RULE XII.

The Speaker, when addressed by a Member who rises in order, shall name the Member, using no title but that of "Mr." The Member who shall rise first in order, shall be first heard, and if several rise about the same time, the Speaker shall decide who was first up.

RULE XIII.

No Member shall speak more than twice to the same question, without leave of the House, except merely to explain his meaning, even if the debate on the question, should be continued for many days.

RULE XIV.

If any Member shall absent himself without leave, he may be sent for, and made to pay expenses, and kept in custody, at the discretion of the House.

RULE XV.

Upon a call of the House being ordered, the Clerk shall call the roll of Members, and note the absentees; the names of the absentees shall then be called over at such intervals, and as often, as the House may direct; proclamation may be made, and messengers sent to require the attendance of Members; and if the House shall not dispense with further proceedings, the doors may be closed; absentees, (for whom no sufficient excuse is made,) may be taken into custody as they appear, or they may be sent for and taken into custody wherever to be found, and each detained in custody, and made to pay fees, at the discretion of the House.

RULE XVI.

The fees of the regular Messenger, or of any special Messenger, to be appointed by the House, shall be two dollars for any arrest; for each day's custody and releasement, one dollar; for travelling expenses, going and returning, ten cents a mile.

RULE XVII.

All Committees shall be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise specially directed by the House; in which case, they shall be appointed by ballot.

RULE XVIII.

As soon as practicable, after the first meeting of the Legislature, succeeding a general Election, Twenty-three Standing Committees shall be appointed, to serve until the next general Election, or until a special order to the contrary be made by the House, to wit:

A Committee on Privileges and Elections, to consist of members who re

ceived the highest number of votes in their several Districts and Parishes; one from every Congressional District in the State, and so many others as will make eleven in the whole.

A Committee of Ways and Means; to consist of nine Members.

A Committee on Federal Relations;

A Committee on the Judiciary;

A Committee on Claims;

A Committee on the Military;

A Committee on Roads, Bridges and Ferries;

A Committee on Public Buildings;

A Committee on Incorporations;

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A Committee on Internal Improvements;

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A Committee on Education;

A Committee on Accounts;

A Committee on Colored Population;

A Committee on District Offices and Officers;

A Committee on Agriculture;

A Committee on the Public Printing; to consist of seven Members.
A Medical Committee;

A Committee on Vacant Offices;

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A Committee on Engrossed Acts; to consist of five Members.
A Committee on the Legislative Library; "

RULE XIX.

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Any Member appointed to serve on a Committee, may be excused by the House, and he shall be entitled to claim his excuse, if he be at the time of his appointment, a member of three other Committees.

RULE XX.

After a Committee has been appointed, no addition to it, or change shall be made, on motion, except to fill a vacancy, or excuse a Member.

RULE XXI.

No Member shall be appointed of a Committee, before he shall have been sworn, and have taken his seat. Any Member who shall be sworn after the general announcement of the Committees, shall, within a few days afterwards, be placed by the Speaker on one or more standing Committees, even although the number of the Committee should thereby be extended beyond the regular number.

RULE XXII.

A majority of a Committee shall, when assembled, constitute a quorum for

business. If the Members fail, to the probable delay or neglect of business, to form a quorum, upon the summon of the Chairman, or if individual Members frequently fail to attend the meetings of the Committee, the Chairman shall report the delinquency to the House, which shall, in its discretion, take order for the censure of the delinquents, or other suitable proceeding.

RULE XXIII.

No Committee, without special leave, shall sit during the sitting of the House, except that the Committee on Engrossed Acts, and any Committee of Conference, may sit at any time, and may report at any time when a Message might be received. All Committees shall have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

RULE XXIV.

If, upon a question taken by acclamation, the Speaker doubts, or a division be called for, the House shall divide, by those in the affirmative first rising from their seats-then those in the negative. If the Speaker still doubts, or a count be required, the Speaker shall name one Member from each side, to tell the numbers in the affirmative, and those in the negative, and from their report, shall state the decision.

RULE XXV.

Upon any question, at the request of any seven Members, who may signify their request by rising, the ayes and noes shall be ordered; whereupon, at the decision, the Clerk shall call the roll and take the names of all who vote aye, and of all who vote no, which he shall enter on the Journals, and cause to be printed in any Gazette in this State.

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When a question is to be taken by ayes and noes, after the House is ready for the question, and the same has been stated, and the first response has been made to the Clerk's call, the debate shall cease, the door-keeper shall close the door, and keep it closed until the decision shall have been announced by the Speaker. After the door has been thus closed, no Member, when called by the Clerk, shall say more than “aye” or Every Member who may be in the House, when called, shall (unless the House shall have before excused him, or shall afterwards excuse him from voting on the question,) give his vote, under the penalty of such proceeding as the House may, after the decision, in its discretion, adopt to punish his contempt. No Member shall, under any circumstances, be permitted to vote after the decision shall have been announced by the Chair. After the decision of the question, a Member absent, may be permitted to record the vote he would have given if present, bufsuch vote shall not affect the previous decision.

RULE XXVII.

No Member shall vote on any question of a private nature, in the event of which he is directly interested.

RULE XXVIII.

The Speaker shall vote in all cases, (except when he may be directly interested, or shall be excused,) his name being called last in the ayes and noes. If with his vote, the House be equally divided, the question shall be decided in the negative.

RULE XXIX.

No motion shall be debated, until it shall have been seconded, and stated by the Speaker. When moved and seconded, any motion shall, if desired by the Speaker, or any other Member, be reduced to writing, and delivered in at the table and read, before it shall be debated.

RULE XXX.

No Member shall, in a speech, or on other occasion, read in his place, any book or paper, (except a report or resolution he is submitting,) if objection be made, without leave of the House, which must be asked without debate. When the reading of any book or paper from the, desk is called for, and objection made, the question shall be determined by the House, without debate.

RULE XXXI.

The mover may withdraw any question or proposition, before amendment or decision.

RULE XXXII.

One day's notice, at least, shall be given by a Member, of his intention to ask leave to introduce a bill, and upon the motion for leave to introduce, being seconded, after the notice, the mover may be heard as to the nature and merits of his proposition, but no other debate on the question of leave shall be allowed.

RULE XXXIII.

Every bill, before presentation, shall have its title endorsed; every report, its title at length; every petition, memorial, or other paper, its prayer or substance: and in every instance, the name of the member presenting any paper shall be endorsed, and the paper, shall be presented by the member to the Speaker, at the desk.

RULE XXXIV.

When any motion or proposition shall be made, before any debate dr order on the subject, the Speaker at his pleasure may, or upon the demand of any Member shall, put the question, "Will the House now receive this?" which question shall be decided without debate; and if it be decided in the negative, the matter shall be as if not presented, and shall not again be presented that day. If no such question be put, the matter, if in order, shall be received without question. In like manner, upon any petition, or other pa per, the question of receiving may be made, but otherwise it shall be received and disposed of.

A question before the House shall be suspended by-1, a Message; 2, a Report of the Committee on Engrossed Acts; 3, a Report of a Committee of Conference; 4, question of order; 5, a question of privilege; 6, a question of taking a recess; 7, any other incidental question, such as of reading papers, dividing a question, withdrawing a motion, excusing a member from voting, or the like; of which, the six first named may suspend even a speech, provided that the sixth, if once negatived, be not received during the same speech, without the assent of the Member speaking.

RULE XXXVI.

When a question is under debate, no motion (besides those mentioned in the next preceding rule,) shall be received, except-1, to adjourn; 2, to proceed to the orders of the day; 3, to lay on the table; 4, to postpone indefinitely, or to a day beyond the session; 5, to adjourn the debate to a day certain within the session; 6, to commit or re-commit; 7, to amend; which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are here arranged; and of these the first and second may be permitted to interrupt a speech, subject to the provisions contained in subsequent rules.*

RULE XXXVII.

A motion to strike out the enacting words of a bill, or resolving words of a resolution, shall have precedence of a motion to amend, and if carried, shall be considered as equivalent to rejection.

RULE XXXVIII.

In filling a blank with any number or date, the largest number, and shortest date proposed, shall be first put.

RULE XXXIX.

When a motion to refer shall be made, and different Committees be

*See Rules 43-42.