Senator in Congress, and that his Excellency, in communicating said correspondence, be especially requested to communicate to the Senate a copy of any resignation which he may have received in the time specified from the said Hugh Lawson White as Senator aforesaid, and if such resignation or letter was ever received by his Excellency, is not on the file in the Executive Department, or has been lost or mislaid or otherwise disposed of by direction of his Excellency, and is now out of his possession, that he be requested to communicate any copy he may have of the same, or specially state the contents of said resignation or letter of resignation, specifying its date, how received, and when received, and all other information relative to said correspondence which may be in possession of his Excellency, or in the Executive Depart ment. Resolved, That the foregoing resolution be forthwith communicated to his Excellency the Governor. And the rule being suspended, Mr. Coe moved to lay the resolution on the table, which motion pre vailed. A message from the House of Representatives by Mr. Crockett, their Clerk. Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform the Senate, that the House of Representatives are now ready to receive them for the purpose of comparing the votes polled at the last General Election for Governor of the State of Tennessee. And then he withdrew. Whereupon, the Speaker and Gentlemen of the Senate repaired to the Hall of the House of Representatives, where the Speaker of the Senate, in presence of both Branches of the General Assembly, proceeded under the provisions of the Constitution to examine the returns made, and upon examination thereof, it appeared that official returns were received from all the counties in the State except the county of Shelby, and that the aggregate vote stood for Newton Cannon, fiftyone thousand three hundred and ninety-six; and for James K. Polk, fifty-four thousand and twelve-leaving Polk's majority twenty-six hundred and sixteen votes. Whereupon the Speaker of the Senate declared Jars K. POLK, a citizen of the county of Maury, duly and constitutionally elected Governor in and over the State of Tennessee for the next ensuing two years, and thereupon the Speaker and Gentlemen of the Senate returned to their own chamber. Mr. Hardwicke from the committee appointed to draft and report rules for the govemment of the Senate, reported that the committee had performed the duty assigned them, and had instructed him to report the following RULES. Touching the duty of the Speaker. 1st. He shall take the Chair every day precisely at the hour to which the Senate stands adjourned on the preceding day; shall immediately call the members to order, and on the appearance of a quorum, cause the journal of the day preceding to be read. shall 24. He shall preserve order and decoruun, may speak to points of order in preference to other members, rising from his seat for that purpose; shall decide questions of order, subject to appeal to the Senate by any two members, on which appeal no member shall speak more than once, unless by leave of the Senate. 3d. He shall rise to put a question, but may state it sitting. 4th. Questions shall be directly put in this form, to wit: as many as are of opinion that (as the question may be) say aye, and after the affirmative will is expressed, as many as are of contrary opinion say no. If the Speaker doubts, or a division be called for, the Senate shall divide, those in the affirmative of the question shall first rise from their seats, and afterwards those in the negative. 5th. The speaker shall examine and correct the journal before it is read. He shall have a general direction of the Senate chamber. He shall have a right to name any member to perform the duties of the Chair, but such substitution shall not extend beyond one adjournment. 6th. All committees shall be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise specially directed by the Senate, in which case they shall be appointed by the Senate, viva voce, and if upon the first time of voting there is no election, there shall be a second voting, in which a plurality of votes shall prevail. 7th. In all other cases a majority of the votes given shall be necessary to an election. Sth. In cases of any disturbance or disorderly conduct in the lobby, the Speaker, or Chairman of the committee of the whole, shall have the power to order the same to be cleared. Order of the business of the day. 9th. As soon as the journal is read, the speaker shall, through the clerk, call for petitions from the Senators by districts, beginning with the most eastwardly and progressing westwardly. Reports from standing committees shall be next in order. Then reports from select committees. 10th. No member shall speak to another or otherwise interrupt the business of the Senate, or read any newspaper while the journals or public papers are reading, or when any member is speaking in any debate. 11th. Every member, when he speaks, shall address the Chair, standing in his place, and shall confine himself to the question under debate, and shall avoid personalities, and when he has finished shall sit down. 12th. When two or more members rise at the same time to speak, the speaker shall determine who has the floor, but in all cases, the member who shall first rise and address the Chair shall speak first. 13th. If any member in speaking or otherwise transgresses the rules of the Senate, the Speaker shall, or any member may call to order; in which case the member so called to order shall immediately sit down, unless permitted to explain; and the Senate shall, if appealed to, decide on the case, but without debate. If there be no appeal, the decision of the Chair shall be submitted to. If the decision be in favor of the member called to order, he shall be permitted to proceed without leave of C the Senate. And if the case require it, he shall be liable to the censure of the Senate. 14th. If the member called to order by a senator, for words spoken, the exceptionable words shall immediately be taken down in writing, that the Speaker may be better enabled to judge of the matter. 15th. No member shall absent himself from the service of the Senate without leave first obtained, and in case a less number than a quorum of the Senate shall convene, they are hereby authorized to send the door-keeper, or any other person or persons by them authorized, for any or all absent members, as the majority of such members present shall agree, at the expense of such absent members respectively, unless such excuse for non-attendance shall be made, as the Senate, when a quorum is convened, shall judge sufficient. 16th. No motion shall be debated until the same be seconded. 17th. When a motion shall be made and seconded, it shall be reduced to writing, if desired by the Speaker, or any member, delivered in at the table and read, before the same shall be debated. 18th. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received, but to adjourn, lie on the table-for the previous question-to postpone to a day certain to commit or amend-to postpone indefinitely; which several motions shall have precedence in the order they stand arranged, and the motion for adjournment shall always be in order and be decided without debate. 19th. If the question in debate contains several points, any member may have the same divided, but on motion to strike out and insert, it shall not be in order to move for a division of the question, but the rejection of a motion to strike out and insert one proposition, shall not prevent a motion to strike out and insert a different proposition, nor prevent a subsequent motion simply to strike out, nor shall the rejection of a motion simply to strike out, prevent a subsequent motion to strike out and insert. 20th. In filling up blanks, the largest sum and longest time shall be first put. 21st. When the reading of a paper is first called for, and the same is objected to by any member, it shall be decideded by a vote of the Senate, without debate. 22d. When the yeas and nays shall be called for by any two members, each member called upon shall, unless for special reasons he be excused by the Senate, declare openly and without debate, his assent or dissent to the question. In taking the yeas and nays, upon the call of the Senate, the names of the Senators shall be taken alphabetically. 23d. When the yeas and nays shall be taken upon any question, in pursuance of the above rules, no member shall be permitted, under any circumstances whatever, to vote after the decision is announced from the Chair. 24th. When a question has been once made and carried in the affirmative or negative, it shall be in order for any member of the majority to move for the reconsideration thereof, but no motion for the reconsideration of any vote shall be in order after a bill, resolution, message, report, amendment, or motion upon which the vote was taken shall have gone out of the possession of the Senate announcing their decision, nor shall any motion for reconsideration be in order, unless made on the same day on which the vote was taken, or within the two next days of actual session of the Senate thereafter. 25th. Before any petition or memorial addressed to the Senate shall be received and read at the table, a brief statement of the contents of the petition or memorial, shall be verbally made by the introducer. 26th. Every bill shall be introduced by motion or leave, or by an order of the Senate, or the Report of the committee. And all bills shall be despatched in the order they were introduced, unless where the Senate shall otherwise direct. 27th. The first reading of a bill shall be for information, and if opposition be made to it, the question shall be, "Shall this bill be rejected?" If no opposition be made, or if the question to reject be negatived, the bill shall go to its second reading without a question. 28th. Before the second reading of the bill, the Speaker shall state it as ready for commitment, and if committed, then the question shall be, whether to a select or standing committee, or to a committee of the whole. If to a committee of the whole, the Senate shall determine on what day. 29th. After commitment and report thereof to the Senate, or at any time before its passage, a bill may be recommitted. 30th. All bills ordered to be engrossed shall be executed in fair round hand. 31st. No amendment, by way of rider, shall be received to any bill on its third reading, nor shall any amendment be allowed to a bill, upon any reading, foreign to its subject matter. 32d. When a bill shall pass, it shall be certified by the clerk; noting the day of its passage at the foot thereof. 33rd. Bills coming from the House of Representatives shall have precedence of bills in the Senate on the same subject. 34th. In forming a committee of the whole, the Speaker shall leave the Chair, and a Chairman be appointed by the Speaker to preside in committee. 35th. Upon bills committed to a committee of the whole, the bill shall be first read throughout by the clerk, and then again read and debated by clauses, leaving the preamble to be last considered; the body of the bill shall not be defaced or interlined, but all amendments, noting the page and line, shall be duly entered by the clerk on a separate paper, as the same shall be agreed to by the committee, and so reported to the Senate; after report, the bill shall again be subject to be debated and amended by clauses before a question to engross it be taken. 36th. All amendments made to an original motion in committee, shall be incorporated with the motions and so reported. 37th. All amendments made to a report, committed to a committee of the whole, shall be noted and reported as in case of bills. 38th. All questions, whether in committee or in the Senate, shall be propounded in the order in which they were moved, except that of filling up blanks. 39th. The rules of the Senate shall be observed, in committee of the whole, so far as applicable, except the rules limiting the time of speaking; but no member shall speak twice to any question, until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken. 40th. No standing rule or order of the Senate shall be rescinded or changed, without one day's notice being given of the motion thereof. Nor shall any rule be suspended except by a vote of at least two third. of the members present. 41st. It shall be in order for the committee on enrolled bills to report at any time. 42nd. Messages may be introduced at any state of business, except while a question is putting, while the ayes and nays are taking, or while voting in an election. 43rd. There shall be the following standing committees, to wit: 1 A Committee of Privileges and Elections, "Ways and Means, "Finance, "Claims, "Education and Common Schools, "Internal Improvements, "Military Affairs, "New counties and county lines, "Public Lands, "Penitentiary, "Banks, "Enrolled Bills. 44th. The previous question shall be in this form, "Shall the main question be now put." It shall only be admitted when demanded by a majority of the members present; and until it is decided, shall preclude all amendment and debate on the main question. 45th, When a bill is withdrawn for amendment, the same shall be returned in three days thereafter. All resolutions shall lie one day on the table, before they receive the action of the Senate. All of which is respectfully submitted, J. P. HARDWICKE, Chairman.. JOINT RULES OF THE TWO HOUSES. For the 1st. session of the 23d General Assembly of the State of Tennessee. 1st. In every case of amendment of a bill agreed to in one House, and dissented to in the other, if either House shall request a conference, and appoint a committee for that purpose, and the other House shall also appoint a committee, such committees shall, at a convenient hour, to be named by their Chairman, meet in conference, and state to each r verbally, or in writing, as either shall choose, the reasons of their |