STANDING RuLES AND ORDERS FoR CONDUCTING Busr~i-:ss IN THE CONVENTION OF TEXAS. Touching t/1c duty ofthe President. 1st. He shnll tnke the chair every day precisely at the hour to which the house shall have adjourned on the preceding day; shall immediately call the members to order; and, on the appearance of a quorum, shall cause the journal of the preceding day to be read. 2nd. He shall preserve order.and decorum; 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 ap- peal to the house by any two members; on which appeal, no mem- ber shall speak more than once, unless by leuve of the house. 3d. He shall rise to put a question, but may state it sitting. 4th. Questions shall be distinctly put in this form, to wit: "As many as are of opinion that (as the question ma_y be) say Ay," and after the affirmative voice is expressed, "As many as are of the contrary opinion, say No." If the President doubts, or a divi- sion be called for. the house shall divide: those in the affirmative of the question shall first rise from their seats, and afterwarda, those in the negative. If the speaker still doubts, or a count be required, the President 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. · 5th. When any motion or proposition is made, the question, "will the house now consider it?" shall not be put, unless it is demanded by some member, or is deemed necessary by thC' Presi- dent. 6th. The President shall examine and correct the journal before it is read. Ile shall have the general direction of the hall. He shall have the right to name any member to perform the duties of the chair, but such substitution shall not extend beyond an ad- journment. 7th. All committees shall be appointed by the President, unless otherwise specially directed by the house, in which case they shall be appointed by ballot; and if, upon such ballot, the number re- quired shall not be-elected by a majority of the votes given, the house shnll proceed to a second ballot, in which n plurality of votes :;hall prevail; nncl, in case n greater number than is required to compose or complete a committee, shall h:wc an equal number of votes, the house shall proceed to a further ballot or ballots. 8th. In all other cases of ballot than for committees, a mA- iority of the votes given shall be necessary to an election; aud
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