The Speaker, finding that the discussion in Committee would never
come to an end, if he did not propose some mode of fixing a term to the debate, brought forward on Thursday the following new proposals for that purpose :—" That on a motion being made, after notice, that the Chairman of a Committee -upon any Bill declared urgent do report the same to the House on or before a certain day and hour, or that the consideration of any such Bill, as amended, be concluded on or before a certain clay and hour, the question thereupon shall be forthwith, put from the Chair, but shall not be decided in the affirmative, unless voted by a majority of three to one." "That when the House has ordered that the consideration of a Bill, as amended, be concluded on or before a 'certain day and hour, the several new clauses and amendments shall be put forthwith, after the Member who has moved any new clause or amendment, and the Member in charge of the Bill, have been once heard, or if the Member in charge of the Bill has himself moved a new clause or amendment, after one other Member has been once heard there- upon." "That when the House has ordered that the Chairman of a Committee on a Bill do report the same on or before a certain day and hour, the several amendments and now clauses not yet disposed of shall be put forthwith, after the Member who has moved any amendment or new clause, and a Member in charge of the Bill; have been once heard, or if a Member in charge of the Bill has himself moved an amendment or new clause, after one other Member has been once heard thereupon ; and if the proceedings of the Committee have not been con- cluded at the appointed hour, the Chairman shall leave the Chair, and report the Bill to the House." These Rules have created a kind of dismay in many quarters, but the real ques- tion is not that of the necessity for some such rules,—for the discussion in Committee completely proves the necessity for some limiting of the time for amendments and discussions thereon,—but of the particular quality of the immediate exigency for their application. It was simply useless to invest the Speaker with his present powers at all,—powers going far beyond these new Rules,—if be is not to consider the remedy needed for hosts of bogus amendments, and scores of speeches on each of those amendments.
Previous page
