The Organization and Procedure of the Pennsylvania Assembly, 1682-1776, The Legislative Process
IN view of the fact that Pennsylvania is said to have contributed "much the largest part of our national law-making devices" it seems strange that the legislative procedure of Pennsylvania's colonial Assembly has not been systematically investigated long before this. For it is certainly worthy of note that the Congress of the United States sat in Philadelphia during its formative years; was presided over by a former Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly; and had at hand, in printed form for easy reference, the journals which record the procedure customarily employed by the Pennsylvania Assembly in carrying on its legislative business.