PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS WHEN A QUESTION IS UNDER DEBATE. 11.--When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received but to adjourn; to proceed to the consideration of Executive business; to lie on the table; to postpone indefinitely; to postpone to a day certain; to commit; or to amend; which several motions shall have precedence in the order they stand arranged; and motions to adjourn, to proceed to the consideration of Executive business, and to lie on the table, shall be decided without debate, and motions to take up or proceed to the consideration of any question shall be determined without debate upon the merits of the question proposed to be considered. [16 April, 1789-13 Jan., 1820—14 Feb., 1828-March 25, 1868. DIVISION OF A QUESTION. 12. If the question in debate contain several points, any Senator may have the same divided; but, on a motion to strike out and insert, it shall not be in order 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 subsequent motion simply to strike out; nor shall the rejection of a motion simply to strike out, prevent a subsequent motion to strike out and insert. [16 April, 1789-23 June, 1832-March 25, 1868. FILLING BLANKS. 13.—In filling up blanks, the largest sum and longest time shall be first put. [16 April, 1789-3 Jan., 1820-14 Feb., 1828-March 25, 1868. 14. OBJECTION TO READING A PAPER. When the reading of a paper is called for, and the same is objected to by any Senator, it shall be determined by a vote of the Senate, and without debate. [3 Jan., 1820-14 Feb., 1828-March 25, 1868. UNFINISHED BUSINESS-PRIOR SPECIAL ORDER. 15.—The unfinished business in which the Senate was engaged at the last preceding adjournment shall have the preference in the special orders of the day. [3 Jan., 1820-14 Feb., 1828-March 25, 1868. YEAS AND NAYS. 16. When the yeas and nays shall be called for by one-fifth of the Senators present, each Senator called upon. shall, unless for special reasons he be excused by the Senate. declare openly, and without debate, his assent or dissent to the question. In taking the yeas and nays, and upon a call of the Senate, the names of the Senators shall be called alphabetically. [16 April, 1789-March 25, 1868. 17. When the yeas and nays shall be taken upon any question, in pursuance of the above rule, no Senator shall be permitted, under any circumstances whatever, to vote after the decision is announced from the Chair. [4 April, 1822-14 Feb., 1828-March 25, 1868. CLOSING THE DOORS AND CLEARING THE GALLERY. 18.-On a motion made and seconded to shut the doors of the Senate, on the discussion of any business which may, in the opinion of a Senator, require secrecy, the Presiding Officer shall direct the gallery to be cleared; and during the discussion of such motion the doors shall remain shut. [20 Feb., 1794-March 25, 1868. NO PERSON ADMITTED TO PRESENT PETITION, ETC. 19. No motion shall be deemed in order to admit any person whatsoever within the doors of the Senate. Chamber to present any petition, memorial, or address, or to hear any such read. RECONSIDERATION. [27 April, 1798-March 25, 1868. 20.- -When a question has been made and carried in the affirmative or negative, whether previously reconsidered or not, it shall be in order for any Senator of the majority to move for the reconsideration thereof; but no motion for the reconsideration of any vote shall be in order after the bill, resolution, message, report, amendment, or motion upon which the vote was taken shall have gone out of the possession of the Senate, announcing their decision, except a resolution confirming or rejecting a nomination by the President; 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; but a motion to reconsider a vote upon a nomination shall always, if the resolution announcing the decision of the Senate has been sent to the President, be accompanied by a motion requesting the President to return the same to the Senate. When any question may have been decided by the Senate, in which two-thirds of the Senators present are necessary to carry the affirmative, any Senator who votes on that side which prevailed in the question may be at liberty to move for a reconsideration; and a motion for reconsideration shall be decided by a majority of votes. But no motion to reconsider a vote upon a motion to reconsider shall be in order at any time. [25 Feb., 1790-26 March, 1806-April 6, 1867-March 25, 1868. CASTING VOTE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT. 21.When the Senate are equally divided, the President may announce his vote upon the question. [18 July, 1789-March 25, 1868. QUESTION PUT BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER. 22. All questions shall be put by the Presiding Officer of the Senate, either in the presence or absence of the President of the United States, and the Senators shall signify their assent or dissent, by answering aye or no. [21 Aug., 1789-March 25, 1868. 23. APPOINTMENT OF A SENATOR TO THE CHAIR. The Presiding Officer of the Senate shall have the right to name a Senator to perform the duties of the chair; but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment. [3 Jan., 1820-March 25, 1868. MORNING BUSINESS, PETITIONS, REPORTS, ETC. 24. After the journal is read, the Presiding Officer shall lay before the Senate messages from the President, reports from the Executive Departments, and bills and joint resolutions, or other messages from the House of Representatives. He shall then call for Petitions and memorials; Resolutions; all which shall be received and disposed of in such order, unless unanimous consent shall be otherwise given; 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 Senator 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 Presiding Officer, or a Senator, a brief statement of the contents of the petition or memorial shall verbally be made by the introducer. [18 April, 1789-10 April, 1834-March 25, 1868. NOTICE AND PRINTING OF BILLS, ETC. 25. One day's notice, at least, shall be given of an intended motion for leave to bring in a bill or joint resolu tion; and all bills and joint resolutions reported by a committee shall, after the first reading, be printed for the, use of the Senate, and also all reports of committees. unless otherwise ordered; but no other paper or document shall be printed for the use of the Senate without special order. [16 April, 1789-3 Feb., 1801-3 Jan., 1820-8 April, 1822-14 Feb., 1828-March 25, 1868. JOINT RESOLUTIONS. 26. Every bill and joint resolution shall receive three readings previous to its being passed, and the Presiding Officer shall give notice at each whether it be the first, second, or third; which reading shall be on three different days, unless the Senate unanimously direct 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 proceeding 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. [March 25, 1868. COMMITMENT OF BILLS. 27. No bill or joint resolution shall be committed or amended until it shall have been twice read, after which it may be referred to a committee. [16 April, 1789-March 25, 1868. IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. 28.-All bills and joint resolutions 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 |