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tee rises, propose amendments to any or all of the sections that have been read and amended. The 118th rule of the house says, that the bill shall be first read throughout by the clerk; this is usually done when the bill is short; then again be read and debated by clauses. The letter of this rule is not adhered to, as some bills, say "Post-Office Routes," would take half a day to get through the mere reading; they are therefore considered by sections, at the first reading of the clerk. After the sections have all been debated upon in committee, the question is put on the preamble to the bill, if it should have one. Preambles, of late, are however not very common. The bill in question being amended, or if no amendments should be offered, after it had been read, the clerk, pausing slightly at the end of each section, the chairman will say, "No amendments being made, the bill will be laid aside to be reported," when, as is the practice, the chairman of the committee of ways and means moves some other bill, and in this way the committee and chairman progress, till they have acted upon as many bills as is desired by the chairman. He then rises and says: "Mr. Chairman, I move that the committee rise, and report the bills, with their amendments, to the house." This motion usually carries, when the speaker resumes his seat, and the chairman, descending to the floor of the house, says: " Mr. Speaker, I have been directed by the committee of the whole upon the state of the Union, to report, that they, having had under consideration the state of the Union, and particularly bills (reading the titles,) have instructed me to report

the same, with sundry amendments," or the two first with, and the three last without, amendments. If, however, the committee should not come to any decision on any bill had under consideration, the chairman, instead of reporting "with or without amendments," as in the foregoing instance, would say they had instructed him to say "that the committee had come to no resolution thereon." This is the form of procedure in the case of the committee of the whole on the state of the Union.

When the house is resolved simply into committee of the whole house, and have risen, the chairman reports the bills, reciting the titles, with or without amendments, or in the event of not getting through the bills, he says, but having made some progress therein, he is directed so to report, and to ask leave to sit again. The speaker repeats the report of the chairman, and puts the question, "Shall the committee have leave to sit again?" Leave is usually granted to sit again.

After the report of bills, with or without amendments, from the committee of the whole, and committee of the whole upon the state of the Union, the proceedings are exactly alike. The speaker, on receiving the report of the chairman of the committee, says: "The chairman of the committee of the whole house," or "on the state of the Union," if that be the committee, "report that they have had under consideration the bill (reading the title) and directed him to report it with sundry amendments; and bill without amendments." The speaker then says, (as to the bill reported without amendments,) that the bill is still

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open for amendments. If no amendment should be offered, he adds, "No amendments being offered, the question will be on ordering the bill to be engrossed, and read a third time," and rising, says, "Gentlemen, as many as are in favour of ordering the bill (naming it) to be engrossed and read a third time, will please to say Aye. The contrary opinion will please to say No." If the ayes carry it, he will say, "The ayes have it; the bill will be engrossed," which consists in copying it off in a fine round hand, free from all kinds of interlineations.

The bills reported to the house with amendments, are next taken up; when the speaker, handing the bill, with the amendments, to the clerk, says, "The clerk will read the amendments," which being done, he says, “The amendments are before the house;" for they are still subject to amendments, as well as the main body of the bill. If no proposition is made to amend, he says, "the question will be on concurring with the committee in their amendments," and rising, he puts the question in the usual form, on agreeing to the amendments being carried, he rises and says, "Gentlemen, as many as concur in the bill as amended will say Aye. The contrary opinion will say No," which being carried, he puts the question on ordering the bill to be engrossed for a third reading, which, if carried, he asks, "When shall this bill have its third reading?" If it be early in the session, they usually say to-morrow, but if near the rising of congress, they say now. The speaker, if he finds a majority in favour of its being read that day, says, "It will be en

the same, with sundry amendments," or the two first with, and the three last without, amendments. If, however, the committee should not come to any decision on any bill had under consideration, the chairman, instead of reporting "with or without amendments," as in the foregoing instance, would say they had instructed him to say "that the committee had come to no resolution thereon." This is the form of procedure in the case of the committee of the whole on the state of the Union.

When the house is resolved simply into comImittee of the whole house, and have risen, the chairman reports the bills, reciting the titles, with or without amendments, or in the event of not getting through the bills, he says, but having made some progress therein, he is directed so to report, and to ask leave to sit again. The speaker repeats the report of the chairman, and puts the question, "Shall the committee have leave to sit again?" Leave is usually granted to sit again.

After the report of bills, with or without amendments, from the committee of the whole, and committee of the whole upon the state of the Union, the proceedings are exactly alike. The speaker, on receiving the report of the chairman of the committee, says: "The chairman of the committee of the whole house," or "on the state of the Union," if that be the committee, "report that they have had under consideration the bill (reading the title) and directed him to report it with sundry amendments; and bill —, without amendments." The speaker then says, (as to the bill reported without amendments,) that the bill is still

open for amendments. If no amendment should be offered, he adds, “No amendments being offered, the question will be on ordering the bill to be engrossed, and read a third time," and rising, says, "Gentlemen, as many as are in favour of ordering the bill (naming it) to be engrossed and read a third time, will please to say Aye. The contrary opinion will please to say No." If the ayes carry it, he will say, "The ayes have it; the bill will be engrossed," which consists in copying it off in a fine round hand, free from all kinds of interlineations.

The bills reported to the house with amendments, are next taken up; when the speaker, handing the bill, with the amendments, to the clerk, says, "The clerk will read the amendments," which being done, he says, "The amendments are before the house;" for they are still subject to amendments, as well as the main body of the bill. If no proposition is made to amend, he says, "the question will be on concurring with the committee in their amendments," and rising, he puts the question in the usual form, on agreeing to the amendments being carried, he rises and says, "Gentlemen, as many as concur in the bill as amended will say Aye. The contrary opinion will say No," which being carried, he puts the question on ordering the bill to be engrossed for a third reading, which, if carried, he asks, "When shall this bill have its third reading?" If it be early in the session, they usually say to-morrow, but if near the rising of congress, they say now. The speaker, if he finds a majority in favour of its being read that day, says, "It will be en

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