that time than we will with two sessions a
day, if members speak three or four hours a
a time, I would like very much to accom-
modate my colleague in harrying up the
work of this Convention. But I would like;
to have an order adopted here limiting
speeches to five minutes, and then let us see
how much work we can do in four hours and
a half a day. Yesterday it was nothing but
talk, talk, talk, from ten o'clock until nearly
half past two, and it all amounted to nothing
If we will reduce speeches to five minutes we
will then accomplish some work.
Mr. STIRLING. I will vote for that and the
other proposition also,
Mr. BARRON. Then pat the two together
and I will vote for the proposition.
Mr. PUGH. I will offer an amendment to
that effect.
The PRESIDENT. It would not be in order
because it is not germain to the pending
proposition.
Mr. BARRON. Then I will not risk the
other proposition.
Mr. CHAMBERS. I am one of those who
have not the least faith in after-dinner work
We have tried meeting here in the evening
and I believe experience has taught us that
we have followed the same track which has
been gone over by all legislative bodies that.
have tried the experiment of evening sessions
it has just amounted to nothing.
1 do not agree with the gentleman from
Baltimore (Mr. Barron) that our delay in our
work is owing to the length of speeches.
think if gentlemen will keep from considering
matters which we have no sort of concern
with, which have no relation to the legiti-
mate business of the Convention, and make
the Constitution the only object of your ac-
tion here, I think we can do much more than
we have done. If we had done that hereto
fore, I think we would have gone very much
farther in the accomplishment of the purpose
for which we were sent here than we have
gone. If in the arithmetical calculation the
gentleman from Baltimore (Mr. Stirling) has
made, be includes the same proportion of reso-
lutions foreign to our business, of coarse we
may sit here discussing propositions of that
sort until this time twelve-month; just as
long as gentlemen choose to offer such propo-
sitions. If our legitimate business alone oc-
cupied our attention, I do not think we
should exhaust a great deal of our time.
I do not think we shall gain much by even
ing sessions. We will meet here at great
personal inconvenience, merely to hear a
great deal of idle talk, as the gentleman from
Baltimore (Mr. Barron) says. While I fee
bound to express these views, as an explana-
tion of the vote I shall give, if it is deter
mined upon, as the gentleman from Balti
more (Mr. Stirling) says, of course there is
no use in saying anything. I only enter my
protest against any such order. |
Mr. STIRLING. I have no objection, if it
will affect the vote of my colleague (Mr.
Barron, ) to withdraw the order I have offered,
for the present, to allow the gentleman from
Cecil (Mr. Pugh) to offer the order he hag
indicated.
The order was accordingly withdrawn.
Mr. PUSH submitted the following :
"Ordered, That the time allowed each
member on any question arising on the pend-
ing report of the Committee on the Legislative
Department, be limited to five minutes, and
that the time of no member shall be extended
without the concurrence of two-thirds of the
members present,"
Mr. CHAMBERS. Five minutes to discuss
the important propositions in that report?
Why, sir, I do not suppose there Is unanimity
even among the members of the majority here.
The PRESIDENT. This order is in conflict
with an order the Convention has already
adopted.
" Mr. PUGH. The Convention has the power
to pass such an order as this at any time; it
is not a standing rule.
Mr. CHAMBERS. I do hope this order will
not be adopted.
The PRESIDENT. The Chair would call the
attention of the Convention to the forty-fourth
rule:
"When a question has once been decided in
the affirmative or negative, a motion of re-
consideration shall be in order at any time
thereafter, if made by one member and
seconded by two others who voted in the
majority."
Now, it stands recorded as the judgment
of the House, that a member can debate any
question under consideration, for thirty
minutes.
Mr. PUGH. If the Chair decides that my
proposition is out of order, then I will move
to reconsider the order by which debate was
limited to thirty minutes.
Mr. HENKLE. Did the gentleman vote in
the majority.
Mr. PUGH. I did.
Mr. ABBOTT. I hope that order will not be
reconsidered. I move to lay this five minute
order on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed
to.
Mr. STIRLING renewed his order for evening
sessions
Mr. JONES, of Somerset. I do not think
the conclusions of the gentleman from Balti-
more (Mr. Stirling) are at all logical or ne-
cessary from his premises. I do not think it
at all follows that, because nearly three
months have been occupied in discussing two
articles, the same proportionate length of
time will even probably he exhausted in the
discussion of the remaining articles. It is
well known that the principal questions of
difference and debate have been passed upon
the Convention, and will not come up |
