RULES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THB CONFEDERATE STATES. RICHMOND; ENQUIRER BOOK AND JOB PRESS TTLRR, WiaK, At. LBOKK 1..VD SMITH. 1862. RrLES FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES. RICH M N D : EiXQUIRER BOOK AND JOB PRESS. TYLER, -rt 1 3 K , A I. L E R E A -V D SMITH. i 8 G 2 . RULES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. RULE I. The Speaker shall take the Chair every day pre- cisely at the hour to which the House shall have ad- journed on the preceding day ; shall immediately call the House to order : and a quorum being present, shall cause the Journal of the preceding day to be read. Any mistakes in the entries shall, upon mo- tion then be corrected. RULE II. 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 de- cide questions of order subject to an appeal to the House. He shall rise to put a question, but may state it sitting. RULE III. Questions shall be distinctly put in the following form, viz : ''As many as are of opinion that, c^c, (as the question may be,) say Ave" — and after the af- firmative vote is given, ''As many as are of a con- trary opinion say No." If the Speaker doubts, or a division is called for, the House shall divide ; those in the affirmative of the question rising first from their seats, and afterwards those in the negative. RULE IV. The Speaker shall have power to supervise and cor- rect the Journal before it is read. He shall have a general direction of the Hall with power, in case of disturbance or disorderly conduct in such part thereof as may be appropriated to spectators, to have the same cleared. He shall have power likewise to name any member to perform temporarily the duties of the Chair, but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment. During such substitution he may participate in the debates. RULE V. All Acts, Addresses and Joint Resolutions shall be signed by the Speaker ; and all Writs, Warrants and Subpoenas, issued by the order of the House, shall be under his hand and seal, attested by the Clerk. RULE VI. The Clerk of the House shall take an oath, to be administered by the Speaker, to support the Consti- tution of the Confederate States, and for the true and faithful discharge of the duties of his office to the best of his knowledge and abilities ; and also to keep the secrets of the House. And he shall be deemed to continue in office until his successor is ap- pointed, unless sooner dismissed therefrom. It shall be his duty to keep and preserve all records and other papers introduced and submitted to the con- sideration of the House ; to furnish to the Chairman of each Committee a list of the members thereof, and from time to time, such papers as may be referred to it, and a copy of all orders of instruction given by the House to such Committee. And in all things he shall perform his duty as Clerk, under the direction of the Speaker. RULE vir. The Doorkeeper shall take the «ame oath with the Clerk, shall have the same tenure of office, and shall in like manner discharge the duties assigned him by the House, under the direction of the Speaker. RULE VIII. When a member rises to speak he shall respect- fully address, **Mr. Speaker," standing in his place ; he shall confine himself strictly to the question be- fore the House, and when he has finished he shall sit down. RULE IX. In any one debate on the same question, no mem- ber shall speak more than once, till all others have spoken, who desire to do so, nor more than twice without the consent of a majority of the members present. RULE X. When two or more members rise at the same time. the Speaker shall name the person to speak, but in all cases the member who shall first rise and address the Chair, shall speak first. RULE XI. No member shall, in debate, use any language re- flecting injuriously upon the character, motives, hon- or or integrity of any other member. RULE XII. No member shall speak to another, or otherwise interrupt the business of the House, while the Jour- nal or public papers are being read, or while any member is speaking in debate, or during the call of the roll. RULE XIII. If any member, in speaking, 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 take his scat, unless per- mitted to explain, and the House, if appealed to, shall decide the case without debate. If there be- no appeal, the decision of the Chair shall be sub- mitted to. If the decision be in fiivor of the mem- ber called to order, he shall be at liberty to proceed ; if otherwise, he shall not proceed, except by leave of the House. For flagrant or repeated violations of order, especially if persisted in after the admonition of the Speaker, a member shall be liable to the cen- sure of the House. RULE XIV. If any member be called to order by another- member, for words spoken, the words excepted to shall be immediately taken down in writing, in or- der that the Speaker and the House may be better able to judge the matter. RULE XV. Every member who shall be in the House when the question is put, shall give his vote, unless the House, for special reasons, shall excuse him. It shall not be in order to ask to be excused after the vote has commenced, nor upon motions to adjourn, to adjourn over and the like. No member shall vote on any question in the event of which he is particularly and immediately interested. RULE XVI. Any member shall have a right to vote at any time before the decision is pronounced by the Chair.. RULE xvn. No member shall absent himself from the service of the House, unless he have leave, or be sick or unable to atcend. RULE XVIII. Any ten members (including the Speaker, if there be one, and he be present,) shall be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members. RULE XI X. Upon the call of the House, the names of the members shall be first called over by the Clerk, and the absentees noted ; after which the names of the absentees shall again be called over; the doors shall. 8 then be shut, and those for whom no excuse, or in- sufRcient excuses are made, may, by order of those present, if ten in number, be taken into custody as they appear, or may be sent for and taken into cus- tody, wherever to be found, by special messengers, to be appointed for that purpose. RULE XX. "When a member shall be discharged from custody, and admitted to his seat, the House shall determine whether such discharge shall be with or without paying fees ; and in like manner, whether a delin- quent member, taken into custody by a special mes- senger, shall or shall not be liable to defray the ex- pense of such special messenger. RULE XXI. Every motion or propos^ition shall be reduced to writing, if desired by the Speaker or any raember, and shall be delivered in at the Clerk's table, to be there read. And the question shall be stated by the Chair before the same shall be debated. RULE XXII. Any motion or proposition may be withdrawn by the mover at any time, before a decision, amend- ment, or other action of the body upon it, except a motion to reconsider, which shall not be withdrawn without leave of the House. RULE xxiii. When a question is under debate, no motion (ex- cept as may be specifically provided for,) shall be 9 received but to adjourn ; to lie on the table ; to post- pone indefinitely ; to postpone to a day certain ; to commit or amend ; which several motions shall have precedence, in the order in which they stand ar- ranged. RULE XXIV. If the question for decision contain several parts, any member may have the same divided, but, on a motion to strike out and insert, it shall not be in or- der to move for a division of the question ; but the rejection of a motion to strike out and insert one proposition shall not prevent a motion to strike out and insert a different proposition, nor prevent a sub- seqent proposition simply to strike out ; nor shall the rejection of a motion simply to strike out, pre- vent a subsequent motion to strike out and insert. RULE XXV. Every joint resolution or bill requiring the signa- ture of the President, shall receive three readings in the House previous to its being passed, the Speaker giving notice at each reading whether it be the first, second, or third. The first reading of a bill or joint resolution shall be for information, and if opposition be made to it, the question shall be propounded " Shall the bill or resolution be re- jected ? " If no objection be made, or if the ques- tion on rejection be decided in the negative, the bill or resolution shall go to a second reading without a question. After second reading, all such matters unless 10 the previous question be ordered, shall, be open to amendment in tlie House, but it shall be in order in that stage of proceedings for any mem- ber to move that the House resolve itself into Committee of the Whole for the purpose of consider- ing it. If the motion to go into Committee of the AYliole shall prevail, the measure shall be taken up for im- mediate consideration, and nothing else shall be in order in said Committee. If the Committee rise before the consideration of the measure shall be con- cluded, the same shall be reported back and have place as unfinished business in the House, but as soon as it shall be again reached in order, unless it be otherwise disposed of, the House shall stand again resolved into Committee of the Whole and so on till the consideration of the measure therein be fully concluded. Whereupon the Committee shall be considered as dissolved and the Chairman shall report the measure back to the House with the recommendation of the Committee, The final question on any matter which shall have been considered in Committee of the Whole or by the House after second reading, shall be ^' Whether it shall be engrossed and read a third time ?" And no amendment shall be received after the en- grossment for a third reading has been ordered. But it shall at all times be in order before the final action on any matter to move its commitment, and 11 should such commitment take place, and any amend- ment be reported by the, Committee, the whole shall be again read a second time, and considered in like manner as if it had not before been engrossed. RULE XXVI. All appropriation bills and bills laying a tax upon the people shall be considered and matured in Commit- tee of the Whole. The mode of proceeding in Com- mittee of the "Whole shall be to read over the bill or other matter at length for information, if desired by any member, and then to read it again by sections or clauses for amendment. The Rules of the House shall be enforced in Committee of the Whole so far as applicable. The question may be called on the pending proposition, but the previous question shall not be ordered in Committee of the Whole. RULE XXVII. A motion to lay any amendment on the table pre- vailing, shall carry with it only the amendment and not the original proposition or matter. And no mo- tion or proposition diiferent from that under consid- eration shall be admitted under color of amendment. RULE XX VI II. After a bill (or other matter) has been ordered to be engrossed, and it has been read a third time, the question shall be, " Shall the bill (or other matter whatever it may be) now pass ?" RULE XXIX. The title of bills and joint resolutions, submitted. 12 to the House, and sucli parts thereof only, as may be affected by proposed amendments shall be inserted on the Journal. RULE XXX. When the previous question is called, the main question shall not be put, unless ordered by two- thirds of the members present ; but upon the call for the question, made by any member, if the same be seconded by a majority of those present, the vote shall be immediately taken on the pending question -^'hatever it may be, without further debate. RULE XXXI. The form of the previous question shall be, " Shall the main question be now put ?" and if ordered, its effect shall be to put an end to all debate, and bring the House to a direct vote, first on the motion to com- mit if pending, then on pending amendments, and then upon the main question. If upon the call for the previous question, the main question be not or- dered, debate shall continue as if the demand had not been made. RULE XXXII. The motion to adjourn, and to fix the time to which the House shall adjourn, shall always be in order. These motions and the motion to lie on the table and the motion to go into Committee of the Whole and for the previous question shall be decided without debate. RULE XXXIII. When the reading of any paper, in possession of 13 the House, and not being the precise matter upon which the House is acting, is called for, and objec- tion is made by any member, the question shall be determined by a vote of the House without debate. RULE XXXIV. The yeas and nays on any question in Committee of the Whole, and in the House may be called for at any time before proceeding to another ques- tion or proposition, but being once refused, they shall not be again demanded on the same question. In taking the yeas and nays the list of members shall be called alphabetically except that the Speaker shall be called last. RULE XXXV. All Committees shall be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise specially directed by the House, in which case they shall be appointed by ballot, and a plurality of votes shall prevail. RULE XXXVI. At the beginning of every Congress, Standing Committees shall be appointed as follows, viz : The following to consist of nine members each, to wit : Elections. Ways and Means. Military Affairs. Foreign Affairs . Naval Aft airs. Judiciary. 14 Commerce. Post Office and Post Roads. Territories and Public Lands. Indian Affairs. Patents. Claims. The following to consist of five members each, to wit: Accounts. Rules and Officers of the House. The following to consist of three members, to "wit : Pay and Mileage. Also, the Joint Committees provided for in the Rules of the two Houses, viz : Committee on Printing to consist of five mem- bers. Committee on Enrolled Bills to consist of three members. Committe on Public Buildings to consist of three members. RULE XXXVII. No Committee shall sit during the sessions of the House, nor employ a clerk at the public expense, without special leave of the House. RULE xxxviir. When the House shall go into Committee of the Whole, the Speaker may vacate the Chair and call some member to preside in Committee. All ques- 15 tions in the House and in Committee of the Whole shall be propounded in the order in which they were moved, if consistent with parliamentary law, except that in filling blanks the longest time, and the largest sum shall first be put. RULE XXXIX. The order of business for the day, after the read- ing of the Journal, shall be as follows : 1. The call of the States, alphabetically, for memorials, bills, resolutions, or other matter which any member may wish to bring before Congress. But all Bills and Joint Resolutions, thus introduced, unless rejected, laid on the table or indefinitely postponed, shall be referred to some committee for examination and report. The committee to be des- ignated by the Speaker unless determined by the House. 2. The call of Committees for reports, in the or- der in which said Committees shall be named in the Rules. When a Committee shall report a Bill, Re- solution or other matter for the consideration of the House, the question first propounded by the Chair shall be: " Shall this Bill (or other matter as the ease may be) be placed on the calendar ? " But pend- ing this question the motion to adjourn ; to lie on the table ; to postpone indefinitely ; to postpone to a day certain, and to commit, shall have precedence in the order in which they stand arranged. 3. The Calendar or regular Orders of the Day 16 shall then he taken up, and every Bill, Resolution,, or other measure shall be disposed of in the order in which it there stands. In calling the States and Committees, and in considering the regular order of business, each day, the unfinished business in each class shall first be considered in that particular class. RULE XL. At least one hour each day shall be set apart for the call of the States and committees, and the Reg- ular Order shall in no event interfere therewith; and Special Orders ehall not do so unless the inten- tion of the House in that respect be clearly ex- pressed. RULE XLI. The rules shall not be suspended, nor any special order made, nor the regular order of business changed, except by a vote of two -thirds of the mem- bers present, but a majority shall have power, at any time, to postpone the particular matter under con- sideration with, a view to take up some other mea- sure. RULE XLII. When a question, has once been made and carried in the affirmative or negative, amotion to reconsider shall be entertained on motion of any member who voted with the prevailing side, provided it be made on the same day on which the vote was taken, or within the two next days of actual session. The motion to reconsider may be entered as a matter of privilege, and its consideration shall take precedence 17 of every thing except special orders and other ques- tions of privilege. RULE XLIII. All questions of order shall be decided by the Speaker without debate, subject to an appeal to the House. If the decision relate to a question of de- corum, or propriety of conduct, it shall not be de- bateable. If it relate to the priority of business, or the relevancy or applicability of propositions, the appeal may be debated, but no member shall speak, on it more than once, except by leave of the House:. RULE XLIV. Whenever any matter is under consideration, a* motion to print shall always be in order, unless cut off by a call for the question or the previous ques- tion, but all motions to print extra copies of any Bill, Report, Message, or other documents, shall be referred to the Committee ouj Printing. RULE XLV. Stenographers and reporters for the press wishing to take down, the proceedings of the House, may be admitted by the Speaker, who shall assign to them such places on the floor as shall not interfere with the convenience of the members when in open ses- sion. RULE XLVI. On motion made and seconded to go into secret session, the Speaker shall forthwith order the Hall to be cleared, and the doors to be closed, but as soon as IS the business for consideration in secret session is disclosed, the question shall be propounded to the House, if demanded by any member, " Shall this matter be considered in secret session ?" If a ma- jority shall vote in the negative, the House shall immediately resume open session, and business shall proceed in order. RULE XLVII. The House being in secret session, the same order of business shall prevail which is prescribed for the House in open session, except that a majority in se- cret session shall have power to change such order and determine what shall first be taken up. RULE XLVIII. Any officer or member of the House of Repre- sentatives convicted of disclosing any matter di- rected by the body to be hold in confidence, shall be liable, if an ofiicer, to dismissal from service, and in case of a member, to suffer expulsion from the body. RULE XLIX. No motion or proposition shall be made to change these rules, unless two days notice of the intention to make such motion or proposition shall first be given, and such motion or proposition shall not be passed unless by a vote of two-thirds of the mem- bers 23resent. RULE L. These shall be the rules of the House of Repre- sentatives until otherwise ordered.