4. The House of Commons in parliament choose their presiding officer, who is known as speaker of the house. This choice must be approved by the king. The speaker of the House of Commons cannot give his opinion or argue any question in the house. 5. The House of Representatives in Congress choose their presiding officer, who is known as speaker of the house. The speaker is elected from among the members of the house, and he can give his opinion or argue any question in the house. He is also entitled to vote. 6. The House of Representatives in the several legis latures choose their presiding officer, who is known as speaker of the house. The speaker is elected from among the members of the house, and he can give his opinion or argue any question in the house. He is also entitled to vote. 7. As soon as both houses of Congress and of the legis latures are fully organized by the choice of the several officers, messages are sent by each house to the other, and to the president or governor, informing him that they are organized and ready to proceed to business. The president of the United States then sends his message to both houses of Congress, and the governor sends his message to both houses of the legislature. The president does not appear in person before Congress, nor do the governors appear in person before the legislatures. The messages are read by the clerk of each house. At the opening of 4. Who presides in the House of Commons in parliament? By whom chosen? By whom must this choice be approved? Can the speaker argue any question in the house? 5. Who presides in the House of Representatives in Congress? By whom elected? From what body? Is he allowed to speak and vote? 6. Who presides in the House of Representatives in the State legislatures? By whom elected? From what body? Is he allowed to speak and vote? 7. When both houses are fully organized, what is the next business? What action do the president and the governors then take? Does the president appear in person before Congress? Do the governors appear in parliament, the king, or if a queen be at the head of the government, the queen appears before parliament and delivers a speech in person. CHAPTER XXXIII. METHOD OF MAKING LAWS. 1. THE method of making laws is nearly the same in both houses of parliament, in both houses of Congress, and in both houses of the legislature. In parliament, the acts of the majority bind the whole. The same is true in most cases in Congress and in the State legislatures. There are, however, some exceptions. The constitution of the State of New York declares, that "the assent of two-thirds of the members elected to each branch of the legislature shall be requisite to every bill appropriating the public moneys or property for local or private purposes." 2. At the commencement of each session, each house adopts certain rules by which its proceedings are to be governed. They determine the order of business, the order of debate, what standing committees shall be appointed, etc. The presiding officer appoints the standing committees. 3. Each house is required to keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time to publish the same, ex cept such parts as shall require secrecy. In order to person before the legislatures? By whom are the messages read? Does the king or queen appear in person before parliament ? 1. In what bodies is the method of making laws nearly the same? In what body does the majority bind the whole? Is this the case in other legislative bodies? What special provision is contained in the constitution of New York? 2. At the commencement of each session, what does each house adopt? What do they determine? Who appoints the standing committees? 3. What is each house required to keep? At the opening of the Senate understand the process of legislation more fully, let us notice the proceedings in the Senate of the State of New York on any day of the session. The president of the Senate takes the chair, accompanied by some clergyman, at the hour to which the senate was adjourned, and rapping with the gavel says, "The Senate will now come to order." The clergyman then offers prayer. The journal of the preceding day is read by the clerk. The president asks, "Are there any objections to the journal? If there are none, it stands approved." 4. As soon as the journal is read and approved the president announces, "The next order of business is the presentation of petitions." Before any petition addressed to a legislative body can be received or read, a brief statement of the contents thereof must be indorsed thereon, with the name of the member presenting it. A senator (Mr. Stanton) rises in his place and says, "Mr. President, I present the petition of." There are a number of small boys appointed by the Senate, called pages. One of these pages approaches the senator, receives the petition, and delivers it to the president of the Senate. The president on receiving the petition says, "The senator from the (25th) presents the petition of It is referred to the committee on the judiciary." 5. If a petition or remonstrance be presented in reference to a matter already in the hands of some committee, it is referred to that committee. There are generally about thirty different standing committees, appointed to investigate the different subjects which may be referred to them. who takes the chair? By whom is he usually accompanied? How does he call the Senate to order? What is done immediately after the Senate is called to order? What is the first order of business? What does the president then ask? 4. What does the president then announce? What must be indorsed on every petition before it is presented? How is a petition introduced? By whom is the petition conveyed to the president? What does the president announce to the Senate on receiving the petition? 5. If a petition or remonstrance be presented in reference to a matter already in the hands of a committee, to whom is it referred? About how many standing committees are there in legislative bodies? 6. When all petitions and remonstrances have been presented and referred, the president announces, "The next order of business is the reports of standing committees." A senator (Mr. Babcock) rises in his place and says, “Mr. President, the committee on the judiciary to which was referred the bill entitled, 'An act to exempt from execution the homestead of a householder having a family,' have had the same under consideration, have come to a favorable conclusion thereon, and recommend its passage." The bill is then referred to the committee of the whole. When these committees have reported, the president announces, "The next order of business is reading messages from the executive." The clerk of the senate then proceeds to read: TO THE SENATE: STATE OF NEW YORK, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. I have this day approved and signed the bill entitled, “An act to authorize the Delaware Plankroad Company to change the location of a portion of their road." HAMILTON FISH. The clerk continues to read all other messages from the governor. The president then announces in their order, "Messages from the other house"-"Communications and reports from government officers," all of which are read by the clerk. 7. The president then announces, "The next order of business is notices and introduction of bills." There are two ways in which bills may be introduced. A petition may be presented to the Senate and referred to a committee, and the committee may report a bill. In such case a senator (Mr. Babcock) rises in his place and reports, that "the committee on the judiciary, to which was referred the petition for that purpose, report a bill entitled, 6. What does the president next announce? How is a report made? To whom is the bill then referred? As soon as all the standing committees who are ready have made their report, what does the president next announce? By whom are messages from other bodies read? What message from the governor is given? 7. In how many ways may bills be introduced? What is the first? What report is made? If the committee report adversely to the petition, An act to repeal certain parts of the Revised Statutes, exempting the property of ministers of the gospel from taxation." If the committee report adverse to the prayer. of the petitioners, they attach to their report a resolution as follows: "Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioners ought not to be granted." The president then says, "The question is on agreeing to the report of the committee. Those in favor of the resolution will say, Aye. Those opposed, No. The resolution is adopted." A senator may give notice that he will, at an early day, ask leave to introduce a bill, which notice must state generally the subject-matter of the bill. On the following, or any subsequent day, he may ask leave to introduce the bill. The question will be on granting leave. If leave be granted, the bill is introduced and read by its enacting clause and title. By unanimous consent, it may be immediately read a second time. If any senator objects to the second reading on that day, it cannot be read until the next day. As soon as it is read a second time, it is referred to one of the standing committees or to a special committee. When the committee make their report, it is referred to a' committee of the whole. If the bill be reported from a committee on a petition referred to them, it is at once sent to the committee of the whole. 8. At the proper time, when the bill comes up in its order, the president of the Senate leaves the chair, and calls one of the senators to preside, and the Senate goes into a committee of the whole on the bill. The bill is then read, section by section, and thoroughly discussed. what resolution is attached to the report? How does the president put the question of agreeing to the report? What is the second mode of introducing a bill? What must the notice state? When may the senator ask leave to introduce the bill? What will be the question to be put to the Senate? If leave be granted, what is done? What part of it is read? When may it be read a second time? After the second reading, to whom is it referred? When the committee make their report, to whom is it then referred? If the bill is reported by a committee, on a petition referred to them, to whom is it referred? 8. Who presides when the Senate are in committee of the whole? If |