the appearance of a quorum, shall cause the Journal of the preceding day to be read.

He shall preserve decorum and order; may speak to points of order in preference to other members, rising from his seat for that purpose, and shall decide questions of order, subject to an appeal to the House by any two members.

He shall rise to put a question, but may state it sitting. Questions shall be distinctly put in this form, viz. "As many as are of opinion that (as the question may be) say Aye:" And, after the affirmative voice is expressed"As many as are of a contrary opinion, say No."

If the Speaker doubts, or a division be called for, the House shall divide; those in the affirmative going to the right, and those in the negative to the left of the chair. If the Speaker still doubt, or a count be required, the Speaker shall name two members, one from each side, to tell the numbers in the affirmative; which being reported, he shall then name two others, one from each side, to tell those in the negative; which being also reported, he shall rise and state the decision to the House.

The Speaker shall appoint committees, unless it be determined by the House that the committee shall consist of more than three members, in which case the appointment shall be by ballot of the House.

In all cases of ballot by the House, the Speaker shall vote; in other cases he shall not vote, unless the House be equally divided, or unless his vote, if given to the minority, will make the division equal, and in case of such equal division, the question shall be lost.

When the House adjourns, the members shall keep their seats until the Speaker go forth; and then the members shall follow.

Secondly.-Of Decorum and Debate.

When any member is about to speak in debate, or deliver any matter to the House, he shall rise from his seat, and respectfully address himself to Mr. Speaker.

If any member, in speaking or otherwise, transgress the rules of the House, the Speaker shall, or any member may, call to order; in which case the member called to order, shall immediately sit down, unless permitted to explain, and the House 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 at liberty to proceed; if otherwise, and the case require it, he shall be liable to the censure of the House.

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

No member shall speak more than twice to the same question without leave of the House; nor more than once, until every member choosing to speak, shall have spoken. Whilst the Speaker is putting any question, or addressing the House, none shall walk out of, or across the House; nor either in such case, or when a member is speaking, shall entertain private discourse, or read any printed book or paper; nor whilst a member is speaking, shall pass between him and the chair.

No member shall vote on any question, in the event of which he is immediately and particularly interested; or in any other case where he was not present when the question was put.

Every member who shall be in the House when a question is put, shall vote on the one side or the other, unless the House for special reasons shall excuse him.

When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be stated by the Speaker, or being in writing, it shall be handed to the Chair, and read aloud by the Clerk before debated. Every motion shall be reduced to writing, if the Speaker or any member desire it. After a motion is stated by the Speaker, or read by the Clerk, it shall be deemed to be in possession of the House, but may be withdrawn at any time before a decision or amendment

When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received, unless to amend it, to commit it, for the previous question, or to adjourn.

A motion to adjourn shall be always in order, and shall be decided without debate. The previous question shall be in this form: "Shall the main question be now put?" It shall only be admitted when demanded by five members; and, until it is decided, shall preclude all amendment and further debate of the main question.

On a previous question no member shall speak more than once without leave.

Any member may call for the division of a question, where the sense will admit of it. VOL. I.

A motion for commitment, until it is decided, shall preclude all amendment of the main question.

Motions and reports may be committed at the pleasure of the House.

No new motion or proposition shall be admitted, under color of amendment, as a substitute for the motion or proposition under debate.

Committees consisting of more than three members shall be balloted for by the House; if upon such ballot the number required shall not be elected by a majority of the votes given, the House shall proceed to a second ballot, in which a plurality of votes shall prevail; and in case a greater number than are required to compose or complete the committee shall have an equal number of votes, the House shall proceed to a further ballot or ballots.

In all other cases of ballot than for committees, a majority of the votes given shall be necessary to an election, and where there shall not be such majority on the first ballot, the ballot shall be repeated until a majority be obtained.

In all cases where others than members of the House may be eligible, there shall be a previous nomination.

If a question depending be lost by adjournment of the House, and revived on the succeeding day, no member who has spoken twice on the day preceding shall be permitted again to speak without leave.

Every order, resolution, or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate shall be necessary, shall be read to the House, and laid on the table, on a day preceding that in which the same shall be moved, unless the House shall otherwise expressly allow. Petitions, memorials, and other papers addressed to the House, shall be presented through the Speaker, or by a member in his place, and shall not be debated or decided 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.

Any fifteen members (including the Speaker, if there is one) shall be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members.

Upon calls of the House, or in taking the ayes and noes on any question, the names of the members shall be called alphabetically.

Thirdly. Of Bills.

Every bill shall be introduced by motion for leave, or by an order of the House on the report of a committee, and in either case a committee to prepare the same shall be appointed. In cases of a general nature, one day's notice, at least, shall be given of the motion to bring in a bill; and every such motion may be committed.

Every bill shall receive three several readings in the House previous to its passage; and all bills shall be despatched in order as they were introduced, unless where the House shall direct otherwise; but no bill shall be twice read on the same day without special order of the House.

The first reading of a bill shall be for information, and if opposition be made to it, the question shall be, "Shall the bill be rejected"" If no opposition be made, or the question to reject be negatived, the bill shall go to its second reading without a question. Upon the second reading of a bill, the Speaker shall state it as ready for commitment or engrossment, and if committed, then a question shall be whether to a Select Committee, or to a Committee of the Whole House; if to a Committee of the Whole House, the House shall determine on what day. But if the bill be ordered to be engrossed, the House shall appoint the day when it shall be read the third time. After commitment, and a report thereof to the House, a bill may be re-committed, or at any time before its

passage.

All bills ordered to be engsossed shall be executed in a fair round hand.

The enacting style of bills shall be, "Be it enacted by the Senators and Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled."

When a bill shall pass, it shall be certified by the Clerk, noting the day of its passing at the foot thereof.

No bill amended by the Senate shall be committed.

Fourthly.-Of Committees of the Whole House.

It shall be a standing order of the day, throughout the session, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

In forming a Committtee of the Whole House, the Speaker shall leave his chair, and a Chairman to preside in committee shall be appointed.

Upon bills committed to a Committee of the Whole House, 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 House. After report, the bill shall again be subject to be debated and amended by clauses, before a question to engross it be taken.

All amendments made to an original motion in committee shall be incorporated with the motion, and so reported.

All amendments made to a report committed to a Committee of the Whole, shall be noted and reported as in the case of bills.

All questions, whether in committee or in the House, shall be propounded in the order they were moved, except that, in filling up blanks, the largest sum and longest day shall be first put.

The rules of proceeding in the House shall be observed in committee, so far as they may be applicable, except that limiting the times of speaking."

On motion,

Ordered, That the Chief Justice of the State of New York be requested to attend this House, at the hour of its meeting to-morrow, for the purpose of administering to the Speaker, and other Members of the House, the oath required by the Constitution, in the form agreed to yesterday.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning, eleven o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8.

Two other members, to wit: John Lawrance, from New York, and Thomas Fitzsimons, from Pennsylvania, appeared and took their seats.

The Chief Justice of the State of New York attended, agreeably to the order of yesterday, and administered the oath required by the Constitution, in the form agreed to on Monday last, first to Mr. Speaker in his place, and then to the other Members of the House present, to wit: Fisher Ames, Elias Boudinot, Theodorick Bland, Lambert Cadwallader, George Clymer, Daniel Carroll, Thomas Fitzsimons, Nicholas Gilman, Benjamin Goodhue, Elbridge Gerry, George Gale, Samuel Griffin, Benjamin Huntington, Thomas Hartley, Daniel Heister, George Leonard, Richard Bland Lee, John Lawrance, Peter Muhlenberg, James Madison, junior, Andrew Moore, George Partridge, John Page, Josiah Parker, Jonathan Sturges, Roger Sherman, James Schureman, William Smith, Thomas Scott, George Thatcher, Thomas Tudor Tucker, Henry Wynkoop, and Alexander White.

On motion,

The House, according to the standing order of the day, resolved itself into a Committtee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Page took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Page reported that the committee had, according to order, had the state of the Union under consideration, but had come to no resolution thereupon.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

THURSDAY, APRIL 9.

Two other members, to wit: Egbert Benson, from New York, and Isaac Coles, from Virginia, appeared and took their seats.

Mr. Boudinot reported, from the committee to whom it was referred to prepare such further rules and orders as may be proper to be observed in this House, that the committee had, according to order, prepared the same, and agreed to a report thereupon; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was read.

On motion,

Ordered, That the said report do lie on the table.

Ordered, That Mr. Leonard, of Massachusetts, have leave to be absent from the service of this House until the first Monday in May next, and Mr. Wynkoop, of Pennsylvania, until this day se'nnight.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from Oliver Elsworth, Esquire, a Member of the Senate, stating the appointment of a committee of that House to confer with a committee to be appointed on the part of this House, in preparing a system of rules to

govern the two Houses in cases of conference, and to regulate the appointment of Chaplains; which was read.

On motion,

Ordered, That a committee of five be now appointed, for the purposes expressed in the communication from the Member of the Senate.

The Members elected, Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Tucker, Mr. Madison, and Mr. Bland.

On motion,

The House, according to the standing order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Page took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Page reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the state of the Union under consideration, but had come to no resolution thereupon.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

FRIDAY, APRIL 10.

The House met, and adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11.

A petition of the tradesmen, manufacturers, and others, of the town of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House and read, stating certain matters, and praying an imposition of such duties on all foreign articles which can be made in America, as will give a just and decided preference to the labors of the petitioners, and that there may be granted to them, in common with the other manufacturers and mechanics of the United States, such relief as in the wisdom of Congress may appear proper.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

The House then, according to the standing order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Page took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Page reported that the committee had, according to order, had the state of the Union under consideration, and had come to a resolution thereupon; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was again twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth :

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, that an act ought to pass for regulating the collection of imposts and tonnage in the United States.

Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in, pursuant to the said resolution, and that a committee, to consist of a member from each State present, be appointed to prepare and bring in the same.

The members elected, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Lawrance, Mr. Cadwallader, Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Gale, Mr. Madison, and Mr. Tucker.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Senate, communicating the appointment of a committee of that House, to confer with any committee to be appointed on the part of this House in making the necessary arrangements to receive the President; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. And then the House adjourned until Monday morning eleven o'clock.

MONDAY, APRIL 13.

Several other Members, viz: William Floyd, from New York, Thomas Sinnickson, from New Jersey, Joshua Sency, from Maryland, and Edamus Burke, Dan.el Huger, and William Smith, from South Carolina, appeared and took their seats.

On motion,

Ordered, That Mr. Benson, Mr. Peter Muhlenberg, and Mr. Griffin, be a committee to consider of and report to the House respecting the ceremonial of receiving the President, and that they be authorized to confer with a committee of the Senate for the purpose.

The House proceeded to consider the report from the committee appointed to prepare such further rules and orders of proceeding as may be proper to be observed in this House, which lay on the table, and the said report was read, and is as followeth: “ Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, that the rules and orders following ought to be established as additional standing rules and orders of this House, to wit: I. That any member may excuse himself from serving on any committee, at the time of his appointment, if he is then a member of two other committees.

2. That no member absent himself from the service of the House, unless he have leave, or be sick and unable to attend.

3. Upon a call of the House, for which at least one day's notice shall be requisite, the names of the members shall be called over by the Clerk, and the absentees noted, after which the names of the absentees shall be again called over; the doors shall then be shut, and those for whom no excuses, or insufficient excuses, are made, may, by order of the House, be taken into custody.

4. It shall be the office and duty of a Serjeant-at-Arms, to attend the House during its sitting, to execute the commands of the House, from time to time, and all such process, issued by authority thereof, as shall be directed to him by the Speaker, and either by himself, or special messengers appointed by him, to take and detain in his custody, members or other persons ordered by the House to be taken or committed.

5. A proper symbol of office shall be provided for the Sergeant-at-Arms, of such form and device as the Speaker shall direct, which shall be placed on the Clerk's table during the sitting of the House, but when the House is in committee, shall be placed under the table. The Serjeant-at-Arms shall, moreover, always bear the said symbol when executing the immediate commands of the House, during its sitting, returning the same to the Clerk's table when the service is performed.

6. Every member, or other person, ordered into custody, shall pay to the Serjeantfor every arrest, and for each day's custody and releasement;

at-Arms

also

per mile, for travelling expenses, going and returning, unless the payment thereof shall be remitted by the House.

7. A Standing Committee of Elections shall be appointed, to consist of seven members; it shall be the duty of the said committee to examine and report upon the certificates of election, or other credentials of the members returned to serve in this House, and to take into their consideration all such matters as shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House, touching returns and elections, and to report their proceedings, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

8. The Clerk of the House shall take an oath for the true and faithful discharge of the duties of his office, to the best of his knowledge and abilities.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, that joint rules ought to be estabfished between the two Houses, to provide for the mode of communicating messages, of holding and conducting conferences, and all other cases of proceeding requiring previous mutual agreement."

The first resolution being read a second time, and debated by paragraphs, the first, second, third, seventh, and eighth clauses were, on the question put thereupon, agreed to by this House,

The fourth, fifth, and sixth clauses were severally read a second time, and ordered to be re-committed to the same committee.

The second resolution was read a second time, and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion,

The House proceeded to ballot for a standing Committee of Elections.

The members elected, Mr. Clymer, Mr. Ames, Mr. Benson, Mr. Carroll, Mr. White, Mr. Huntington, and Mr. Gilman.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Honorable John Langdon, a member of the Senate, communicating an instruction to a committee of that House, to report if any, and what, arrangements are necessary for the reception of the Vice President, which was read.

Ordered, That the said letter be referred to the committee appointed to consider of, and report to the House, respecting the ceremonial of receiving the President; and that it be an instruction to the said committee, to report upon the said letter also.

A petition of the shipwrights of the city of Charleston, in the State of South Carolina, was presented to the House and read, stating the distress they are in, from the decline of that branch of business, and the present situation of the trade of the United States, and praying that the wisdom and policy of the National Legislature may be directed to such measures, in a general regulation of trade, and the establishment of a proper navigation act, as will tend to relieve the particular distresses of the petition