der of time in which it had passed to a second reading. If there were no regulations of this kind, great difficulty would occur in taking up the bills that had gone to a third reading. The messages, communications, and bills, on his table, having been disposed of, the speaker will proceed to "call the orders of the day." If the speaker strictly adheres to these rules, he will be sure to carry on the business of the nation impartially and successfully, and establish a character for ability, punctuality and despatch. This point has been pressed upon the chair, under a firm conviction, that it is the only true mode of correctly passing or acting upon the whole business of the house. It gives all bills that are furthest advanced a sure chance of being acted upon. But if, after all these rules, so carefully prepared, to finish the business so far progressed in towards final completion, the house should adjourn with bills on a third reading, or amendments pending between the two houses, rely upon it, the speaker has not faithfully lived up to the rules, which direct him to dispose of all matters on the speaker's table, before he proceeds to the orders of the day. The speaker will, himself, find his duties much more readily executed, by adhering strictly to this order of proceeding. They are designed, especially, to leave no bills unacted upon, which have once reached a third reading, or are hanging between the two houses on amendments. Ile must, to be successful in the execution of these rules, commence with them at the opening of the session, and adhere to them throughout. No special order can interfere with the business on the speak. er's table; a special order, for a particular day, only operates upon " the orders of the day." The business on the speaker's table is to be disposed of before the house proceeds to the orders of the day. Having gone through the reports of committees and resolutions, it may be necessary here to take up a bill as reported by a committee to the house. The gentleman reporting a bill, says, standing in his place, "Mr. Speaker, I am directed by the committee of commerce to report a bill." As soon as the bill is carried to the chair, by one of the pages of the house, the speaker says, "The first reading of a bill." The clerk, standing in front of the speaker's desk, reads the title, which is considered the first reading of the bill. If no objections are made, the speaker, rising from his chair, puts the question, "Gentlemen, as many as are in favour of the second reading of the bill will say Aye. Contrary opinion, will say No. The ayes have it." He then takes his seat, and announces, "The second reading of a bill." The clerk again rises and reads the title; but if the reading of the bill should be called for, it will be read throughout; this is very seldom the case, as it is immediately printed, and laid on the tables of members, when they can examine it at their leisure. If the bill should, however, be of such a character as requires the immediate rejection of it by the house, the question of consideration can be called on it, which if decided against, it would be considered as rejected. Instances of this kind occasionally occur. During the session of 1829-30, Dec. 17, (page 62,) Mr. Overton moved the fol on lowing resolution :-"That the committee public lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of ceding to the respective states, such public lands as may be unfit for cultivation, either from sterility or inundation, and that shall have been offered one year for sale." This resolution being read, Mr. Condict demanded that the question "Will the house now consider the same?" be put, and, being put, it was decided in the negative. If, however, as is customary, the bill shall pass through a second reading, the speaker is directed to say, "The bill is now ready for commitment or engrossment," but he usually casts his eye towards the member who reported the bill, who rises and moves, if it be a bill of a public nature, that it be committed to the committee of the whole, on the state of the Union, and if accompanied by a report, that the bill and report be printed. If, however, the bill is of a private character, he moves that it be committed to the committee of the whole house, that it be made the order of the day for to-morrow, and that the bill and report (if there be a report) be printed. The speaker states the question, sitting, as follows :— "It has been moved that the bill just read be committed to the committee of the whole on the state of the Union, and that the bill and report be printed." He then rises and puts it as follows:“Gentlemen, as many of you as are in favour of the motion, will please say Aye. The contrary opinion will please to say No." Very few either vote for or against it, it being usually a matter of course to carry. The speaker, therefore, on the presumption that silence gives consent, says "The ayes have it. It is agreed to." The other proposition is put, merely adding that it be made the order of the day for to-morrow, (which is a nominal date,) and that it be printed." In referring to committees of the whole, on the state of the Union, no day is named, and this grows out of the fact, that with the exception of general appropriations, which have a preference, every bill referred to that committee may be taken up in committee of the whole on the state of the Union, when the house has resolved itself into that committee. Bills committed to committee of the whole house, take precedence according to their order on the general file of bills, which is accurately kept by the clerk of the house. Having progressed so far as to have the bills referred, which, when printed and examined by the clerk, are placed on the members' tables, by persons employed for that purpose, and the file of bills being in order for consideration, the speaker, having disposed of the business on his table, on motion of a chairman of one of the standing committees, moves "that the house resolve itself into a committee of the whole on the state of the Union." The speaker repeats the motion, and, rising, says, "Gentlemen, as many as are in favour of the motion, that the house do resolve itself into a committee of the whole on the state of the Union, will say Aye. The contrary opinion will please to say No." If the ayes have it, he will say so, and announce that the motion is agreed to. Whereupon the speaker will invite some senior member of the house, if it be in the early part of the session, to give the juniors an opportunity of seeing how the business is transacted." Mr. - will please take the chair." The speaker rises and retires, and as the chairman ascends the steps, and the speaker descends, they bow respectfully to each other. The chairman, being seated in the speaker's chair, should say: "The house is now resolved into committee of the whole on the state of the Union." This is, however, usually omitted. As the chairman of the committee of ways and means made the motion for the house to go into committee, he rises and says " Mr. Chairman,”when the chairman of the committee says, "The member from "This is done, so that the gentleman from should know, and the committee, too, that he has the right to the floor. He then says" Mr. Chairman, I move that the committee proceed to the consideration of the general appropriation bill, No. -," whereupon the chairman puts the question, rising for that purpose, and saying, "Gentlemen, as many as are in favour of the committee proceeding to the consideration of bill —, will please to say Aye. The contrary opinion will say No. The ayes have it." Or he may put the question in a short way. After stating it, he may say "Will the committee proceed to consider the bill?" which being agreed to, he, in a clear voice, says, "The clerk will read the bill by sections." The first sec. tion being read, the chairman then says:"The first section is before the committee." Amendments are then to be offered. The committee proceeds through all the sections, when, if any member desire it, he may, before the commit |