days. That is my motive in offering the present resolution. Mr. MACVEAGH. The delegate from Columbia (Mr Buckalew) and the delegate from Lycoming (Mr. Armstrong) Mr. HARRY WHITE. Mr. President; I suggest that that motion be changed to a rise to obtain information for myself and motion to postpone for the present. That doubtless for the whole Convention in will be entirely acceptable to me, and we regard to the action of the Committee on shall get rid of the difficulty. Revision and Adjustment. I should be Mr. HARRY WHITE. Very well; I will very glad to know what is the status of modify it in that way. that committee's work, whether there is The PRESIDENT. That motion is before any report ready, or if not, how soon wo the Convention. may expect one, for the action of this Mr. MACVEAGH. I trust it will be Convention depends, as I understand, adopted. To motion to postpone was agreed to. Mr. AINEY. I offer the following resoHution: Resolved, That the Committe on Suffrage, Election and Representation be and are hereby instructed to prepare and report an ordinance for the submission of bhe new or amended Constitution to a vote of the people on the day ofnext, which ordinance shall, with the other necessary provisions, contain a proviso that but one ticket shall be voted on so much of the Constitution as shall be submitted as a whole, which ticket shall be headed "New or amended Constitu tion," and under this shall be printed consecutively the numerical designation of each section of each article in such con venient form that voters may readily cross or strike out'with pen or pencil any oction; and each and every section so marked shall be deemed, taken and held to be a vote against such section, and each remaining section not so marked out shall be deemed, taken and held to be a vote in favor of the same. I I offer this resolution simply to bring the thought before the Convention. ask that it lie on the table for the present. The PRESIDENT. The resolution will lie on the table. COMMITTEE ON REVISION AND ADJUST MENT. very much on the report of that committee. I should be glad through you, sir, to ask a member of that committee as to the position of their work and when they will be ready to report. The PRESIDENT. Mr. Knight, I believe, is the only member of the committed present. Mr. KNIGHT. Mr. President: The committee had several meetings previous to the adjournment of the Convention and they agreed to meet during the recess at Cape May, but they never did. Messrs. Clark, H. W. Palmer and Church may have had a meeting in the interior of the State somewhere. I have not W. Patterson, one of the members of the heard from them on the subject. Mr. D. committee, is here. Mr. DARLINGTON. Mr. President: 1 should be glad to know whether the committee themselves desire to have their number increased. If they do, I should be willing to give it to them; if they do not, I should like to hear before we act on the resolution? Mr. LILLY. I had considerable conver sation with members of the Committee on Revision and Adjustment before the adjournment, and I understood from both Mr. Clark and Mr. H. W. Palmer, that their work was in a very forward condition; but, as the gentleman from Columbia said, the Convention was very unfortunate in not having a quorum of the Mr. BUCKALEW. I offer the following committee here to-day, and we are not resolution: Resolved, That four members be added by appointment of the Chair to the Committee on Revision and Adjustment. The resolution was ordered to a second reading, and was read the second time. Mr. BUCKALEW. This committee consists of five members only at present, and It happens at this moment that only one of the five is present in the Convention. By adding four new members, we could get a quorum of the committee together at once, and commence this afternoon or evening and have a report within a few likely to have a quorum of that committee for some time. I understand the courts are in session in the western part of the State, where Mr. Clark resides, and he cannot be here for some days. Mr. DARLINGTON. Let us hear from the members of the committee themselves. Mr. LILLY. Mr. Church is absent, 1 presume from the samo cause, and so is Mr. Palmer. To my mind it is important that we should go on, and in order to do so the committee ought to be able soon to. report. The PRESIDENT. The question is on the resolution. The resolution was agreed to. HOURS OF SITTING. Mr. BRODHEAD. Mr. President: I offer the following resolution: Resolved, That on and after to-morrow the daily sessions of this Convention shall be from ten A. M. till three P. M. On the question of ordering the resolution to a second reading, a division was called for, which resulted ayes thirty-four, nays thirty-four. So the question was determined in the negative. WITHDRAWAL OF A RESIGNATION. to the adjournment of the Convention my health was so much impaired that I was compelled to ask the privilege of resigning my seat as a member of this Convention. The Convention, however, did me the honor to lay the resignation on the table. My health has improved considerably since, and I now ask the unanimous consent of the body to withdraw that resignation. The PRESIDENT. The gentleman from Fayette desires leave to withdraw his letter of resignation. Shall he have leave? ["Yes." "Yes."] Leave was unanimously granted, and the resignation was withdrawn. DAILY SESSIONS. Mr. J. N. PURVIANCE. I offer the following resolution: Resolved, That the sessions of this Convention hereafter, until otherwise ordered, shall be from nine and a half o'clock A. M. to one P. M., and from three to seven o'clock P. M., on all days of the week excepting Sundays. On the question of proceeding to the second reading and consideration of the resolution, a division was called for. Mr. J. N. PURVIANCE. I ask for the yeas and pays. Mr. D. N. WHITE. I Second the call. The yeas and nays were takon with the following result: YEAS. Messrs. Addicks, Baer, Baily, (Perry,) Bailey, (Huntingdon,) Bardsley, Beebe, Bowman, Carey, Carter, Corson, Davis, De France, Edwards, Fulton, Hay, Lawrence, Long, M'Culloch, Metzger, Newlin, Palmer, G. W., Parsons, Pughe, Purviance, John N., Purviance, Samuel A., Smith, H. G., Smith, Win. H., Struthers, Temple, White, David N., White, J. W. F., and Wright-32. NAYS. Messrs. Achenbach, Ainey, Armstrong, Baker, Bannan, Barclay, Biddle, Boyd, Cochran, Collins, Corbett, Curtin, Dallas, Brodhead, Broomall, Brown, Buckalew, Gibson, Guthrie, Hanna, Harvey, HowDarlington, Dunning, Ewing, Fell, Funck, ard, Hunsicker, Kaine, Knight, Landis, M'Camant, M'Clean, M'Michael, Minor, Lilly, Littleton, MacConnell, MacVeagh, Patton, Read, John R., Reed, Andrew, Rooke, Runk, Russell, Sharpe, Smith, Van Reed, Wetherill, J. M., Wetherill, Henry W., Stanton, Stewart, Turrell, Jno. Price, White, Harry, Woodward and Walker, President. So the Convention refused to read the resolution a second time. Bartholomew, Bigler, Black, Charles A., ABSENT.-Messrs. Alricks, Andrews, Black, J. S., Bullitt, Calvin, Campbell, Cassidy, Church, Clark, Craig, Cronmiller, Curry, Cuyler, Dodd, Elliott, Ellis, Finney, Gilpin, Green, Hall, Hazzard, Hemphill, Heverin, Horton Lamberton, Lear, M'Murray, Mann, Mantor, Mitchell, Mott, Niles, Palmer, H. W., Patterson, D. Reynolds, Ross, Simpson, Wherry and W., Patterson, T. H. B., Porter, Purman, Worrell-45. Mr. KAINE. On the 22d day of January last an article relative to the times of holding the elections of this Commonwealth was ordered to be transcribed for third reading. On the next day-the 23d day of January-it was finally passed on third reading. This does not seem to have been understood by the Convention generally. The article was not referred to the Committee on Revision and Adjustment. It must necessarily go there, and therefore I offer the following resolution: Resolved, That the action of the Convention on the 22d day of January last, ordering the article fixing the time for holding the elections of this Commonwealth to be transcribed for third reading, and the passage of the same on the 23d day of January, on third reading, bo and the same is hereby rescinded, and the said article as it passed second reading be referred to the Committee on Revision and Adjustinent. The resolution was read the second time and considered. ABSENT.-Mesers. Andrews, Black, Charles A., Cassidy, Church, Clark, Craig, The resolution was agreed to, ayes sixty- Cronmilier, Cuvier, Davis, Dunning, Elone, noes not counted. HOURS OF SESSION. Mr. AINEY. I offer the following resolution: Resolved, That on and after to-morrow the daily sessions of this Convention shall be from half-past nine o'clock A. M. to three o'clock P. M. On the question of proceeding to the second reading and consideration of the resolution, Messrs. Ainey and Darlington called for the yeas and nays Mr. D. N. WHITE. I ask for information, what are the hours of meeting now? The PRESIDENT: From ten A. M. to one P. M., and from three to six P. M. Mr. MACVEAGH. I rise to a question of order. Has not that resolution been negatived? Was it not included in Mr. Purviance's resolution? The PRESIDENT: In part only. That resolution proposed two sessions. The yeas and nays have been ordered, and the Clork will call the roll, on proceeding to the second reading and consideration of the delegate from Lehigh (Mr. Ainey.) The question was taken by the yeas and nays with the following result: YEAS. Messrs. Ainey, Alricks, Armstrong, Baer, Baker, Bartholomew, Biddle, Bigler, Black, J. S., Boyd, Brodhead, Broomall, Bullitt, Calvin, Carey, Corbett, Corson, Curry, Curtin, Dallas, Darlington, Finney, Funk, Gibson, Guthrie, Harvey, Hunsicker, Knight, Lilly, M'Clean, M'Culloch, M'Michael, Minor, Newlin, Palmer, G. W., Pugh, Read, John R. Runk, Sharpe, Smith, Henry W., Smith, Wm. H., Stewart, Van Reed, Wetherill, J. M. and Woodward-45. NAYS. Messrs. Achenbach, Addicks, Baily, (Porry,) Bailey, (IIuntingdon,) Bannan, Barclay, Bardsley, Beebe, Bowman, Brown, Buckalew, Campbell, Carter, Cochran, Collins, De France, Dodd, Edwards, Ewing, Fell, Hanna, Hay, Howard, Kaine, Landis, Lawrence, Littleton, Long, MacConnell, MacVeagh, Metzger, Parsons, Patterson, D. W., Pation, Purviance, John N., Purviance, Sam'l A., Reed, Andrew, Rooke, Russell, Stanton, Struthers, Turrell, Wetherill, Jno. Price, White, David N., White, Harry, White, J. W. F., Wright and Walker, President-48. So the Convention refused to order the resolution to a second reading. liott, Ellis, Fulton, Gilpin, Gice, Hall, Hazzard, Hemphill, Hoverin, Horton, Lamberton, Lear, M'Camant, M'Murray, Mann, Mantor, Mitchell, Mott, Niles, Palmer, H. W., Patterson, T. II. B., Porter, Purman, Reynolds, Ross, Simpson, Smith, H. G., Temple, Wherry and Worrell-40. ORDER OF BUSINESS. Mr. ANDREW REED. I move that the Convention now proceed to the considera-. tion of the article on the Legislature. The PRESIDENT. There are some reports yet to be made. Mr. ANDREW REED. Then I withdraw the motion for the present. The PRESIDENT. Resolutions are yet in order. FORTY-THIRD RULE. Mr. BUCKALEW. I offer the following resolution, to lie over one day under the rules: Resolved, That the forty-third rule of the Convention be rescinded. The PRESIDENT. The resolution will lie on the table. Mr. S. A. PURVIANCE. I offer the following resolution: Resolved, That the Convention will, when the order of the day has been called, proceed to the consideration on third reading of the several articles which have already passed through second reading in the order in which they appear in the pamphlet form now on the desks of members. The PRESIDENT. What action will the Convention take on this resolution? Mr. MACVEAGH. I move that it lie on the table. SEVERAL DELEGATES. Let it proceed to second reading. The PRESIDENT. Is the motion to lay on the table withdrawn. Mr. MACVEAGH. I do not withdraw it, for the simple reason that there is one article which has never passed second reading, the article on the Legislature, which the gentleman from Miniin (Mr. A. Reed) suggested a moment ago should be taken up, and I think that ought to be passed through second reading before we go to the third reading of the other articles. We have not met that question for some time, and I hope we shall meet it now. I trust, therefore, that the gentleman will withdraw his resolution until we can get through with the article on the Legislature on second reading. can justly and fairly be presented. Any claim based upon the allegation that the trimming of the Debates had to be specially done at night in order that the matter might be placed on the files of the members the day after the occurrence of the debate is shown to be not well founded by the fact, well known to every member, that the Debates have been from a week to a month behindhand from the commencement of the session, and were never at any time delivered to the Convention within less than five or six days from their date. The committee has held over for further examination charges for the paper on which reports and articles in bill form were printed, amounting to $241 50; for boxes for packing the Debates sent by express to the members and officers, amounting to $401 00, and for folding flyleaves for volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Debates, amounting to $72 00, and will report hereafter upon these items in the accounts. In addition to the reduction of the prices charged, to the regular rates established by the printing acts, wherever those rates were applicable, the committee has also, as in the audit of the first account, and for the reasons there mentioned, reduced the charge for "files for desks" from $25 00 to $15.00 per hundred, and the charge for wrapping and mailing the Debates to newspapers, &c., from five dollars and ninety-one cents per day to two dollars per day. The charge made for packing, directing and cooperage of the boxes of Debates for members and officers, amounting to eighty-three dollars and seventy cents for the first four volumes, might without explanation be considered a charge merely for delivery, for which the Convention would not be liable. It has been allowed by the committee because of the fact that instead of having all the Debates delivered in one mass as they were printed, at one place, the Convention directed them to be boxed up, and a certain number of copies sent to the residence of each member, to carry out which direction for delivery in this particular manner involved some expenditure of time, care and labor, and the additional expenses of a different address upon each package. The sum charged is certainly full compensation for the service rendered. The committee has re-stated the second and third accounts in the same manner in which the first account was re-stated, showing on the one side Mr. Singerly's claims, and on the other side the amounts to which he is considered to be entitled under his contract with the Convention. These are attached to and made a part of this report and are marked respectively A and B. The second account, from May 15th to July 1st, as rendered, is for a total sum of $14,331 54, of which amount it is claimed that only the sum of $5,811 93 is subject to the discount of 414 per cent., and that the sum of $8,519 64 is not subject to any deduction, leaving the net amount claimed in this account, $11,934 14. The third account, from July 1st to July 15th, as rendered, is for a total sum of $7,001 04, of which amount it is claimed to discount, and that the sum of $4,082 70 that only the sum of $2,918 34 is subject is not subject to any deduction, leaving the net amount claimed in this account, $5,797 23. In both the second and third accounts together, therefore the net amount clained is $17,731 37. The second account has been reduced, by the corrections of the committee, from $11,934 14 to the sum of 1,368 13, leaving still to be audited an item of $241 50; and the third account has been reduced, by similar corrections, from $5,797 13 to the sum of $3,920 222, leaving yet to be audited two items, together amounting to $473. Or, taking the two accounts together, they have been reduced by the corrections from $17,731 37 to the sum of $11,288 35, exclusive of the items above referred to,omitted from the present settlement and together amounting to the sum of $714 50, the whole or the greater portion of which may be eventually allowed upon further end fuller examination. The said sum of $11,288 35 is accordingly found to be due the Printer, Benjamin Singerly, and the following resolution reported for the action of the Conven tion: Resolved, That there is due to Benjamin Singerly, Printer for the Convention, in full of all claims to the 15th day of July, 1873, (exclusive of the items in the above mentioned accounts yet to be fully audited, together amounting to the sum of $714 50, and also exclusive of the items excepted from the audit of the first account, together amounting to the sum of $2,060 45,) the sum of $11,288 35; and that a copy of the above report and of the aotion of the Convention thereon, be forthwith certified by the Chief Clerk to the Auditor General of the Cominonwealth. the files on the desks of the members should be furnished the day after its approval, and the Debates the day after their delivery; and that he is therefore entitled to be paid the special rates charged by him regardless of the schedule of rates fixed by the act of March 27, 1871. His claim is based upon the provisions of the sixth division of the first section of this act, which is in these words: "Any work done by said Printer for the Commonwealth, and any supplies or publications furnished by him to any department or public officer, the price or value of which may not be fixed by or be otherwise ascertainable under the printing act of 1856 or this act, shall be paid for at rates of compensation to be fixed in the manner provided for in the fourth division of this section, subject, however, to the control and authority of the Auditor General, over the accounts therefor." That part of the fourth division of the same section here referred to, is as follows: "And whenever it shall happen that the price or cost of the same shall not be fixed by or be ascertainable under the laws relating to the public printing and binding, then the price or cost of the same shall be fixed and determined between the said Superintendent (of Public Printing) and the Public Printer, before the same shall be furnished or supplied, and shall not exceed the lowest rate at which such articles or supplies of like quantity and quality can be obtained elsewhere." There does not appear to be any force or morit in this claim. The price, both of composition and presswork, is "fixed by and clearly ascertainable under the printing acts," as was shown in the committec's first report upon this subject, on the 14th day of July last; and as to composition, the law further and most emphatically provides that upon no pretense whatever should any composition be fixed at rates other than those therein prescribed. There can therefore be no doubt, it would seem, that the prices to be allowed to the State Printer under his contract with the Convention are those which are provided in the schedule, and no other. Indeed, in the printed memorial which was addressed by Mr. Singerly to the members of the Convention, shortly after their assembling in Philadelphia, and just before the contract for the printing was made, he repsesented that during the session of the Legislature of 1871, while a revision of the printing laws of the State (which resulted in the passage of the act of March 27, 1871) was under consideration in that body, some of its members conversed with him about the Convention printing, leaving the idea on his mind that the printing of every description for the State was embraced in that act; that a majority of the printers who bid for the public printing on the 4th of April, 1871, would testify that they understood that the Convention printing was included in the public printing at that time; and that the public printing, under the revised law, was awarded to him after the bill to call the Convention had passed both houses; and, therefore, finally claimed that he had a right to do the printing of the Convention, and was prepared to do it, in whatever form the Convention might designate, according to the revised printing laws, passed March 27, 1871. Apart, therefore, from the mere legal construction of the contract entered into by him with the Convention, this representation and claim of the Printer, made at the time and under the circumstances it was, shows what impression was conveyed to the minds of the members before the vote upon the printing contract was taken, as to the law (which was that embracing the schedule of rates) under which the prices for the printing and binding of the Convention were to be ascertained. The committee has reported with such degree of fulness upon this matter, not only because it was one of some importance to the Convention and the poople of the Commonwealth generally, but also that the grounds of its action upon these accounts and of the State Printer's claims might be thoroughly understood. For the reasons given in the previous report, the charges made for "extra lettering" or labeling the backs of the remainder of Volume 1 of the Debates, and of Volumes 2, 3 and 4, together amounting to the sum of $877 50; and the charge for correcting a member's speech, $9 28, have not been allowed. For trimming and packing Debates and Journals for files there is a charge made of $280, which has not been allowed, for the reason that the "packing" is simply putting into a bundle the copies sout each day to the Convention, and is merely an incident in the convenient transmission by the Printer of that which it is neceasary for him to deliver in good condition; and the “trimming" charged for it is believed is fully covered by the allowances otherwise made, and for which no separate charge |