ORDER OF THE DAY.
Rule 12. The Order of the Day shall not
be so fixed in point of time as to exclude the
business of the Convention in the order and
divisions prescribed under these Rules, but
shall be fixed so that one hour, at least, from
the time of the meeting of the Convention shall
precede it for the transaction of other busi-
ness. When the time arrives for the Order
of the Day to be taken up, it shall have pre-
ference over all other business except the un-
finished business in which the Convention was
engaged at the preceding adjournment, under
a previous assignment as the order of the day.
Rule 13. Every subject matter proposed
to be considered in the Convention shall be
introduced by motion for leave, by an order
of the Convention, or on the report of a Com-
mittee, and in either of the two cases first
mentioned, a Committee to prepare the same
shall be appointed, unless the same subject
matter is embraced in the duties assigned to
one or more of the Standing Committees,
Rule 14. Every Committee reporting any
Conventional business for the consideration
of the Convention embracing provisions for
the Constitution, shall submit its reports
(whether in the form of a majority or minor-
ity report) in articles, and without being
accompanied by a written report, assigning
reasons and arguments sustaining the same.
Rule 15. Every report from a Committee
containing articles or sections proposed to be
made a, part of the Constitution, shall receive
three readings in the Convention, on three
different days of the session previous to its
adoption, unless a majority of the members
elected to the Convention otherwise deter-
mine; the first of which reading shall be by
the title only, unless a majority of the Con-
vention shall otherwise order.
Rule 16. Every resolution shall be read on
two several days, with an intermission of one
day at least, during which time it. shall be on
the table for the personal of members, unless
on very urgent occasions, the Convention by
special order, two-thirds of the members pre-
sent agreeing, dispense with the Rule, which
order shall be entered on the Journal.
Rule 17. No resolution shall have a second
reading, or a report a third reading, until
every member in the city who has not been
excused by the Convention for indisposition,
or a necessary attendance on public business,
shall be called upon to attend, if required, by
three members. But calls of the Convention
shall be made if required by seven members,
at any time, when a subject is under consid-
eration.
Rule 18. All resolutions which have been
once read, and are entitled to a second reading,
and all reports which have been once or twice
read, and are entitled to a second or third
reading by the Rules of the Convention, shall
be arranged every morning agreeably to se-
niority by the Secretary, placed on the Presi- |
dent's desk, taken up by him in due order,
the date of their last reading announced, and
read a second or third time, although no
motion for a second or third reading may
have been made.
Rule 19. All reports from Committees con-
taining clauses proposed to be made part of
the Constitution shall be entered on the Jour-
nal, and also printed in form similar to bills.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
Rule 20. The Convention shall be resolved
into a Standing Committee of the Whole, if
required by nine members, which Committee
may originate articles or clauses to be em-
bodied in the Constitution. Reports of Com-
mittees containing clauses proposed to be
embodied in the Constitution on their third
reading, and resolutions on their second
reading shall if required by seven members,
be committed to a Committee of the Whole.
Rule 21. In forming a Committee of the
Whole, the President of the Convention shall
leave his chair, and a Chairman to preside
in Committee shall be appointed by the Pres-
ident.
Rule 22 Upon reports of committees, reso-
lutions or other matters committed to a Com-
mitee of the Whole, the same shall be first
read throughout by the Secretary, and then
again read and considered by clauses.
The body of the report, resolution, or other
matter, shall not be defaced or interlined, but
all amendments noting the page and line shall
be duly entered by the Secretary on separate
paper, as the same shall be agreed to by the
committee, and so reported to Convention.
After report, the report, resolution, or other
matter shall again be subject to be debated
and amended by clauses.
Rule 23. The Secretary shall keep a Journal
of the proceedings which take place in Com-
mittee of the Whole, and the same shall be
printed separately and appended after the
Journal of the proceedings of the day's ses-
sion,
OF DECORUM, DEBATE, &C.
Rule 24. Every member shall take his seat
when the President takes the chair,
Rule 25. No member shall absent himself
from the service of the Convention unless he
have leave, or be sick, or unable to attend.
Rule 26. When a member is about to speak
in debate, or deliver any matter to the Con-
vention, he shall rise from his seat, uncovered,
and respectfully address himself to " Mr.
President.'' He shall confine himself to the
question under debate; shall avoid personality,
and shall use some other distinction than
the proper name of any other member to whom
he may refer in debate.
Rule 27. If two or more members shall rise
to speak at the same time, the President shall
determine which shall speak first, and no
member shall speak more than twice on the
same question; nor more than once, until eve-
ry member choosing to speak shall have spoken. |
