Mr. STEVENS. I rise to say but a few words and then I shall ask a vote on this preliminary question. In the 1st place no one doubts that we have the right to fix a future day to which we shall adjourn. ‘1n the 2nd place, it cannot, I think be denied that during this criod between then 'ournment of Congress an the timewhich it fixes for reassembling no matter whether you 'call it an adjournment or a recess the power of the President is restricted as it is while Congress is in session. And this is the object which I have in resenting this resolution. I do not preten to don it. I do not wish to leave honest men to e the victims of the President’s unchecked power during a vacation of Congress. Now, sir, there being no question as to the power of Congress to name as the period for its reassembling any time which it may think the emer ency calls for, have we the right to delegate this power and authorize anyone else to judge of toemergency which may require that congress shall be convened? Sir, the au thority o' Congress, as of all legislative bodies, is very different from the authority vested in executive officers. When an executive officer has particular powers dele ated to him, he is restricted to the exercise of those powers. But a legislative body this body as well as ever other legislative bod has, under the WellY known principles of:3 common law. all the powers necessa for the Legislature of a free Government, whether those powers be enu merated or not, except so far as any power may be expressly denied by some restriction of the organic law. Whatever power, then, is necessary for a legislative body this Congress has it, unless it is expressly prohibited by the organic law. No delegation of power is required. There are certain powers inherent in every legislative body, as much as the right of emi nent domain or anything of that kind. This is a principle old and well understood. In view of this principle, I hold that there is nothing to restrain Congress from authorizing even the Doorkeeper, if they choose, to convene Congress upon an emergency.Mr. Speaker, how unwise and how fatal it would be if we were not vested with this powerl There may be times, there are times, when We are in the midst of a revolution, and when the duty devolving upon a particular officer to call Congress together may not be by him exercised when it may not be for his interests or for the interests of his schemes to have Congress in session. And yet the whole safety of our country may depend upon our assembling here, if a particular emergency should arise And is it to be said that conress, adjourning to a given time, cannot provi e for this emer ency, so imminent nay, palpable as the sun in the heaven; that we are to prostrate ourselves as helpless victims at the feet of conspirators by saying that no one but the President has power to convene us? We ourselves must fix the organ by which we are to be convened, or, however grave the exigency, we shall never be called together. Suppose there were acoup d’etat. I am supposinrr what may well happen what has happened in other countries and made it necessary for legislative bodies to declare themselves in session en permanence. Suppose anything of that kind should happen I hope it may not, but I dread it are we to have ourhsnds tied, with nobody able to sound the alarm and call us together? Why, sir, Congress would be a very impotent body if we were in that helpless condition. Now, sir, I am in favor of conferring this power upon some one in whom we can have confidence. If any better depositary can be found for it than that named in my resolution, very well. If gentlemen prefer that this authority should be intrusted to the Chief Justice of the U.S. I have no objection. That we have the right to fix upon the power to call us together in a time of great emergency and danger to the Commonwealth, Iconno more doubt than I can the great law of self defense which authorizes us.to protect ourselves when assailed.Mr. Speaker I beg pardon for having spoken so long, and I ask not a vote may now be taken on the reliminary question.