The Clerk may deliver the bill to any member of the committee, (Town., col. 38;) but it is usual to deliver it to him who is first named.

In some cases the House has ordered a committee to withdraw immediately into the Committee Chamber and act on and bring back the bill, sitting in the House. Scob., 48. A committee meet when and where they please, if the House has not ordered time and place for them, (6 Grey, 370;) but they can only act when together, and not by separate consultation and consent→ nothing being the report of the committee but what has been agreed to in committee actually assembled.

A majority of the committee constitutes a quorum for business. Elsynge's Method of Passing Bills, 11.

Any member of the House may be present at any select committee, but cannot vote, and must give place to all of the committee, and sit below them. Elsynge, 12; Scob., 49.

The committee have full power over the bill or other paper committed to them, except that they cannot change the title or subject. 8 Grey, 228.

The paper before a committee, whether select or of the whole, may be a bill, resolutions, draught of an address, etc., and it may either originate with them or be referred to them. In every case the whole paper is read first by the clerk, and then by the chairman, by paragraphs, (Scob., 49,) pausing at the end of each paragraph, and putting questions for amending, if proposed. In the case of resolutions on distinct subjects, originating with themselves, a question is put on each separately, as amended or unamended, and no final question on the whole, ( 3 Hats., 276;) but if they relate to the same subject, a question is put on the whole. If it be a bill, draught of an address, or other paper originating with them, they proceed by paragraphs; putting questions for amending either by insertion or striking out, if proposed; but no question on agreeing to the paragraphs separately; this is reserved to the close, when a question is put on the whole for agreeing to it as amended or unamended. But if it be a paper referred to them, they proceed to put questions of amendment, if proposed, but no final question on the whole, because all parts of the paper, having been adopted by the House, stand, of course, unless altered or struck out by a vote. Even if they are opposed to the whole paper, and think it cannot be made good by amendments, they cannot reject it, but must report it back to the House without amendments and there make their opposition.

The natural order in considering and amending any paper is, to begin at the beginning, and proceed through it by paragraphs, and this order is so strictly adhered to in Parliament, that when a latter part has been amended, you cannot recur back and make any alterations in a former part. 2 Hats., 90. In numerous assemblies this restraint is doubtless important. [But in the Senate of the United States, though in the main we consider and amend the paragraphs in their natural order, yet recurrences are indulged; and they seem, on the whole, in that small body, to produce advantages overweighing their inconveniences.]

To this natural order of beginning at the beginning, there is a single excep

tion found in parliamentary usage. When a bill is taken up in committee, or on its second reading, they postpone the preamble till the other parts of the bill are gone through. The reason is, that on consideration of the body of the bill, such alterations may therein be made as may also occasion the alteration of the preamble. Scob 50; 7 Grey, 431.

On this head the following case occured in the Senate, March 6, 1800: A resolution which had no preamble having been already amended by the House so that a few words only of the original remained in it, a motion was made to prefix a preamble, which having an aspect very different from the resolution, the mover intimated that he should afterwards propose a corresponding amendment in the body of the resolution. It was objected that a preamble could not be taken up till the body of the resolution is done with; but the preamble was received, because we are in fact through the body of the resolution; we have amended that as far as amendments have offered, and, indeed, till little of the original is left. It is the proper time, therefore, to consider a preamble; and whether the one offered be consistent with the resolution is for the House to determine. The mover, indeed, has intimated that he shall offer a subsequent proposition for the body of the resolution; but the house is not in possession of it; it remains in his breast, and may be withheld. The rules of the House can only operate on what is before them. [The practice of the Senate, too, allows recurrences backwards and forwards, for the purposes of amendment, not permitting amendments in a subsequent to preclude those in a prior part, or e converso.]

When the committee is through the whole, a member moves that the committee may rise, and the chairman report the paper to the House, with or without amendments, as the case may be. 2 Hats., 289, 292; Scob., 53; 2 Hats., 290; 8 Scob., 50.

When a vote is once passed in a committee, it cannot be altered but by the House, their votes being binding on themselves. 1607, June 4.

The committee may not erase, interline, or blot the bill itself; but must, in a paper by itself, set down the amendments, stating the words which are to be inserted or omitted, (Scob., 50,) and where, by references to the page, line, and word of the bill. Scob., 50.

SECTION XXVII.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE.

The chairman of the committee, standing in his place, informs the House that the committee, to whom was referred such a bill, have, according to order, had the same under consideration, and have directed him to report the same without any amendment or with sundry amendments, (as the case may be,) which he is ready to do when the House pleases to receive it. And he or any other may move that it be now received; but the cry of "now, now," from the House, generally dispenses with the formality of a motion and question. He then reads the amendment, with the coherence in the bill, and opens the alterations and the reasons of the committee for such amendments, until he has gone through the whole. He then delivers it at the clerk's ta

ble, where the amendments reported are read by the clerk without the coherence; whereupon the papers lie upon the table till the House, at its convenience, shall take up the report. Scob., 52; Hakew.,148.

The report being made, the committee is dissolved and can act no more without a new power. Scob., 51. But it may be revived by a vote, and the same matter recommitted to them. 4 Grey, 361.

SECTION XXVIII.

BILL, RECOMMITMENT.

After a bill has been committed and reported, it ought not in an ordinary course to be recommitted; but in cases of importance, and for special reasons, it is sometimes recommitted, and usually to the same committee. Hakew., 151. If a report be recommitted before agreed to in the House, what has passed in committee is of no validity; the whole question is again before the committee, and a new resolution must be again moved, as if nothing had passed. 2 Hats., 131-note.

In Senate, January 1800, the salvage bill was recommitted three times after the commitment.

A particular clause of a bill may be committed without the whole bill, (3 Hats., 131;) or so much of a paper to one and so much to another committee.

SECTION XXIX.

BILL, REPORTS TAKEN up.

When the report of a paper originating with a committee is taken up by the House, they proceed exactly as in committee. Here, as in committee, when the paragraphs have, on distinct questions, been agreed to seriatim (5 Grey, 366; 6 Grey, 368; 8 Grey, 47, 104, 360; 1 Torbuck's Deb., 125; 3 Hats., 348,) no question need be put on the whole report. 5 Grey, 381.

On taking up a bill reported with amendments, the amendments only are read by the Clerk. The Speaker then reads the first, and puts it to the question, and so on until the whole are adopted or rejected, before any other amendment be admitted, except it be an amendment to an amendment. Elsynge's Mem., 53. When through the amendments of the committee, the Speaker pauses, and gives time for amendments to be proposed in the House to the body of the bill as he does also if it has been reported withont amendments, putting no questions but on amendments proposed; and when through the whole, he puts the question whether the bill be read the third time.

SECTION XXX.

QUASI-COMMITTEE.

If on motion and question the bill be not committed, or if no proposition for commitment be made, then the proceedings in the Senate of the United States and in Parliament are totally different. The former shall be first stated. [The 28th rule of the Senate says: "All bills on a second reading shall first

be considered by the Senate in the same manner as if the Senate were in Committee of the Whole, before they shall be taken up and proceeded on by the Senate agreeably to the standing rules, unless otherwise ordered;" (that is to say, unless ordered to be referred to a special committee.) And when the Senate shall consider a treaty, bill, or resolution, as in Committee of the Whole, the Vice President or President pro tempore may call a member to fill the chair during the time the Senate shall remain in Committee of the Whole; and the chairman (so called) shall, during such time, have the powers of a President pro tempore.

[The proceedings of the Senate, as in a Committee of the Whole, or in Quasi-Committee are precisely as in a real Committee of the Whole, taking no question but on amendments. When through the whole they consider the Quasi-Committee as risen, the House resumes without any motion, question or resolution to that effect, and the President reports that "The House acting as in a committee of the Whole, have had under their consideration the bill entitled, etc., and have made sundry amendments, which he will now report to the House." The bill is then before them, as it would have been if reported from a committee, and the questions are regularly to be put again on every amendment; which being gone through, the President pauses to give time to the House to propose amendments to the body of the bill, and when through, puts the question whether it shall be read a third time.]

[After progress in amending the bill in Quasi-Committee, a motion may be made to refer it to a special committee. If the motion prevails, it is equivalent in effect to the several votes, that the committee rise, the House resume itself, discharge the Committee of the Whole, and refer the bill to a special committee. In that case the amendments already made fall. But if the motion fails, the Quasi-Committee stands in statu quo.]

[How far does this 28th rule subject the House, when in Quasi-Committee, to the laws which regulate the proceedings of Committees of the Whole?] The particulars in which these differ from proceedings in the House are the following: 1. In a committee every member may speak as often as he pleases. 2. The votes of a committee may be rejected or altered when reported to the House. 3. A committee, even of the whole, cannot refer any matter to another committee. In a committee, no previous question can be taken; the only means to avoid any improper discussion is to move that the committee rise; and if it be apprehended that the same discussion will be attempted on returning into committee, the House can discharge them, and proceed itself on the business, keeping down the improper discussions by the previous question. 5. A committee cannot punish a breach of order in the House or in the gallery. 9 Grey, 113. It can only rise and report it to the House, who may proceed to punish. [The first and second of these peculiarities attach to the Quasi-Committee of the Senate, as every day's practice proves, and seem to be the only ones to which the 28th rule meant to subject them; for it continues to be a House, and therefore, though it acts in some respects as a committee, in others it preserves its character as a House. Thus: 3. It is in the daily habit of referring its business to a special committee. 4. It admits

of the previous question; if it did not, it would have no means of preventing an improper discussion, not being able as a committee is, to avoid it by returning into the House, for the moment it would resume the same subject there, the 28th rule declares it again a Quasi-Committee. 5. It would doubtless exercise its powers as a House on any breach of order. 6. It takes a question by yea and nay as the House does. 7. It receives messages from the President and the other House. 8. In the midst of a debate it receives a motion to adjourn, and adjourns as a House, not a committee.]

SECTION XXXI.

BILLS, SECOND READING IN THE HOUSE.

In Parliament after the bill has been read a second time, if on the motion and question it be not committed, or if no proposition for commitment be made, the Speaker reads it by paragraphs, pausing between each, but putting no question but on amendments proposed; and when through the whole, he puts the question whether it shall be read a third time? if it come from the other House; or, if originating with themselves whether it shall be engrossed and read a third time? The Speaker reads sitting, but rises to put questions. The Clerk stands while he reads.

[*But the Senate of the United States is so much in the habit of making many and material amendments at the third reading, that it has become the practice not to engross a bill until it has passed-an irregular and dangerous practice, because in this way the paper which passes the Senate is not that which goes to the other House, and that which goes to the other House as the act of the Senate has never been seen in the Senate. In reducing numerous, difficult and illegible amendments into the text, the Secretary may with the most innocent intentions, commit errors which can never again be corrected.] The bill being now as perfect as its friends can make it, this is the proper stage for those fundamentally opposed to make their first attack. All attempts at earlier periods are with disjointed efforts, because many who do not expect to be in favor of the bill ultimately are willing to let it go on to its perfect state, to take time to examine it themselves and to hear what can be said for it, knowing that after all, they will have sufficient opportunities of giving it their veto. Its last two stages, therefore, are reserved for thisthat is to say, on the question whether it shall be engrossed and read a third time, and lastly, whether it shall pass? The first of these is usually the most interesting contest, because then the whole subject is new and engaging; and the minds of the members having not yet been declared by any trying vote,

The former practice of the Senate referred to in this paragraph has been changed by the following rule: [RULE 29. The final question upon the second reading of every bill, resolution, constitutional amendment or motion, originating in the Senate, and requiring three readings previous to being passed, shall be," Whether it shall be engrossed and read a third time?" and no amendment shall be received for discussion at the third reading of any bill, resolution, amendment or motion, unless by unanimous consent of the members present; but it shall at all times be in order before the final passage of any such bill, resolution, constitutional amendment or motion, to move its commitment; and should such commitment take place, and any amendant be reported by the committee, the said bill, resolution, constitutional amendor motion, shall be again read a second time, and considered as in Committee Whole, and then the aforesaid question shall be again put.]