The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1872-02-22
How our laws arc Made.

is DcUatDr Neuhicy, lne eIItOT VI lu'
paper, gives the following interesting
outline Of the manner by which local
and private bills become laws:
The bill is presented by the Seun-
tor or member hiving it in charge,
simply by tn, ann1rncem mt Of It's IT,
tic which constitutes what is calcl in
Legislative parlanco realin5 it in
piece The Speaker inm ,diately re-
lers it TO i,s Appropriate committee,
who after consideration. report it cith-
or ss committed or with such amend
mcnts as they see proper to make it
is then sent to the printer on printed
copies with lines numbered aui widely
spaced are lail on tho desk Of every
member OF the House in which it is to
bo considered. The title Of the bill
bus rcportcl is then placel upon the
calendars, to be taken up ia its order
II is now ready u DC acted upon, and
in it' order. Ii IS now really TO be
acted uoon, and in most cisc, ii meets
very summary disposal. There are
two rules, however, which stand in
he way Of quick vorS Onc requires
tha, no amculmeuts shall be made ex.
scp, in committee Of the whIle, and
another ,h,t no till shall be read o.
considered more than oncj on the
same diy. But the Legislature il, OF
course, superior to its own ru'es anl
suspcnds them Whenever it phases.
aud it pleaIes to do this for almos all
local bills.
Tn, Speaker announces certain
bill a. before the hJusc, aud says, will
the lIous, disp9ns, with g)jn. into
committee of tho whole ? Aye, s,ys
the Gentleman who has tho bill ia
charge. VIII the House propccd to q
second rsalin!y Ay,. s'ys tho same
,entlemtn. The speaker orders the
first section TO be read, which the
Clerk does vchcmintly. Will tho
House agree to the section? Aye,
says the patron Of tho bill onca more
The other sections are then read furi
onsly, 10 their order, the samc question
PIT by til, Speaker, ani til. same
solitary vote given by tht gentleman
who has the bill in charge, the same
performance is hal with the title, aui
tho bill has passed its second reading
The Speaker then says: VIII the
House suspeni the rules, AMI read the
bill third time By its title? Aye, re-
spends the same gentleman. The u.
tic is then rea anl tho Speaker says
sharply, shall the bill pass? And the
votin- GcnilcmIa says ave again, an |
the thing is done, With bill OF
mo lcrl,c size. AMI an active speaker,
all this is accomplished moro quick :
than it can be described. Daring the
/ passage Of the given bill. perhaps not
u member, except the one who pre,cnt
ei il, votes. All the others are en-.
gagged bus;ly with s0methin, else, or
are amusing themselves. The p':cs
are fli,,ing abou; through the Hal
.atherin, up letters AMI documents
and the spectators 10 tho galleries arc
in grave doub, whether the body be
fore them is at actual business, or is
ensagci in soncthius intended to
tbeii bewi,dcrment.
Bu, is not the performance just Dc
Scribedi somewhat farcicai BY n
means. All bills before they reach ,hc
stag, have been referred to commit
tees appointed especially for the con
sideratous of all abjec,s Of legislation
These committees havo entire powc,
over tho bills. Tdcy may make
whatever amen lmenti TO them they
may deem necessary, OF they can re-
port them with a negative recommen
daiion which will prevent any very
hasty action upon them. "A before
stated, they are printed and turnish-
cd to every member of each DO ly
One-,hrd of the llluse cal prevent
any suspension Of rules at any time
and thus iorce as careful colsilera-
tion and as long debate AZ they may
desire, The suspension OF rules il on
, ~ resorted to iu or order 20 save time,
aud 50 long as local legislation is II
necessity, 81 long will it be necessary
to pnl the bills tnf1uIh the necessary
forms of open session wiz hot haste.
When from two to four thousani bills
are TO be considered, il is necessary tc
ccouomize time rigidly.
The Alabama CIaRis