A point of order was raised that the House is not competent to receive and act upon any resolution until the members have been qualified. The Speaker submitted the question to the members. (Undecided.)-Journal H. R., 1875, p. 10.

A point of order was raised that it is not competent for one House of General Assembly to instruct Senators of the United States. The Speaker decided the point of order to be well taken.-Journal H. R., 1875, p. 113.

A point of order was raised that a paper referring to a contested election offered before the organization of the House, and not having been presented within ten days after its organization, is not in order. The Speaker decided the point of order not well taken. The House sustained the decision.Journal H. R., 1875, pp. 172-5.

The Speaker decided when a member of the House was under arrest for contempt nothing was in order until the contempt was purged or the matter otherwise disposed of by the House. The House sustained the decision.-Journal H. R., 1875, p. 177.

The Speaker decided when a motion to re-commit a bill is pending at the hour of adjournment, the bill would be improperly on the calendar, and could not be considered until the motion of commitment was disposed of.-Journal H. R., 1875, pp. 216, 253.

A point of order was raised that the House had no power to instruct a committee to amend any bill. The Speaker decided the point of order to be not well taken.-Journal H. R., 1875, p. 314.

A point of order was raised that a motion to recommit a bill with instructions to amend, so as to change the object of the bill, was not in order. The

Speaker decided the point of order to be well taken. The House sustained the decision.-Journal H. R., 1875, pp. 314, 315.

A point of order was raised that a resolution involving a change of the rules of the House would require a two-thirds vote of the House to adopt it. The Speaker submitted the point of order to the House. The House decided the point of order well taken.-Journal H. R., 1875, p. 234.

The Speaker decided that a bill would be improperly on the calendar if not having been considered in committee.-Journal H. R., 1875, p. 317.

A point of order was raised that if the hour appropriated by resolution of the House for consideration of original resolutions expired no further action could then be taken. The Speaker decided the point of order to be not well taken.-Journal H. R., 1875, p. 343.

The Speaker decided that calling of the roll under the call for the previous question is in order.— Journal H. R., 1875, p. 343.

A point of order was raised that the House having suspended the orders for the purpose of considering bill, No. 83, upon second reading, the previous question having been moved and sustained prior to the House dispensing with going into a committee of the whole, that the main question was upon going into committee of the whole, and not upon second reading of the bill. The Speaker decided the point of order not well taken. The House sustained the decision. Journal H. R., 1875, p. 474.

A point of order was raised on discussing amendments to House bill, No. 59, that no question is in order at this time except for the Chair to put the

question: "Will the House concur in said amendments?" The Chair decided the point of order to be not well taken, for the reason that a motion to indefinitely postpone was pending.—Journal II. R., 1875, p. 553.

On report committee conference of House bill, No. 41, the point of order was raised that the report of this committee is not in conformity to the provisions of Rule III of the joint rules of the Senate and House of Representatives. The Speaker decided the point of order to be not well taken.-Journal H. R., 1875, p. 598.

A Chapter on Legislative Practice and Proceedings in the Legislature of Pennsylvania.

BY JOHN A. SMULL.

Organization of the Legislature.

In the House of Representatives the mode of proceeding is as follows:

The members elected and returned meet in the Hall of the House of Representatives, at Harrisburg, the place designated by law, on the first Tuesday in January of each year, the time appointed by the Constitution. At 11 o'clock A. M. of that day, one of the oldest members, that is, one who had been a member for previous years, announces from the Speaker's stand, "that the members of the House of Representatives will meet this day at 12 o'clock M., for the purpose of organization." When that time arrives, the Clerk rises and says: "This being the day appointed by the Constitution for the meeting of the General Assembly, and there being present a sufficient number of gentlemen elected members to constitute a quorum, the House will come to order."

As soon as this announcement is made by the Clerk, and order restored, the Secretary of the Commonwealth presents himself at the bar of the House. The Sergeant-at-Arms immediately arises and announces, "The Secretary of the Commonwealth." The Clerk then announces to the House, "The Secretary of the Commonwealth." When this is done, the Secretary of the Commonwealth advances a few feet within the bar of the House, and says: "Mr.

Clerk, I have the honor to present the returns of the late election of members of the House of Representatives for the several cities and counties of this Commonwealth, agreeably to the provision of the Constitution and laws relating to the elections of this Commonwealth."

As soon as the Secretary of the Commonwealth retires, some member rises in his places and moves "that the returns of the election be opened and read." This motion being regularly stated by the Clerk and agreed to by the House, the Clerk proceeds first with the returns from the city of Philadelphia, and then with those of the several counties in the Commonwealth in alphabetical order.

When the returns are all read, and the names of the members returned as such announced, the Clerk then calls over the roll of members alphabetically, each member, when his name is called, signifying his presence by simply answering “present."

After the roll is called, a motion is made by some member, "that the members present do now, in conformity with the ninth section of the second article of the Constitution, proceed to the election of Speaker." This motion being stated by the Clerk, and adopted by the House, the Clerks proceed to call over the names of the members, each member announcing distinctly, when his name is called, the person for whom he votes. When the call of the roll is gone through with, the Clerks add up the number of votes given for each person voted for, and announce the result to the House. If any one candidate receives a majority of all the votes cast, he is declared elected Speaker.