The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-10
For the Union
The Yeas and Nays.

WASHINGTON, March o. 1s4s
DEAR SIR have received your note of yesterday
fore the committee Of the House of Representatives and
ais views to the practcability of IFS adoption for
t'.king the vote by ayes and noes
1t has been matter OF much reflection in my mind for
several years. whether the time occupied in the present
manner OF calling the names of the members, and
ceyng their answers for the purpose OF spreading the
some mechanical continuance. Many plans have been
offered, which have examined but found them all liable
sequeny the least liable to get out Of order is, in my
opinion, the best one have seen.
During the I'd session of the 2sh Congress, the sub
ect of taking the yeas and nays some more expedi-
ous manner than by calling the roll and receiving
swers was seriously considered by the House, and
referred to the Committee the Public Buildings and
Grounds and the chairman of that committee (ion Ia
dock Pratt made report favorable to the adoption of
one of the plans submitted but the report made the
last day but one of the session. and too late to be acted
upon.
In all my reflections and investigations in relation
desirable object the adoption of correct and
time saving plan, objections have occurred to me which
appeared almost nsurmountable; but, in the
ton had with you few days since, | acknowledge
that your explanations and arguments had effect to
relieve me OF my doubts and objections to your SYSTEM
than any that have before been urged in favor of
any project which has been presented
Under present rule of the House, the roll of members
alphabetically arranged for taking the yeas and nays
This has appeared to me important that the Clerk might
readily recur to any on the list, when member
to vote, to change his vote after the roll had
UeeH Cdiieu In Taxing Notc ny any meCHdlCd pro-
cess would be to impossible arrange the list
correspond alphabetically with the seats of the
bers. You propose to number the seats contained in
each section of the rad from the Clerks DESK and d.
vide the printed list into eight parts, to correspond with
the eight sections into which the hall divided in this
manner presenting to the Clerk only the number of
contained in single section in which to find any
bers name. This would obvate the necessity of an al
phabecal list Your proposed plan, entirely practi-
lists at a single vote, and of having list passed to each
section Immediately upon the of the vote,
is excellent one, and efectuay overcomes many OBJ
jections which had suggested.
An objection to the recording of votes by machinery,
which has often been urged, and think with some
orce that every member should be required to answer
audibly "ay," s'no." This however, may be gene
rally obvated by rule of the House requiring that
when a certain number of members required division
by record, the vote should be taken by the. register
and that the fifth power contained in the constitution
should only be exercised in the calling of the names and
the verbal answers given when expressly required
Whenever, upon important vote, it might be deemed
proper to wait the arrival OF absent members the
can easily be provided for by rule of the House
have long wished to see the experiment tried of
taking votes by some mechanical conrvance If ii
works WE'LL it will be of great value mere divisions of
the House, where the yeas and nays not ordered
After all the reflection have been able to give the sub
ect and thorough examination of the principles of your
cessful; and | am also convinced that an alteration
the rules of the House may be made so as to obvae
all objections that can be urged either consttutonay or
otherwise
Very respectfully, &C.,
B.. FRENCH,
Late Clerk House of Reps. U. S.
FRANCIS H. SMITH, Esq.