Newspaper Report of the House of Representatives Debates on August 18, 1789 (August 19, 1789)

Mr. GERRY moved for the following order, that such of the amendments proposed by the several states, as are not in substance comprised in the report of the select committee appointed to consider amendments, be referred to a committee of the whole house, and that all the amendments which shall be agreed to by the committee last mentioned, be included in one report.

To this motion it was objected, that, as the amendments proposed by the different states had been referred to a committee of eleven, and their report was now referred to a committee of the whole; the amendments of the states were of course before the committee of the whole, as necessarily accompanying the report of the special committee, being part of the subject referred to them, and the documents on which their report was founded: It was therefore contended that it was out of order to make such a commitment. Mr. GERRY still persisting in his motion, the previous question was moved by Mr. VINING.

The previous question was then put, viz. "shall the main question be now put?" and the yeas and nays being called, it passed in the negative.