stead case, in which the yeas and nays had been called in committee of the whole. He did not know whether it was the practice to do so now in the Legislature. There were, however, several gentlemen of great experience in the house, and he hoped they would inform the Convention of the practice existing in the legislature. Mr. M'SHERRY, of Adams, said it had been the practice, he believed, during one session of the Legislature, which was some years back, perhaps as far back as 1810, he could not be particular as to time, but since that he had never known the practice to exist. Mr. MANN, of Montgomery, said in the course of his experience in the Legislature he had never known a case in which the yeas and nays had been called in committee of the whole. He had known the roll to be called for the purpose of ascertaining whether there was a quorum present, but he never knew of the yeas and nays being called. He thought, however, it might be proper enough for the Convention to have the yeas and nays in committee of the whole, and he would suggest to the gentleman from Indiana, that if he would insert twenty instead of ten members, it might not be so liable to objection, as then they would certainly not be called on frivolous questions. Mr. M'SHERRY thought it was likely the gentleman who had just taken his seat was correct in what he had stated. It might have been the roll, instead of the yeas and nays, which was called over. Mr. CLARKE, then modified his motion by inserting twenty members instead of ten, which was agreed to, and the twenty-sixth rule, as amended, was adopted. The twenty-sixth, now the twenty-seventh, rule was considered and adopted. The twenty-seventh rule was also considered and adopted. 28. The twenty-eighth rule being under consideration as follows: "The following standing committees shall be appointed: 1. A committee on the 1st Article of the Constitution. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. A committee on the 2d Article of the Constitution. A committee on the 9th Article of the Constitution. 10. A committee on the subject of further amendments of the Constitution.-Each committee to consist of nine members. 11. A committee of Accounts to consist of five members. And it shall be the duty of the said several committees to take into consideration the said several Articles, and the subjects, matters and things therein contained, and all resolutions touching the same referred to them by the Convention, and to report thereon". Mr. INGERSOLL, of Philadelphia, moved to amend the same by inserting between the ninth and tenth lines the following, viz: 66 Eleventh, a committee on the currency and on corporations". "Twelfth, a committee on the internal improvements, highways and tution, and the fundamental principles of justice, and any party thus founded ought never to depart from its principles. Mr. MERRILL, of Union, observed that there was an old book, though a very excellent one it was at the time it was written, and it lays open the recesses of the human heart in a most remarkable manner. He alluded to Father Paul's History of the Council of Trent. The writer gives a description of a conclave of Cardinals formed for the purpose of choosing a Pope, and he says there are three modes of proceeding to effect that object. After a convocation of Cardinals is had, the wisest men of the body are appointed to consider the relations in which they all stand to the Church, and to select one man, whom they deem most competent to fill the office of Pope. Now these are two of the modes; and the third is, that, after all sorts of manoeuvering resorted to, and excitements created, some man rises up in his place, and calls out the name of the individual, whom he wishes to be elected. At that instant, all his friends spring upon their feet, and drown by clamour all who are opposed to them. This is what is called an election by acclamation. But do we come here to do any thing by acclamation? That was given as a sly way of accounting for the want of beneficial results from that council. It was a kind of Reform Convention for the Roman Catholic Church. And the Holy Father assigns as a reason why they failed, that they did too many things by acclamation. But we (said Mr. MERRILL) came not here to accomplish our objects in that way. We, on the contrary, were sent by the people to examine the fundamental laws of the State, and to improve them should we deem them capable of being improved. We come here, then, without any occasion for acclamation. The great principles of human liberty are already established, and the questions before us are mainly, whether those principles can be carried out further with increased advantages to the people, and whether they can be rendered better calculated to guard our rights and privileges from encroachment in future. These are the questions which will come before us. There is, therefore, I apprehend, no reason why we should do anything without the calmest reflection and deliberation. Mr. Merrill objected to changing the rule, as it was one by which the House of Representatives was governed, not only because it would show a want of confidence in the President, but because it would delay the business of the Convention, and be productive of no benefit whatever. Mr. PORTER, of Northampton, said that gentlemen had entirely overlooked the question pending before the Convention, and gone into matters wholly irrelevant and totally unconnected with it. How delegates had voted in the organization of this body, and by what motives they had been actuated, had nothing whatever to do with the matter. The question which they had now to decide was "was it expedient to change the practice of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, which vested the presiding officer with the power of appointing the committees ?" If the Convention had no confidence in the President, then it might be well to do so; but he believed, however much some gentlemen might differ in politics, that they had the greatest confidence in his purity of motive and integrity. (He Mr. P.) would therefore vote against the amendment. Mr. BROWN, of Philadelphia, said that he should vote for the amendment of the gentleman from Montgomery, not however because he lack stead case, in which the yeas and nays had been called in committee of the whole. He did not know whether it was the practice to do so now in the Legislature. There were, however, several gentlemen of great experience in the house, and he hoped they would inform the Convention of the practice existing in the legislature. Mr. M'SHERRY, of Adams, said it had been the practice, he believed, during one session of the Legislature, which was some years back, perhaps as far back as 1810, he could not be particular as to time, but since that he had never known the practice to exist. Mr. MANN, of Montgomery, said in the course of his experience in the Legislature he had never known a case in which the yeas and nays had been called in committee of the whole. He had known the roll to be called for the purpose of ascertaining whether there was a quorum present, but he never knew of the yeas and nays being called. He thought, however, it might be proper enough for the Convention to have the yeas and nays in committee of the whole, and he would suggest to the gentleman from Indiana, that if he would insert twenty instead of ten members, it might not be so liable to objection, as then they would certainly not be called on frivolous questions. Mr. M'SHERRY thought it was likely the gentleman who had just taken his seat was correct in what he had stated. It might have been the roll, instead of the yeas and nays, which was called over. Mr. CLARKE, then modified his motion by inserting twenty members instead of ten, which was agreed to, and the twenty-sixth rule, as amended, was adopted. The twenty-sixth, now the twenty-seventh, rule was considered and adopted. The twenty-seventh rule was also considered and adopted. The twenty-eighth rule being under consideration as follows: 28. "The following standing committees shall be appointed: 1. A committee on the 1st Article of the Constitution. 2. 4. A committee on the 2d Article of the Constitution. 3. A committee on the 3d Article of the Constitution. A committee on the 4th Article of the Constitution. A committee on the 5th Article of the Constitution. A committee on the 6th Article of the Constitution. A committee on the 7th Article of the Constitution. A committee on the 8th Article of the Constitution. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. A committee on the 9th Article of the Constitution. 10. A committee on the subject of further amendments of the Constitution.-Each committee to consist of nine members. 11. A committee of Accounts to consist of five members. And it shall be the duty of the said several committees to take into consideration the said several Articles, and the subjects, matters and things therein contained, and all resolutions touching the same referred to them by the Convention, and to report thereon" Mr. INGERSOLL, of Philadelphia, moved to amend the same by inserting between the ninth and tenth lines the following, viz: "Eleventh, a committee on the currency and on corporations". "Twelfth, a committee on the internal improvements, highways and mittee of the whole and voted down by yeas and nays, the mover or supporters of it would again call for the yeas and nays in the Convention, so that they would have to be taken a second time without any beneficial result, and with much loss of time. He would suggest one thing, which, to his mind, was satisfactory, that the proposition should not be agreed to. Suppose an inexperienced member to be in the chair, and some few of the delegates desiring to tease him, they might bring forward proposition after proposition, and call for the yeas and nays on each, consuming the time of the Convention for hours together, and this he considered should be guarded against. Mr. DENNY, of Allegheny, would go for this proposition with pleasure, if he thought any good could result from it, or that it would facilitate the business of the Convention, but it seemed to him that it would rather have a tendency to embarrass than facilitate the business of the body. It would be rendering the labor of the Secretary much more arduous, and encumbering the journal with double sets of yeas and nays on many propositions. He found, on looking over the minutes of the Convention of '89'90, that this proposition was not so well received there, as it was only carried by the casting vote of the Chair. It appeared by the proceedings of that body that they had made the experiment, having, in the first place, adopted the rule as now proposed, and afterwards moved a reconsideration, which motion to reconsider was only lost by the casting vote of the President. He thought, in practice, they might find this rule inconvenient, because it might be that there would sometimes be such a diversity of opinion among the members that many propositions would be submitted to the committee hastily, and the mover desiring to have the yeas and nays, a few of his friends would rise, and by this means the session of the Convention might be very considerably prolonged. He had no objection to calling the yeas and nays in the Convention, but he thought they would find it inconvenient to have them in committee of the whole, and that it might lengthen the session a month or more. Mr. FULLER, of Fayette, was opposed to this amendment. In committee of the whole it was designed to have an unreserved discussion of topics to have the opinions of others to give opinions, and, if convinced by argument, to change. It might so happen that a delegate would give a vote in committee which he would have reason to change afterwards, when the subject had been more fully discussed; and he did not wish to subject delegates to the charge of inconsistency in recording their votes, for a proposition in committee, and against it in the Convention. Mr. EARLE, of Philadelphia, was of opinion that they could have the yeas and nays in committee of the whole by the rules as they now stood, without the amendment, on the mere call of two members; therefore those gentlemen who wished to restrain this power should vote for the amendment of the gentleman from Indiana. If the amendment was not adopted he should claim the privilege of calling the yeas and nays in committee, if any one would second his views. Mr. BELL, of Chester, thought the gentleman from Northampton was mistaken in relation to the rule of the House on this subject, as it did not provide for calling the yeas and nays in committee of the whole. He did not so understand the rule. Mr. PORTER, of Northampton, had only referred to the celebrated Olm stead case, in which the yeas and nays had been called in committee of the whole. He did not know whether it was the practice to do so now in the Legislature. There were, however, several gentlemen of great experience in the house, and he hoped they would inform the Convention of the practice existing in the legislature. Mr. M'SHERRY, of Adams, said it had been the practice, he believed, during one session of the Legislature, which was some years back, perhaps as far back as 1810, he could not be particular as to time, but since that he had never known the practice to exist. Mr. MANN, of Montgomery, said in the course of his experience in the Legislature he had never known a case in which the yeas and nays had been called in committee of the whole. He had known the roll to be called for the purpose of ascertaining whether there was a quorum present, but he never knew of the yeas and nays being called. He thought, however, it might be proper enough for the Convention to have the yeas and nays in committee of the whole, and he would suggest to the gentleman from Indiana, that if he would insert twenty instead of ten members, it might not be so liable to objection, as then they would certainly not be called on frivolous questions. Mr. M'SHERRY thought it was likely the gentleman who had just taken his seat was correct in what he had stated. It might have been the roll, instead of the yeas and nays, which was called over. Mr. CLARKE, then modified his motion by inserting twenty members instead of ten, which was agreed to, and the twenty-sixth rule, as amended, was adopted. The twenty-sixth, now the twenty-seventh, rule was considered and adopted. The twenty-seventh rule was also considered and adopted. The twenty-eighth rule being under consideration as follows: 28. "The following standing committees shall be appointed: 1. A committee on the 1st Article of the Constitution. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. A committee on the 2d Article of the Constitution. 9. A committee on the 9th Article of the Constitution. 10. A committee on the subject of further amendments of the Constitution.-Each committee to consist of nine members. 11. A committee of Accounts to consist of five members. And it shall be the duty of the said several committees to take into consideration the said several Articles, and the subjects, matters and things therein contained, and all resolutions touching the same referred to them by the Convention, and to report thereon" Mr. INGERSOLL, of Philadelphia, moved to amend the same by inserting between the ninth and tenth lines the following, viz: Eleventh, a committee on the currency and on corporations". "Twelfth, a committee on the internal improvements, highways and |