XLI. MOTIONS, ETC. No motion shall be debated, until the same be seconded and distinctly announced by the Speaker; and it shall be reduced to writing, if desired by the Speaker or any member, and be read by the Clerk, before the same shall be dcbated. A motion may be withdrawn at any time before amendment or decision. XLII. A motion to adjourn, or to fix the time to which the House will adjourn, shall always be in order, and be decided without debate. The Clerk shall enter on the Journals the name of any member moving an adjournment, and also the hour at which the motion was made. XLIII. When a question is under debate or before the House, no motion shall be re ceived but to adjourn; to 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 in which they are named, but the first three shall be decided without debate. And no motion to postpone to a day certain, to commit, or to postpone indefinitely, being decided, shall again be allowed on the same day and at the same stage of proceedings. A motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill or resolution, if carried, shall be considered equivalent to its rejection. XLIV. The previous question shall be in this form: "Shall the main question be now put ?" and its effect, when sustained by a majority of the members present, shall be, to put an end to all debate, and bring the House to a vote on the question or questions before it. XLV. All incidental questions of order, arising after a motion is made for the previous question, and pending such, shall be decided (whether on appeal or otherwise) without debate. XLVI. The previous question shall only be put when demanded by three members. XLVII. When a question is postponed indefinitely, the same shall not again be introduced during the session. XLVIII. Any member may call for a division of the question, which shall be divided if it comprehend propositions in substance so distinct that one being taken away, a substantive proposition shall remain for the decision of the House. A motion to strike out, being lost, shall preclude neither amendment, nor a motion to strike out and insert. XLIX. No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted as an amendment. No bll or resolution shall at any time be amended by annexing thereto, or incorporating therewith, any other bill or resolution pending before the House. L. A proposition to print an extra number of any document, or other matter, shall lie on the table one day for consideration, unless otherwise ordered by unanimous consent of the House. LI. No bill or other matter shall be printed without first being specially ordered by the House, and the Sergeant-at-Arms shall be required to certify to the reception by the House of all such printed matter and the quantity, before payment shall be made, or bills audited. LII. Maps accompanying documents shall not be printed under the general order to print, without the special direction of the House. LIII. In filling up blanks, the least sum and shortest shall be first put. LIV. All questions relating to the priority of business shall be decided without debate. LV. When the reading of a paper is called for, except petitions, and the same is objected to by any member, it shall be determined by a vote of the House without debate. LVI. When a question on a motion, or on the final reading or passage of a bill or resolution, shall have been decided in the affirmative or in the negative, it shall be in order for any member of the majority to move for a re-consideration thereof on the same day, or by giving notice of such intention, on the succeeding day; and after such notice being given, it shall not be in order for any member to move a re-consideration on the day on which such motion or question shall have been decided; and such motion shall take precedence of all other questions, except a motion to adjourn. LVII. In all cases of election by the House, the vote shall be taken vive voce. LVIII. The ayes and noes shall be taken when called for by three members present, and every member within the bar of the House, when his name is called, shall (unless for special reasons he be excused) declare openly and without debate his vote. In taking the ayes snd noes, and upon call of the House, the names of the members shall be taken alphabetically, and the Clerk shall enter on the Journals the names of those demanding the ayes and noes. LIX. No member or other person shall remain by the Clerk's table while the ayes and noes are being called, or while the votes are being counted. LX. No member shall vote on any question, in the result of which he is personally interested or involved. LXI. Upon a division and count of the House on any question, no person without the bar shall be counted. LXII. No member shall be allowed to explain his vote, or discuss the question, while the ayes and noes are being called; and no member shall be allowed to change his vote, after the vote is announced from the Chair. LXIII. CALL OF HOUSE. Upon a call of the House, the names of the members shall be called over by the Clerk, and the absentees noted; after which the names of the absentees shall again be called over. The doors shall then be shut, and those for whom no excuse, or insufficient excuses are made, may, by order of those present, be taken into custody as they appear, or may be sent for and taken into custody by the Sergeant-at-Arms, wherever to be found, or by special messenger to be appointed for that purpose. LXIV. MISCELLANEOUS. No standing rule or order of the House shall be rescinded or changed without a vote of two-thirds, and one day's notice being given of the motion therefor; but a rule or order may be suspended temporarily, by a vote of two-thirds of the members present. LXV. No member shall absent himself from the service of the House without the leave of the House, except in case of sickness; and if any member or officer of the House absent himself without leave, his per diem shall not be allowed him; but no member shall obtain leave of absence, or be excused, without a vote of two-thirds of the House. LXVI. No persons except Senators, State Officers and ladies, shall be admitted within the Bar of the House, except by special invitation on the part of some member; but a majority may authorize the Speaker to have the House cleared of all such persons. LXVII. No smoking shall be allowed within the Assembly Chamber during the session of the House. LXVIII. The rules of parliamentary practice contained in Jefferson's Manual, shall govern the House in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the standing rules and orders of the House, and the joint rules of the Senate and House of Assembly. LXIX. The Assembly Room shall not be used for any public or private business other than legislative, except by permission of the House. LXX. Witnesses summoned to appear before the House, or any of its committees shall be paid as follows: For each day a witness shall attend, the sum of two dollars. For each mile he shall travel in coming to and going from the place of examination, the sum of twenty-five cents; but nothing shall be paid for traveling home, when the witness has been summoned at the place of trial. No mileage shall be paid except where the witness has actually traveled for the purpose of giving testimony. LXXI. It shall be in order for any member or members to protest against the action of the House, and have such protest entered upon the minutes. Mr. Taylor moved to lay the report upon the table, and that two hundred copies be ordered printed. Lost. Mr. Rhodes moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the report of the Com mittee on Rules was adopted. Carried. Mr. Rhodes moved that the Rules be read and adopted separately. Lost. Mr. George moved that the Clerk proceed to read the Rules, and that where no objection was made, they should be considered as adopted. Agreed to. Mr. Beatty moved to strike out the third Rule. The Speaker decided the motion out of order. Mr. Taliaferro moved that the House resolve itself into Committee of the Whole. Carried. House in Committee of the Whole, Mr. Taylor in the chair. The Committee considered the report, made some amendments, reported the same back to the House and asked to be discharged. Speaker in the chair. On motion of Mr. Rhodes the report was adopted as a whole. On motion of Mr. Van Dusen, two hundred and forty copies were ordered printed. The following message was received from the Senate: Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform the Assembly that the Board of Examiners of War Claims have submitted a duplicate report, which is deposited, by the order of the Senate, with the Secretary of the Senate, subject to the examination of the Assembly at pleasure. Respectfully, Jan. 11, 1856. W. BAUSMAN, |