McMaster & Stone

Journal Notes of the Pennsylvania Ratification Convention

The Convention being met, pursuant to adjournment, on motion of Mr. M’ Kean, they proceeded to the choice of a Secretary, when Mr. James Campbell was duly elected. Mr. Burt was afterwards appointed Messenger, and Mr. Fry, Doorkeeper. An application from Thomas Lloyd to be made Assistant Clerk, was read, and a motion, complying with the same, was postponed.

The committee appointed yesterday to bring in rules and regulations made report, and the same being read, was, by special order, taken up, read by paragraphs, and agreed to, as follows:

1st. When the President assumes the chair, the members shall take their seats.

2d. At the opening of the convention each day, the minutes of the preceding day shall be read, and are then in the power of the convention to be corrected, after which any business addressed to the chair may be proceeded to.

3d. Every petition, memorial, letter, or other matter of the like kind, read in the convention, shall be deemed as lying on the table for further consideration, unless any special order be moved therein.

4th. A motion made and seconded shall be repeated by the President. A motion shall be reduced to writing, if the President or any two members require it. A motion may be withdrawn by the member making it before any decision is had on it.

5th. No member speaking shall be interrupted but by a call to order by the President, or by a member through the President.

6th. No member to be referred to in debate by name.

7th. The President himself, or by request, may call to order any member who shall transgress the rules. If a second time, the President may refer to him by name. The convention may then examine and censure the member’s conduct, he being allowed to extenuate or justify.

8th. Every member actually attending the convention shall be in his place at the time the convention stands adjourned to, or within half an hour thereof.

9th. The name of him who makes, and the name of him who seconds a motion, shall be entered on the minutes.

10th. No member shall speak more than twice to a question without leave.

11th. Every member of a committee shall attend at the call of his chairman.

12th. The yeas and nays may be called, and entered on the minutes when any two members require it.

On motion of Mr. M’ Kean, seconded by Mr. Smilie, resolved that the doors of the Convention be kept open.

On motion of Mr. M’Kean, the Constitution proposed for the federal government, was taken up and read by the Clerk.

Mr. Wilson then moved that the time of meeting and adjourning should be fixed, observing that with respect to the time of adjournment, it had been found necessary in the Federal Convention to make a rule that at 4 o’clock they should break up, even if a member was in the middle of his speech, and he proposed that two o’clock should be the hour now limited for adjournment; but, after a short conversation, it was agreed that the Convention should meet at 10 o’clock each morning, leaving the hour of adjournment unspecified.

The Convention adjourned to meet to-morrow morning at ten o’clock.

Convention met pursuant to adjournment and proceeded to elect a secretary.

The ballots being taken, it appeared that James Campbell, Esquire was duly elected.

A petition from Thomas Lloyd was read praying to be appointed assistant secretary.

On motion of John Smilie, seconded by Robert Whitehill,

The further consideration thereof was postponed.

Petitions from Andrew Burkhard, James Martin, Nicholas Weaver, Joseph Fry, and Frederick Snyder, respectively praying to be appointed messenger or doorkeeper were read.

The Convention proceeded to the choice of a messenger and door-keeper, and the ballots being taken, it appeared that Andrew Burkhard was duly elected messenger and Joseph Fry doorkeeper.

The committee appointed yesterday, to bring in rules and regulations, made report; and the same being read was by special order taken up, read by paragraphs, and agreed to, as follows.

I. When the President assumes the chair, the members shall take their seats.

II. At the opening of the Convention each day, the Minutes of the preceding day shall be read, and are then in the power of the Convention to be corrected; after which any business addressed to the chair may be proceeded to.

III. Every petition, memorial, letter, or other matter of the like kind, read in the Convention, shall be deemed as lying on the table for further consideration, unless any special order be moved therein.

IV. A motion made, and seconded, shall be repeated by thePresident. A motion shall be reduced to writing, if the President, or any two members, require it. A motion may be withdrawn by the member making it, before any decision is had on it.

V. No member speaking shall be interrupted, but by a call to order by the President, or by a member, through the President.

VI. No member to be referred to in debate byname.

VII. The President himself, or by request, may call to order any member who shall transgress the rules. If a second time, the President may refer to him by name. The Convention may then examine and censure the member’s conduct, he being allowed to extenuate or justify.

VIII. Every member actually attending the Convention shall be in his place at the time to which the Convention stands adjourned,or within half an hour thereof.

IX. The name of him who makes, and the name of him who seconds a motion, shall be entered on the Minutes.

X. No member shall speak more than twice to a question, without leave. XI. Every member of a committee shall attend at the call of his chairman.

XII. The yeas and nays may be called and entered on the Minutes, when any two members require it.

On motion of Thomas M’Kean, seconded by John Smilie,

Ordered, That the doors of the Convention be left open during the session.

On motion of Thomas M’Kean, seconded by John Smilie,

Ordered, That the Constitution, as proposed by the late Federal Convention, be read.

It was read accordingly. On motion of James Wilson, seconded by Jasper Yeates,

It was made a rule of the Convention to meet at ten o’clock, A.M.

Adjourned until ten o’clock tomorrow.