A Report of the Debates and Proceedings in the Secret Sessions of the Conference Convention / For Proposing Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, Held at Washington, D.C., in February, A.D. 1861

by L. E. Chittenden

Washington, Saturday, February 16th, 1861.

The Conference was called to order by the President at 12 o'clock m.

Prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Sunderland.

The Journal was read by the Assistant Secretary, Mr. Puleston, and, being corrected, was approved.

The PRESIDENT:—I have received a communication from Mr. W.C. Jewett, which I am requested to lay before the Conference. Should any member desire to have it read, it will be presented upon motion. I am not inclined to occupy the time of the Conference by reading it, unless some member specially requests that it be read.

Mr. SEDDON:—Let it be laid on the table without reading.

The PRESIDENT:—That disposition will be made of it.

Mr. WICKLIFFE:—I am instructed, by the Committee on Rules and Organization, to propose an amendment to the Eleventh Rule which has been adopted. As the Rule now stands, no appeal is allowed from the decision of the Chair upon questions of order. It is not probable that either the Chair or the Conference would wish to be bound in that way. The purpose of the resolution is to assimilate the Rule in this respect to the practice in parliamentary bodies, and to allow an appeal from the decision of the Chair to the Conference itself. I offer the following resolution:

"Resolved, That the Eleventh Rule of this Convention be so amended as to allow an appeal from the decision of the President, which appeal shall be decided without debate."