; that " such meeting shall be," and so forth.

The paragraph quotes the wording of "the original Constitution" for the meeting of Congress, "such meeting shall be," from Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

President, in the original Constitution there is no hour fixed. It merely fixes the day of the month.

Answering the comparison with the clause on the meeting of Congress, the paragraph says the original Constitution fixes only the day of the month for the meeting, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

It is possible under the Constitution for the Congress itself to fix an earlier day of meeting.

The paragraph names the power under the Constitution of Congress to fix an earlier day for its meeting, which is given by Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

…on to point out the fact that these statements are not the result of theoretical speculation, but that prior to 1821 no fewer than 18 acts were passed by Congress appointing a different day for its meeting from that stipulated in the Constitution.

The paragraph names the day stipulated in the Constitution for the meeting of Congress, which acts of Congress may change, as set by Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

The fourth section of Article IV of the Constitution provides: " The Con.:,aress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day." Under this provision the much-criticized rush of bills in the short session could easily be averted by an act con­ _ vening Congress at an earlier date than the…

The inserted statement quotes, in quotation marks, the clause on the meeting of Congress, Article I, Section 4, Clause 2, though it calls it "the fourth section of Article IV" ("Con.:,aress" is OCR for "Congress").

Prior to 1821 no fewer than 18 acts were passed by Congress appointing a different day for its meetings from that stipulated in the Constitution.

The inserted statement names the day stipulated in the Constitution for the meetings of Congress, which acts of Congress changed, as Article I, Section 4, Clause 2 allows.

…in the session with respect to the next meeting of Congress, a.nd eventually !ly act of March 2, 1791, the date was set for the fourth Monday in October, 1791, more than a month before the date provided for in the Constitution.

The inserted statement names the date provided in the Constitution for the meeting of Congress, set by Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

…on October 17, and Congress remained in session until March 27, 1804, thus continuing without a break through November 7, the date set by Congress, and through Monday, December 5, the day appointed by the Constitution for the regular annual session.

The inserted statement names the day appointed by the Constitution for the annual session of Congress, set by Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

On October 15, 1877, the Forty-fifth Congress met in special ses- _ sion on the call of President Hayes, and it remained in session until December 3, the day appointed by the Constitution for the regular meeting of Congress.

The inserted statement names the day appointed by the Constitution for the regular meeting of Congress, set by Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.

While in the original document they provided that Congress should meet on the first Monday in December every year, they likewise provided that the Government of the United States which was to be formed under that Constitution should not begin operation until certain preliminary things had occurred that…

The paragraph says the original Constitution provided that Congress should meet on the first Monday in December every year, which is Article I, Section 4, Clause 2.