The Edinburgh Review Volume 134-135

Synopsis

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871 Excerpt: ...a careful investigation would show that the forms and practices of such assemblies have an influence upon legislation scarcely inferior to that depending upon their composition. The methods of procedure in the French Assembly were adverted to in the article already mentioned, and do not here call for further observation. The changes made by Congress show the inclination to summary proceedings, and to the assertion of the right of a majority to silence, or, as Americans would express it, to 'shut up' a minority, without any overstrained regard to its feelings, which distinguish our republican kinsmen. According to the evidence given before the Committee of the House of Commons which sat in 1848, by Mr. Curtis, formerly a member of the House of Representatives, the Americans have in practice reduced the number of stages for debating or opposing a bill. At Washington a bill is rarely discussed on its introduction; the first, and usually the second rfcading also, are taken as of course, and it is referred, according to its subject-matter, to one of the Standing Committees of the House. It is there considered both in principle and in detail, as a private bill is with us by the committee on the group or class to which it belongs. The debate and the struggle on the bill in the House is reserved for the third reading. The House of Representatives and many of the State legislatures have, by what is familiarly known as the 'gag-law, ' limited the duration of a speech to the space of one hour, whether in the House or in Committee. Moreover, according to Mr. Curtis, in Committee, in contradistinction to the practice that prevails here, no one may speak more than once, except the mover of an amendment, who is allowed a reply. The American majority is armed with a weapon ...