STANDING RULES

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

I. The House of Representatives shall choose, by ballot, one of their own number to occupy the chair. He shall be styled Speaker of the House of Representatives. He shall hold his office during one session of the Legislative Assembly. He shall take the chair at the hour to which the House is adjourned, and call the members to order; and if a quorum be present, he shall direct the minutes of the preceding day to be read, and mistakes, if any, corrected. He shall preserve order and decorum, and shall decide questions of order, subject to an appeal to the House. In committee of the whole, he shall call some member to the chair, and may debate any question before the commit.ee; but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment. He shall, unless otherwise directed by the House, appoint all committees. He shall vote on a call of the ayes and nays. In the absence of the Speaker, the House shall appoint a Speaker pro tem.

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II. Any member may have a call of the House, and have absent members sent for, in case a quorum shall not be present.

III. All questions shall be put in this form: "You who are of the opinion (as the case may be) say, Aye." "Those of the contrary opinion say, No." And in doubtful cases any member may call for a division.

IV. When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be stated by the member, or read by the clerk, previous to debate. If any member require it, all motions (except to adjourn, postpone or commit.) shall be reduced to writing. Any motion may be with drawn by consent of the House, before decision or amendment.

V. Every member present when a question is pu', shall vote, unless the House shall, for special cause, excuse him.

VI. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, and shall be decided without debate, except that it cannot be received when the House is voting on another question, or while a member is address. ing the House.

VII. When any member is about to speak in debate, or deliver

any matter to the House, he shali rise from his seat and respect. fully address himself to "Mr. Speaker," and shall confine himself to the question under debate and avoid personality.

VIII. When two or more members happen to rise at once, the Speaker shall name the member who is first to speak.

IX. While the Speaker is patting any question, or addressing the House, none shall walk out of, or across the house, nor when a member is speaking, shall pass between him and the chair.

X. No member shall speak more than twice on any question, without leave of the House.

XI. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received, unless to postpone, to lay on the table, to amend, to take the previous question, to commit, or to adjourn.

XII. The previous question shall be put in these words: "Shall the main question be now put ?" and it shall be admitted on the demand of any member, and until decided shall preclude all amendinents under debate, of the main question.

XIII. Any member may call for a division of the question, when the same shall admit thereof.

XIV. No committee shall absent themselves by reason of their appointments, during the sitting of the House, without special leave.

XV. Every bill shall be introduced by motion for leave, or by order of the House on the report of a committee. In cases of a general nature, one day's notice, at least, shall be given of the mo tion to bring in a bill.

XVI. Every bill shall receive three several readings previous to its passage; but no bill shall have its second and third reading on the same day, without special order of the House.

XVII. The first reading of a bill shall be for information, and if objections be made to it, the question shall be, "Shall the bill be rejected?" If ro objection be made, or the question to reject bet lost, the bill shall go to its second reading without further question.

XVIII. All bills, on a second reading, shall be considered by the House, in committee of the whole, before it shall be taken up and considered by the House. The final question upon every bill or

resolution, of the House, that requires three readings previous to being passed, shall be, "Whether it shall be engrossed and read a third time?" And the final question upon every bill or resolution of the Council that requires three readings, shall be, previous to being passed, Whether it shall be ordered to a third reading?" No bill or resolution that requires three readings, shall be committed or amended, until it shall have been twice read.

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XIX. Amendments made in committee of the whole, shall not be read by the Speaker on his resuming the chair, unless requested by one or more of the members.

XX. When a question is lost on engrossing a bill for a third reading, on a particular day, it shall not preclude a question to engross it for a third reading on a different day; nor shall any subject be a second time re-considered without consent of the House. On the third reading of a bill or resolution, no amendment (except to fill blanks) shall be received, except by unanimous consent of the members present.

XXI. When a bill has been engrossed, the Speaker shall, at the time, previously appointed by the House, announce it as ready for a third reading, without question.

XXII. A bill or resolution may be committed at any time previous to its passsage; if any amendment be reported upon such commitment, by any other than a committee of the whole, the bill shall again be read a second time, and considered as in committee of the whole, and the question for its engrossment and third read. ing again put.

XXIII. In filling blanks, the largest sum and longest time shall be first put.

XXIV. When the House is equally dvided, in such case the question shall be lost.

XXV. When a motion or 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 re-consideration thereof, on the same or succeeding day.

XXVI. All acts, addresses, and resolutions, shall be signed by the Speaker, and all writs, warrants, and subpoenas, issued by or

der of the House, shall be under his hand and seal, and attested by the clerk.

XXVII. Petitions, memorials, and other papers, addressed to the House, shall be presented by any member in his place: a brief statement of the contents thereof shall be made verbally by the member introducing the same: and shall not be debated or deci. ded on the day of their being first read, unless where the House shall direct otherwise; but shall lie on the table (to be taken up in the order they were read) or referred on motion, to a committee. XXVIII. It shall be in order for the committee on enrolled bills. to report at any time.

XXIX. After an examination and report, each bill shall be certified by the clerk, and by him transmitted to the Council: the day of transmission shall be entered on the Journal.

XXX. A chief clerk, and assistant clerk, and three transcribing clerks shall be appointed by ballot, to hold their places during the pleasure of the House. They shall take an oath for the true and faithful discharge of thir respective duties in office.

The chief

clerk, with the aid of his assistant, shall keep a correct journal of the daily proceedings; shall keep a calender of the order of business, and perform other duties appertaining to his office under the direction of the Speaker. He shall let no journal, records, ac. counts, or papers be taken from the table or out of his custody, other than by the regular mode of business of the House; and if any papers in his charge shall be missing, he shall make report to the Speaker, that it may be inquired into. The transcribing clerks shall record the journal of proceedings, engross, enrol, transcribe, and copy bills and resolutions, and generally perform the duties of transcribing clerks, under the direction of the clerk of the House.

XXXI. A serjeant-at-arms, door-keeper, assistant door-keeper, and messenger, shall be appointed by ballot, to hold their offices. during the pleasure of the House, whose duty it shall be to attend the House during its sitting, and to execute the commands of the Speaker and the House. They shall take an oath truly and faithfully to discharge their respective duties in office.

XXXII. When a message shall be sent from the Governor to the House, it shall be communicated to the chair, by the person by whom it may be sent.

XXXIII. No person shall be elected to any office created by these rules, unless he shall receive a majority of the whole number of votes given by the members of the House.

XXXIV. No member or officer of the House shall be permitted to read the newspapers within the bar of the House, while the House is in session.

XXXV. The Speaker of the House is authorized and required. to administer all oaths prescribed by these rules.

XXXVI. Every resolution read (by the Clerk) by direction of a member shall be considered to be before the House. And the question to adopt or reject, may be immediately put on such reso lution, unless upon motion of a member, the same be laid on the table.

XXXVII. It shall be competent for any member, when a question is taken, to call for the ayes and noes, which shall be recorded by the c'erk.

XXXVIII. No standing rule or order of the House shall be rescinded or changed, without one day's notice being given of the motion therefor. Nor shall any rule be suspended except by a vote of at least two-thirds of the members present. Nor shall the order of business, as established by the rules of the House, be postponed or changed except by a vote of at least two-thirds of the members present.

XXXIX. All bills brought into the House by any member or committee, shall be endorsed with the name of the member or committe, bringing in the same.

XL. When a member is called to order, he shall sit down until the Speaker shall have determined whether he is in order or not, and every question of order shall be decided by the Speaker, subject to an appeal to the House by any two members; and if a mem ber be called to order for words spoken, the exceptionable words shall be immediately taken down in writing, that the Speaker and House may be better enabled to judge of the matter.