both were decided in the negative. [Senate Journal, 1850, pp. 994, 1000, 1001.]

The Speaker having decided it to be in order to introduce and proceed to the consideration of a bill, a similar bill having been already negatived by the Senate, an appeal was taken, and the decision was reversed by the Senate. [Senate Journal, 1850, p. 1150.]

The Speaker decided that the committee to whom a bill had been referred, had full power over the same, except that it could not change the title or subject thereof. Undecided. [Senate Journal, 1857, p. 842.]

The Speaker decided that bill, entitled "An Act to give jurisdiction in equity to the Supreme Court and courts of common pleas for the county of Philadelphia, in case of disputed boundaries," (the said bill referring only to disputed boundaries in Philadelphia county,) was a private bill. The Senate sustained the decision. [Senate Journal, 1858, p. 590.]

The Speaker decided that the proper motion, after the chairman of the committee of the whole had reported the first section of a bill negatived, was: "Will the Senate adopt the report of the committee of the whole?" [Senate Journal, 1861, p. 248.]

The Speaker decided that in concurring in amendments made by the House of Representatives, it was in order for the Senate to amend the title to correspond with the amendment made by the House of Representatives. [Senate Journal, 1861, p. 254.]

A bill having been reported from a committee at a morning session, a resolution was passed fixing sessions for the afternoon and evening, for the consideration of said bill, The bill passed committee

of the whole at the afternoon session, and upon a motion being made, at the evening session, to proceed to the second reading and consideration of the same, a question of order was raised, to wit: That the bill having been read once that day, it was not in order to proceed to its second reading without a suspension of the rule that prohibits the reading of bills twice on the same day. The Speaker decided the point of order not well taken. The Senate sustained the decision. [Senate Journal, 1861, pp. 323, 324.]

The Speaker decided it to be in order to proceed to the consideration of bill to prohibit the importation of fish into Philadelphia, and ports adjacent, at improper seasons, at an afternoon session set apart for the consideration of private bills. [Senate Journal, 1861, p. 546.]

The Speaker decided that it was not in order to go into committee of the whole (the bill being on third reading) for the purpose of striking out the amendment that had been inserted on second reading. [Senate Journal, 1861, p. 547.]

The resolution relative to the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, being before the Senate, the Speaker decided that an amendment striking out all after the enacting clause, and inserting the words as follows, viz: "That the energies of the government should be devoted to the suppression of the existing rebellion, and to the maintenance of the Union and the Constitution, and it is inexpedient at this time for Congress to legislate upon the subject of abolishing negro servitude, either in State, Territory or the District of Columbia; and that our Senators in Congress be and they are hereby in

structed, and our Representatives requested, to vote for such legislation as will best carry out the spirit and meaning of the foregoing resolution," was not in order." [Senate Journal, 1862, p. 283.]

The bill, entitled "An Act to repeal the act approved March 7, 1861, entitled 'An Act for the commutation of tonnage duties,"" being under consideration, the Senator from Northumberland (Mr. Bound) moved to amend the first section of the bill by striking out all after the enacting clause, and inserting in lieu thereof as follows, viz:

"That on and after the first day of July, A. D. 1862, there shall be levied upon all the tonnage of this Commonwealth, whether passing through or transported from any part of the State, two and a half cents per ton upon all the products of mines, forests and farms, and five cents per ton upon all merchandise; and the railroad, canal and slackwater navigation companies upon which such tonnage shall be first received, shall collect, for the use of the Commonwealth, all such duties as hereinbefore directed, and pay the same, quarterly, to the State Treasurer; and the revenues derived from tonnage duties shall be applied exclusively to the payment of any debt or debts now contracted, or hereafter to be contracted, by this State, for its own defence, or to sustain the National Government in prosecuting the war to maintain the unity of the Republic, until such debt or debts shall be cancelled; and so much of the act approved 16th of May, A. D. 1861, entitled 'An Act to provide for the payment of the members, officers and contingent expenses of the extra session of the Legislature,' as imposes a special tax upon the taxable property of

this State of one-half mill on the dollar, be and the same is hereby repealed."

On the question,

Will the Senate agree so to amend?

The Senator from Allegheny (Mr. Penney) raised a question of order, "on the ground that the amendment was inconsistent with the section, and changed its entire meaning, and that it also changed a bill from a private to a public bill, of a wholly different character."

The Speaker decided the point of order to be not well taken. From this decision an appeal was taken by Mr. Penney and Mr. Clymer. The Senate sustained the decision of the Chair. [Senate Journal, 1862, p. 609.]

SAME DAY IN THE EVENING.-The question recurring on the proposed amendment of the Senator from Northumberland, (Mr. Bound,)

A motion was made by Mr. Penney and Mr. Irish, To amend the amendment, by adding to the end thereof as follows, viz:

"And that so much of the act of Assembly, approved the 7th day of March, 1861, entitled 'An Act for the commutation of tonnage duties, as releases any railroad companies in this Commonwealth from the payment of any moneys due the Commonwealth for tonnage duties, at the time of the passage of said act, be and the same is hereby repealed."

The Senator from Franklin (Mr. M'Clure) raised a question of order, on the proposed amendment to the amendment.

The Speaker decided the point to be well taken, and ruled the amendment to the amendment to be out of order. No appeal was taken from the decision of the Chair. [Senate Journal, 1862, p. 610.]

The first section of a bill, entitled "An Act to tax tonnage or transportation, and the gross receipts of certain corporations," being under consideration, a motion was made to amend the bill, by striking therefrom all after the enacting clause, and inserting the following, viz: "That the act, entitled 'An Act for the commutation of tonnage duties,' approved 7th day of March, A. D. 1861, be and the same is hereby repealed." The Speaker decided the amendment to be out of order; from which an appeal was taken. The Senate sustained the decsion. [Senate Journal, 1863, p. 743.]

The Speaker decided that the Senate having postponed, indefinitely, a motion to re-consider the vote by which the Senate agreed to the fourth section, such indefinite postponement did not involve a postponement of the bill under consideration. An appeal was taken. The Senate sustained the decision of the Speaker. [Senate Journal, 1864, p. 1031.]

A resolution having been read in place, entitled "A joint resolution to ratify the amendments to the Constitution of the United States relating to slavery," said resolution was referred to the Committee on Federal Relations; whereupon, on motion, said committee was discharged from its further consideration. Upon motion, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of the resolution, and resolved itself into a committee of the whole for that purpose. The chairman reported the resolution to the Senate as committed; when a motion was made to proceed to the second reading and consideration of the same. Whereupon, a question of order was raised, that it required a two-thirds vote of the Senate to proceed to the second reading of the bill on