Mr. HENDRICKS. The necessity of spending the summer here will be regretted, I suppose, by all of us; and I think it is due to the Senate that the Senator who takes charge of this bill should state what is the necessity for this legislation and what is its purpose. During the war, for 4 or 5 years, the legislative dept certainly was of quite as much im. portance to the Government as it is now after the war is closed, and it was not thought necessary then by the party in the majority to keep Congress in continuous session. If this is for partisan purposes of eourse I have nothing to say againstit; so far as party policy is concerned; I do not claim the right to interfere with the desires of the majority; but if it relates to the interests of the country and looks to legislation for the interests of the country during the coming sum mer, I think it is due that we should all know, the country should know, something of the necessity which the friends of this bill believe calls for its passage. I do not know myself. I heard the bill discussed in the committee; but I did not there learn, nor have I learned elsewhere, why, for the 1st time in the history of the Government a 3rd session is provided for during each Congress. I believe the government has " along very well holding the regular annual sessions of Congress. I have never known any calamity to come to the country because of the policy that has been adopted and continued for 3 quarters of a century; I heard of no calamity or misfortune to the Governmentmentioned during the war because the Congress was not in continuous session; and I should like to know why it is thought necessary to have this additional session here after. There can be but this one extraordinary session during the Administration of the present Chief Magistrate. This bill does not provide for just one more session; it is a permanent law if adopted. Now, sir, unless there is necessity for Iit, cannot vote for it. It adds very considerably to the expenses of the Government. In the 1st place, there is the mileage of all the new members of Congress who come in. Then there is that very large cost to the Government incident to the session of Congress known to every Senator. This proposition makes a large inroad into the Treasury. If it is simply because of party necessities the country ought to know it. If it is to hold the President in check the country ought to know that. If it is to legislate upon the interests of the country, commercially and otherwise, I think the country ought to know that. But if the passage of this bill has been decided elsewhere, where the reasons given for it can never come to the public, there would seem to be appropriety in at least referring to those reasons in this body. I did not intend to say one word upon this question, but supposed the distinguished Senfrom Vermont, who called the bill up, designed to state why this bill is to pass. If it is not considered proper that the country should know anything about it, but if the country is to take it for granted that it is right, the course which the Senator has pursued in bringing the bill to a vote on its passage without any explanation is understood. I make these inqui ries simply that we shall know a little about it.