Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/272

254 1833 respecting the fortification and settlement of the northern frontier have been mentioned. I may add that in the spring of that year, Vallejo had made a on. 33. A com. report must be signed by a majority; the dissenting member to give his opinion in writing. 34. Com. may call for any doc. or instructions from territorial archives or offices, except where secrecy is required. 35. A receipt must be given for such doc., and they must be promptly returned. 36. A com. may suspend action on a subject by reporting the reasons, and it will be considered in secret session. 37. A com. keeping an expediente in hand over 15 days must report to the pres. 38. Any member may be present and speak in com. meetings, but without a vote. 39. The chairman of a com., the one first named, will be responsible for all expedientes delivered to him.

Tit. vii. — Discussions. — Art. 40. Every report will have a 1st and 2d reading in different sessions, and discussion will immediately follow the 2d reading. 41. At the hour of discussion there must be read the original motion, the communication that gave rise to it, the com. report, and dissenting vote, if any. 42. The pres. will give the floor to members who ask it en pro ó en contra. 43. A com. report must first be discussed as a whole, and later each article separately. 44. Members to speak alternately for and against in order of asking the floor. 43. Members of the com. and the author of the prop. may speak three times, others only twice. 46. No one can be called to order except through the pres.: (1) when an article of this reg. is infringed; (2) when some person or corporation is insulted. 47. Speaking of faults committed by subordinate functionaries of the dip. is not cause for calling to order; but in case of calumny, the injured party retains his right to do so. 48. No discussion to be suspended except (1) for adjournment; 2) when the dip. may agree to give the preference to another more important subject; (3) for some suspensive motion approved by the dip. 49. Any member may call for the reading of any law or doc. to illustrate the matter under discussion, but not otherwise. 50. After the speeches according to this regl., the pres. will direct the sec. to ask if the question has been sufficiently discussed; it so a vote will be taken; if not, after one member has spoken on each side, the question will be repeated. 51. Discussion being declared sufficient, it shall be asked if the report shall be voted on as a whole; if yes, being approved in general, a discussion of the articles separately will follow; but if it be not approved as a whole, the question shall be to return it to the com. for amendment or not; and if the decision be in the negative, the proposition is to be considered defeated. 52. The discussion on any article being closed, it will be approved by vote, or returned to the com. 53. A report being rejected as a whole or in any of its articles, the dissenting report, if any, is to be discussed. 54. A measure having been approved may be amended by any member in writing before it is entered in the minutes; and the amendment being admitted shall be passed to the com.; otherwise it is to be considered as defeated.

Tit. viii. — Voting. — Art. 55. Voting to be done in one of two ways: (1) by the rising of those who approve, while opponents remain seated; (2) by calling of names. 56. All voting to be decided by an absolute plurality of votes. 57. In case of a tie, a new vote is to be taken after discussion; if there be still a tie, the matter is to be postponed until the next session; and if there be still no decision, it is to be settled by lot. 53. No member can be excused from voting on matters subject to his deliberation.

Tit. ix. — Resolutions. — Art. 59. The resolutions of the dip. shall be officially communicated to the gefe político when absent.

Tit. x. — Ceremonial. — Art. 60. Neither pres. nor members may wear arms at the sess. 61. Members presenting themselves to take the oath after the sess. are opened must be received at the inner door of the hall by two members named by the pres. 62. The dip. when in sess. will attend as a body at religious and political ceremonies.