The Portland daily press., 1874-02-28
The Force Bill in the Senate.

The following is report of the Kennebee
Journal respecting the action of the Senate on
the bill called the force bill, Thursday:
Bill an act relating to railroad connections
came from the House, that branch having re.
fused passage to the bill.
Mr. Webb rose to point of ORDER whether
the Senate could properly entertain the bill, on
the ground that the measure had been consid-
cred by the Senate and finally rejected. 1t
could not therefore be revived except by recon-
sderation, as it contained the same subject
matter, and the required notice had not been
given.
The President (Mr Butler) said the point was
well taken, and under the 14th rule, ruled that
when any measure shall be finally rejected, it
shall not be revived except by reconsideration
and no measure containing the same subject
matter shall be introduced during the session,
unless three days notice is given to the house
of which the mover is a member. The bill
therefore was not properly before the Senate.
Mr.. Foster moved that the bill be laid upon
the table. Rejected
Mr. Burgess appealed from the decision of
the Chair.
Mr. Foster deprecated this attempt to pad.
lock members. He believed it was an effort to
deprive members of their rights. All that he
desired was That members should be allowed a
fair expression of their opinion and wanted the
people to understand that he was willing that
his vote should be recorded in favor of the bill,
and not suppressed
Mr.. Burgess did not appeal from the ruling
OF the Chair from any factious motives. He
understood that this bill was from a minority
of the railroad committee, and as such it ought
to be treated with courtesy. He explained
how the minority report was Occasoned, as he
understood it, According to the ruling of the
Char, in his judgment, it would be impossi-
BILE to have minority report from committees
acted upon. He commended that the bill was
legitimately before the Senate.
Mr.. Foster agreed with the Senator from
Cumberland (Burgess) in his views of the mat
ter He could not see any consistency or
tempt to choke off members. The bill he be-.
leved was properly before the Senate, and he
appealed to members matter of courtesy to
the minority report. to dissent from the ruling
OF the Chair, as the action proposed was un-
precedented.
Mr.. Hall explained the action of the railroad
committee in relation to the matter, and how
the report came to be made in the Senate and
not in the House.
On motion Of Mr.. Cross. the yeas and nays
should be sustained.
Mr.. Webb replied to Mr. Foster which sena-
tor he thought was mistaken in his views He,
Mr.. Webb, argued that no attempt was in con-
temptation to exclude the bill, or to choke off
members. When the report of the railroad
committee was adopted the question was set
tied. The present bill was rot therefore, prop
erly before the Senate. 1t originatedi in the
House, and was not properly here
MI M. Shaw explained how the minority report
ShtnJ 70 ne made. He desired that his vote
'n NJ = pe recorded in favor of the bill.
WI Emery did not think that the rights of
me OF their personal feelings or he mat
yer OF courtesy, or the merits of Inc Hill waro
involved IN the matter, but only the ;ntor 49,
tauon OF the chair of parliamentary law
desired that the Senate should be Sovarnoa I''e
common parliamentary practices, let The 10y ~
cut where it may, The acton to be taken ~,;,i
establish precedent in legislation. VIII
Mr.. Burgess replied to Mr.. Emery The cues.
ton, with him was whether the minority of
committees have any rights to be respected
The President gave his reasons at length. rul-
ing the bill out of order, whereupon Mr.. Bur
CESS withdrew his appeal
MI. Shaw moved a suspension of the rules so
the Senate could act upon the bill
On motion of Mr.. Foster the yeas and navs
were ordered, on the question of suspendino
the rules, and on being taken resulted as fol-
lows: ~
Yeas-Messrs. Arnold, BOYLE. BURGESS Carr
Coffin, Cross, Cutler, Dyer, Emery, Foster
Goold, Hall, Hanson, Holbrook, Kent. Ia
throp, Martin, Morrison, Palmer of Pepobscot
Palmer of Somerset, Russell, Shaw, Webster
%.
Nays-Messrs. Abbott. Crandon, Foss. Har-
mon, Webs.
And SO the rules were suspended, the bill read
once, and on motion of Mr.. Boyle, assigned for
Tuesday next.