The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-04
New lnvontiOn.

The following description OF a machine, invented
nv Mr. Smith of Baltimore, is undoubtedly worthy OF
consideration, on account of the ingenuity with which il
seonsruced But we have had no time to consider it,
effects and bearings in parliamentary point of view,
and must therefore, submit the propnety OF adopting 1t IN
the House OF Representatives to those who understand
its merits better than profess to do. 1t is from
one of Mr. Smiths friends.
Communicated
The loss of public time in calling the yeas and nays ~
al Legislative bodies has long been acknowledged TO be
great evil Probably one-third of the time OF session
spent IN thus ing the votes OF the members upon he
various questions under consideration and then, owing
TO unavoidable circumstances incident TO large oouy,
various inaccuracies occur which cannot De corrected
because they may not be discovered until II 100 ae 10
correct them For instance-voes taken on the lasl
day and night OF session may pass bills winch never
were passed. and may reject bills which were IN reality
passed an error of itself which, II obvaled, might save
the whole of any machine that might be adopted Tor
that purpose In closely contested question: tie
VOTE for nstance-pefec accuracy is absolutely neces
sary; nothing should be left to chance or eror-for
then and then only it in order for the Speaker to
In calling the House. for instance the object is to
tain the and number OF persons present. and the
name and number of persons absent Any machine,
therefore, which will do this insantaneousy and
recty, will be OF ncalcuabe value TO the legislative
body that adopts it. In committees of the whole,
votes taken by tellers But it is not necessary
that members shall pass between two men, to be
told off or counted. The ellers can take the clerk s
the House in thirty seconds, without occasionng a
crowd in the aisle the confusion incident to the
movement of 22s persons to and from their seats In
committees OF the whole, when there is quorum
present, the OF absentees TO be recorded on
the journal By the clerks inspecting his tell tale plate
register, he will at glance ascertain the absentees
part OF the Journal. This will be great saving Of
time and will give the House an opportunity insanta
neousy of knowing who are absent and enable the
Sergeant Arms to send for them directly
great deal OF time is lost by the editors correspond
ents getting duplicates of the votes to send home
machine that would make ten records at once would be
of great Importance to the public press and to the coun-
try But il is said that delay often necessary to enable
member. absent to come in and vote This is good
gumen for sothiu public servant but, when the pub
lie business to suffer by unnecessary absence surely
cannot be considered good reason for the public submit
ting TO it. Negligence may be tolerated but surely it
should not be egsated for regarded in plan to rem
edy an evil, or perfect an improper system.
We have been led to make these remarks from an in
secton of a machine invented by Mr.. F. H. Smith, of
BALTIMORE which is perfect in lis operations and simple
constructions not liable to get out of order, and
from improper interference. This machine cuts out
against the members names the word yea nay, not
roed, and leaves the word UOted as his vote.
The sheet upon which the names are printed with yea
and nay IN separate columns against them, is placed
in small cabinet attached to the clerks desk, be-
tween two metallic plates through both of which a
hole pierced corresponding with all the words yea and
nay The upper plate is of steel, thin like saw blade
the lower is about half inch thick within which
small pslons are fitted, which communicate by wires
ming under the floor to each desk where they connect
with two keys inscribed respectively yea-naysecured
under lock 10 be only accessible to him. When the
vote ordered, the member has only touch the proper
key, which causes the piston to rise and cut out the
opposite word, leaving record the vote Just given In
calling the House, all members present should touch the
yea key, and all the that not punched will be
the absentees.
=.
which will all out the exact fac-simile of each
other.