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17

THE RULE

OF THE

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

ADOPTED DECEMBER, 1838.

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RULE I.

At the hour to which the House shall have been adjourned, on any day, the Clerk shall call the roll; and immediately thereafter, the Speaker shall take the Chair, and call the Members to order. If a quorum be present, the Journal of Proceedings of the day preceding, shall be read, and corrected, if necessary. If a quorum, then, or at any other time, be not present, the Members present, if twenty or more, may send for the absent Members; and all questions as to expenses, or further proceedings against such absent Memhers, shall be determined when a quorum shall be present.

RULE II.

When the House is called to order, every Member shall take his seat, and shall, during the sitting, act with the decorum becoming a gentleman. The Members may keep on their hats while actually sitting in their respective seats, but at all other times, they shall be uncovered, (except such as shall be conscientiously restrained from uncovering their heads.)

RULE III.

The hour to which the House shall stand adjourned, every day, shall be 10 'clock, A. M. of the succeeding day, (except the Sabbath,) unless otherwise ordered by the House.

RULE IV.

The Speaker shall preserve order and decorum; if any Member, in speak. ing or otherwise, transgress the Rules of the House, or Parliamentary Law, as practised or recognized by the House, the Speaker shall, or any Member may, call him to order.

RULE V.

If a Member be called to order, while speaking, he shall immediately take his seat, until the question of order be decided, unless allowed to proceed upon explanation. If the decision be in favor of the Member, he shall proceed; otherwise, he shall not proceed without leave of the House, and if the case require it, he shall be liable to such other proceedings as the House may take.

RULE VI.

If one Member on the floor call another to order, for words spoken, the exceptionable words shall be taken down in writing, by the Member objecting, then read, admitted, denied, or explained, by the Member who spoke, and handed to the Chair; upon which, the question of order shall be decided, and proceedings had, as provided in the 5th Rule.

RULE VII.

If in any matter, repeated cries of order shall not produce order, the Speaker may call, by his name, any Member obstinately persisting in irregularity; whereupon, if the Speaker deem it necessary, he shall state the offence committed; the Member may be heard in his exculpation, and shall withdraw, and the House shall consider of the punishment to be inflicted, or farther proceedings to be had.

RULE VIII.

In case of any disturbance, or disorderly conduct, in the gallery or lobby, the Speaker, or Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, shall have power to order the place to be cleared; or any member may move for such order: and any person guilty of a contempt of the House, may be ordered into custody by the House, and dealt with as may by it be deemed proper.

RULE IX.

All questions of order, shall be determined by the Speaker, in the first instance, without debate, or with such debate as the Speaker, at his discretion, may permit; but any Member may appeal to the House, from the decision of the Speaker, on which appeal, no Member shall speak more than once, without leave of the House.

-RULE X.

The Speaker may give information, or explain any matter before the House; he may speak on points of order, in preference to other Members, and as often as he may deem necessary; but he shall not enter into other debate, or endeavor to influence any question before the House.

RULE XI.

Every Member, when about to speak, shall rise from his seat, and respectfully address himself to "Mr. Speaker;" and in speaking, shall avoid disrespect to the House, or to the Senate, and all personalities; and he shall confine himself to the question under consideration.

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