RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. RULE I. DUTIES OF THE SPEAKER. 1. The Speaker shall take the chair on every legislative day precisely at the hour to which the House shall have adjourned at the last sitting, immediately call the members to order, and on the appearance of a quorum, cause the journal of the proceed. ings of the last day's sitting to be read, having previously examined and approved the same. 2. He shall preserve order and decorum, and in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct in the galleries, or in the lobby, may cause the same to be cleared. 3. He shall have general control, except as provided by rule. or law, of the hall of the House, and of the corridors and passages and of the unappropriated rooms in that part of the Capitol assigned to the use of the House until further order. 4. He shall sign all acts, addresses, joint resolutions, writs, warrants, and subpoenas of, or issued by order of, the House, and decide all questions of order subject to an appeal by any member, on which appeal no member shall speak more than once, unless by permission of the House. 5. He shall rise to put a question, but may state it sitting; and shall put questions in this form, to wit: "As many as are in favor (as the question may be) say Ay"; and after the affirmative voice is expressed, "As many as are opposed say No"; if he doubts, or a division is called for, the House shall divide; those in the affirmative of the question shall first rise from their seats, and then those in the negative; if he still doubts, or a count is required by at least one-fifth of a quorum, he shall name one from each side of the question, to tell the mem |