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motion, upon which the vote was taken, shall have gone out of the possession of the Senate, announcing their decision; nor shall any motion for reconsideration be in order, unless made on the same day on which the vote was taken, or within the two next days of actual session of the Senate thereafter.

21. When the Senate are equally divided, the Secretary shall take the decision of the President.

22. All questions shall be put by the President of the Senate, either in the presence or absence of the President of of the United States, and the Senators shall signify their assent or dissent, by answering, ay or no.

23. The Vice President, or President of the Senate pro tempore, shall have the right to name a member to perform the duties of the Chair; but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment.

24. After the journal is read, the President shall first call for petitions, and then for reports from standing committees; and every petition or memorial, or other paper, shall be referred of course, without putting a question for that purpose, unless the reference is objected to by a member at the time such petition, memorial, or other paper, is presented. And before any petition or memorial, addressed to the Senate, shall be received and read at the table, whether the same shall be introduced by the President or a member, a brief statement of the contents of the petition or memorial shall verbally be made by the introducer.

25. One day's notice, at least, shall be given of an intended motion for leave to bring in a bill; and all bills reported by a committee, shall, after the first reading, be printed for the use of the Senate: but no other paper or document shall be printed for the use of the Senate, without special order.

26. Every bill shall receive three readings previous to its being passed; and the President shall give notice at each, whether it be the first, second, or third; which readings shall be on three different days, unless the Senate unanimously di

rect otherwise. And all resolutions proposing amendments to the Constitution, or to which the approbation and signature of the President may be requisite, or which may grant money out of the contingent or any other fund, shall be treated, in all respects, in the introduction and form of proceedings on them, in the Senate, in a similar manner with bills: and all other resolutions shall lie on the table one day for consideration, and also reports of committees.

27. No bill shall be committed or amended until it shall have been twice read, after which it may be referred to a committee.

28. All bills on a second reading shall first be considered by the Senate in the same manner as if the Senate were in committee of the whole, before they shall be taken up and proceeded on by the Senate agreeably to the standing rules, unless otherwise ordered. And when the Senate shall consider a treaty, bill, or resolution, as in committee of the whole, the Vice President, or President pro tempore, may call a member to fill the chair, during the time the Senate shall remain in committee of the whole: and the chairman so called shall, during such time, have the powers of a President pro tempore.

29. The final question, upon the second reading of every bill, resolution, constitutional amendment, or motion, originating in the Senate, and requiring three readings previous to being passed, shall be, "Whether it shall be engrossed and read a third time?" and no amendment shall be received for discussion at the third reading of any bill, resolution, amendment, or motion, unless by unanimous consent of the members present: but it shall at all times be in order, before the final passage of any such bill, resolution, constitutional amendment, or motion, to move its commitment; and should such commitment take place, and any amendment be reported by the committee, the said bill, resolution, constitutional amendment, or motion, shall be again read a second time, and considered as in committee of the whole, and then the aforesaid question shall be again put.

30. The special orders of the day shall not be called by the Chair before one o'clock, unless otherwise directed by the Senate.

31. The titles of bills, and such parts thereof only as shall be affected by proposed amendments, shall be inserted on the journals.

32. The proceedings of the Senate, when not acting as in committee of the whole, shall be entered on the journal as concisely as possible, care being taken to detail a true and accurate account of the proceedings: but every vote of the Senate shall be entered on the journal, and a brief statement of the contents of each petition, memorial, or paper, presented to the Senate, shall also be inserted on the journal.

33. The following Standing Committees, to consist of five members each, shall be appointed at the commencement of each session, with leave to report by bill or otherwise: A Committee on Foreign Relations.

A Committee on Finance.

A Committee on Commerce.

A Committee on Manufactures.

A Committee on Agriculture.
A Committee on Military Affairs.
A Committee on the Militia.

A Committee on Naval Affairs.

A Committee on Public Lands.

A Committee on Private Land Claims.

A Committee on Indian Affairs.

A Committee of Claims.

A Committee on Revolutionary Claims.

A Committee on the Judiciary.

A Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

A Committee on Roads and Canals.

A Committee on Pensions.

A Committee on the District of Columbia.

A Committee on Patents and the Patent Office.

A Committee of three members, whose duty it shall be to audit and control the contingent expenses of the Senate.

And a Committee, consisting of three members, whose duty it shall be to examine all bills, amendments, resolutions, or motions, before they go out of possession of the Senate, and shall deliver the same to the Secretary of the Senate, who shall enter upon the journal that the same have been correctly engrossed.

34. In the appointment of the Standing Committees the Senate will proceed by ballot, severally to appoint the chairman of each committee, and then, by one ballot, the other members necessary to complete the same; and a majority of the whole number of votes given, shall be necessary to the choice of a chairman of a standing committee. All other committees shall be appointed by ballot, and a plurality of votes shall make a choice. When any subject or matter shall have been referred to a committee, any other subject or matter of a similar nature, may, on motion, be referred to such committee.

35. When motions are made for reference of the same subject to a select committee, and to a standing committee, the question on reference to the standing committee shall be first put.

36. When nominations shall be made in writing by the President of the United States to the Senate, a future day shall be assigned, unless the Senate unanimously direct otherwise, for taking them into consideration. When the President of the United States shall meet the Senate in the Senate Chamber, the President of the Senate shall have a chair on the floor, be considered as the head of the Senate, and his chair shall be assigned to the President of the United States. When the Senate shall be convened by the President of the United States to any other place, the President of the Senate and Senators shall attend at the place appointed. The Secretary of the Senate shall also attend to take the minutes of the Senate.

37. Whenever a treaty shall be laid before the Senate for ratification, it shall be read a first time for information only;

when no motion to reject, ratify, or modify the whole, or any part, shall be received. Its second reading shall be for consideration, and on a subsequent day; when it shall be taken up as in committee of the whole, and every one shall be free to move a question on any particular article, in this form: "Will the Senate advise and consent to the ratification of this article?" or to propose amendments thereto, either by inserting or by leaving out words; in which last case, the question shall be, "Shall these words stand as part of the article?" And in every of the said cases, the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senators present shall be requisite to decide affirmatively. And when through the whole, the proceedings shall be stated to the House, and questions shall be again severally put thereon for confirmation, or new ones proposed, requiring, in like manner, a concurrence of two-thirds, for whatever is retained or inserted; the votes so confirmed shall, by the House, or a committee thereof, be reduced into the form of a ratification, with or without modifications, as may have been decided, and shall be proposed on a subsequent day, when every one shall again be free to move amendments, either by inserting or leaving out words; in which last case, the question shall be, " Shall these words stand as part of the resolution?" And in both cases, the concurrence of two-thirds shall be requisite to carry the affirmative, as well as, on the final question, to advise and consent to the ratification in the form agreed to.

38. All confidential communications, made by the President of the United States to the Senate, shall be by the members thereof kept secret; and all treaties which may be laid before the Senate shall also be kept secret, until the Senate shall, by their resolution, take off the injunction of secrecy.

39. All information or remarks, touching or concerning the character or qualifications of any person nominated by the President to office, shall be kept secret.

40. When acting on confidential or executive business, the Senate shall be cleared of all persons, except the Secretary,

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