OF AMENDMENTS.

The fourth joint rule of the Senate and House of Representatives of this State, declares that no motion or proposition, on a subject different from that under consideration, shall be admitted under color of an amendment. The same regulation prevails in Congress, and should certainly be adopted in all Societies, although contrary to Parliamentary practice.

In Parliament, amendments may be made so as totally to alter the nature of the original proposition, and, to get rid of a resolution, the expedient is frequently resorted to of making it bear, by amendments, a sense different from that intended by the movers, so that they vote against it themselves. This practice prevails also in the Legislature of New York, and in that of Massachusetts.

When it is moved to amend, by striking out certain words, and inserting others, the manner of stating the question is first to read the whole passage to be amended, as it stands before the meeting, then the words proposed to be stricken out, next those to be

inserted, and lastly the whole passage as it I will be when amended.

When a resolution is pending, it is entirely in order to move to strike out all after the word Resolved, and insert a phraseology entirely different, provided the matter proposed to be inserted relates to the same subject as that proposed to be stricken out.

A suggestion to amend may be received. as a modification by the mover, even after a resolution has been amended by the members, provided the modification does not affect the previous amendment.

An amendment to an amendment may be moved, but it is not in order to amend an amendment to an amendment, as this would certainly lead to embarrassment. In this case the question is first taken on the amendment to the amendment, and afterwards on the amendment, and then on the resolution as amended.

In our State Legislature, when a bill has passed second reading, it may be amended on third reading, by unanimous consent. Sometimes, however, it is moved to go into Committee of the Whole, for the purpose of

general amendment, and if this motion prevails, the whole matter is open to amendment. If the house, however, go into Committee of the Whole for a special purpose, that of striking out or amending a particular section, the moment that is done, the committee must rise.

If it be desirable to amend a resolution, after it has finally passed, it may be done, if the proposition be sanctioned by unanimous. consent of the members, or, if not, by effecting a reconsideration.

The general usage in all legislative bodies, is, that when an amendment is moved, a member who has spoken to the main question, may speak again to the amendment, and, indeed, on every amendment offered.

A motion to amend may be superseded by a motion to postpone to a day certain, so that, an amendment and postponement competing, the latter is to be put first. A motion to amend may also be superseded by a motion to commit.

Journal of the Pennsylvania House of Representativės, Feb. 14, 1843.

Pending the consideration of the bill No. 97, entitled" An Act to reduce the number and expenses of the Board of Canal Commissioners," and during the consideration of an amendment, a motion was made by Mr. Lowry, to amend the amendment, by adding thereto the following words:

"The board elected under this act shall not remove any officers appointed by the old board, without good and sufficient cause, a specification of which they shall enter upon the journal of their proceedings.

"And the members of the present and future Senate and House of Representatives, shall receive but two dollars per day, for every day actually in the service of the State."

On the question, "Will the House agree so to amend?" a division of the question was called for by Mr. McDaniel, to end with the word "proceedings." And on the question, "Will the House agree to the first division?" the yeas and nays were required

by Mr. Lowry and Mr. Hahn, and were as follow:-yeas 31, nays 60; so the question was determined in the negative.

And on the question, "Will the House agree to the second division of the amendment?" viz.

"And the members of the present and future Senate and House of Representatives shall receive but two dollars per day, for every day actually in the service of the State,"

A question arose, whether the said division of the amendment was in order, under the fourth joint rule of the Senate and House of Representatives. Whereupon the Speaker decided the second division of the said amendment "not in order." From which decision Mr. Lowry appealed, and on the question, "Is the decision of the Speaker correct?" it was determined in the affirmative.

OF DEBATE.

While the President is putting a question or addressing the meeting,* or while a mem

* In regard to the right of a presiding officer to speak, Hatsell says:" But if the Speaker rises to speak, the mem