The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-08
osYIoE HOUSE, REpaE.EsrArV..Us

# ... July ,, 1886.
DEAR SIR; Permit me 10 state, through your col
umns, the way in which the error alluded TO by IN,
Hon. w. +. Giles, in his motion made yesterday 4
amend the journal, and which appears in the repor
OF the proceedings of the House IN the Union o
last evening, occurred.
Afler the bill was reported to the House, all the
amendments of the committee, and they were very
numerous were stated, and those TO which no OBJ
lection was male, were voted upon in mass Those
70 which objections were made were retained for O
separate vote.
On motion Of MIR. Mckay, in committee. "to-
bacco manufactured" was stricken out of sched
ue ID 1.-THE class Of 20 per cents. and transferred "a
schedule B, (the class of 80 per cents) When the
amendments to schedule b were read. Mr. Giles
rose, and was understood by the clerk to say, al
wish separate vote on that item, and move that il
be struck out Of schedule B, and that il be restored
TO its original position in schedule d."
The item was reserved accordingly.
The amendments reserved were then gone through
with ssriaiim and the one reserved at Mr.. CHESS
request, was the last one acted upon.
The clerk called the attention of the Sneaker TO
this item in the usual manner, and the Speaker, ad-
dressing Mr. Giles, said, "Does the gentleman wish
u separate vote on his notion"
Mr. Giles replied affrmatyely.
The Speaker then put the question
"Those in favor Of the motion Of the gentleman
from Maryland say ay-thOse off contrary opinion
say no."
He then announced TO the House
"The noes have it,"
This was understood by me, and my assistants at
the table, refusal Of the House 70 transfer the
item from its then place in schedule B back TO its
original place in schedule ID. And the clerk who
kept the minutes at the table marked the item az re-
naming in schedule b.
The bill was engrossed accordingly.
When Mr.. Mckay examined the engrossed bill,
he stated TO me that II was his impression that Mr..
Giles's motion was agreed to, and that tobacco
ought to be in schedule ID. asked the Speaker,
and several other members, what their recoectons
were on the subject, and they expressed belief
that spery amendment Of the Committee Of the Whole,
except the proposed by Mr.. Hoge in relation to
fishing bountes, was agreed TO by the House. Mr..
Giles was, unfortunately, absent, and could not
consult him.
On his return he came Immediately to me and
stated that had made an error-that his motion
10 disagree 10 the eoHneilies's ansndmsnl-and
that, therefore, Negative vots transferred the article
tobacco manufactured" back to schedule ID. Ii
then too late TO correct the error the bill having
been communicated to the Senate
have no doubt, from information since received
not only from Mr.. Giles, but from members whose
seats in the vicinity of his, that an error was
made by me, and that tobacco unmanufacturedn
should have been placed in what was then schedule
ID, (now schedule Of the bill as il was engrossed
by order Of the House) | cannot but express my
deep regret that the error should have occurred,
and that it could not be recthed by the House. But
trust that the fact that the House had then been
in session seven or eight hours, that the clerk had
been engaged from two o'clock to that time in read
ing taking votes, and stating intricate and perpex
ing amendments, will be some excuse for this one
unfortunate error
Respectfully, yours,
B. B. FRENCH,
Clerk House Of Reps.
Tuos RtTcuIr