"the House, is bound in the same volume with this Manual. It gives, in a brief and concise form, whatever is necessary for members to understand, either of the rules of order or the parliamentary practice which prevails in the Legislature of New York.

But what is always of more importance than either book or precedent, as a parliamentary guide in a legislative body, is the possession of strong common sense by the presiding officer, combined with prompt decision and the most perfect courtesy of demeanor. Without these qualities, the ablest and most learned can never attain success. Parliamentary, like the common law, has common sense for its basis; and in all matters of doubtful construction, this is the only guide that can be followed with safety.

ADMISSION TO THE FLOor.

By the 57th Standing Rule, the privilege of admission to the floor of the House, while in session, is confined to the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, members of the Senate, State officers and their deputies, Regents of the University, the Capitol Commissioners, reporters for the press, ex-Speakers of the Assembly, and persons in the exercise of an official duty.

PROCESS OF PASSING BILLS.

As every new member will have the responsi

A

bility of looking after legislation for his locality, the following statement of the manner of introducing, forwarding and passing bills will be found convenient.

Bills relating to any public matter may be introduced by a member under the order of business of "Introduction of Bills, by counties, in alphabetical order," or may be reported by any standing or select committee to which the subject-matter has been referred. When a bill is introduced by a member, the procedure is as follows:

The county which he represents having been called, the member rises in his place and addresses the Speaker. Having been recognized, he sends the bill to the desk.

The Speaker announces:

Mr. Smith, of

(naming

the county), introduces the following bill, First reading of a bill.

The Clerk then reads the enacting clause of the bill. The Speaker then says:

Second reading of a bill, and by its title, unless objected to.

The Clerk then reads the title of the bill.

If objection be made to reading the bill by its title, it must be read through, unless the House order otherwise. After the second reading, it

is referred to the appropriate standing committee, or to a select committee. No motion is necessary, unless a particular reference is desired.

The formal introduction of a bill is not necessary when the subject-matter has been referred by petition or resolution to a committee. If a bill accompany the petition when received by the member from the party sending it, the same may be handed to the committee at any time after the petition has been presented to the House, without going upon the records. The committee has the same authority in this case as upon a bill originally referred to it.

Where a bill is reported by a committee, without having been previously referred to them, it receives its first and second readings in the same manner as when introduced by a member.

After a bill has been reported by a standing or select committee, it goes upon what is called the "General Orders," which is a list of all the bills thus reported, arranged in their proper order. They then come up for consideration before the Committee of the Whole House, on any day when that order of business is reached, or upon "General Order days," which are Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week, those days being especially set apart for the consideration of the General Orders. The bills must be taken up in their exact order, unless the House by a two-thirds vote direct otherwise, on a motion made for that purpose. When a bill

has gone through the Committee of the Whole (in the manner described in another part of this Manual), it is reported to the House, and if the report is favorable and is agreed to by the House, the bill is ordered to a third reading, is engrossed, compared, reported correct by the Committee on Engrossed Bills, and has its third reading in its order, on some subsequent day, when that order of business is reached.

It is then delivered by the Clerk to the Senate, where it goes through the same stages which it has in the Assembly. Bills passed by one House have no preference in the other over bills introduced there, or vice versa, unless by special order to that effect, in accordance with the rules.

Should a bill which has passed one House be amended in the other, the question of concurring in the amendments may be taken forthwith, on the return of the bill to the House in which it originated, unless the House should please to refer the amendments to a committee, or postpone the time for taking the question.

After the concurrence of both Houses in a bill, it is delivered by the Clerk of the one in which it originated to the Governor, and, if it receives his approval, is by him sent to the office of the Secretary of State, where it takes its place in the chapters of Laws.

Joint or concurrent resolutions are offered under the order of motions and resolutions. After lying over for one day, they may be

called up for action whenever the same order of business is reached. If passed, they are delivered by the Clerk to the other House, and after being acted upon are returned to the House in which they originated, with an appropriate message. After passing both Houses, they are engrossed and delivered by the Clerk of the House in which they originated, to the Secretary of State, and are published at the end of the volume of Session Laws.

Should it be desirable, from any cause, to hasten the passage of a bill, it may be done, with the consent of the House, in either of the following modes, viz.:

1. By referring to a standing committee, with power to report complete.

2. By discharging the Committee of the Whole from its consideration, and ordering it directly to a third reading.

3. By procuring its consideration, out of its order, in Committee of the Whole, by a twothirds vote of the House.

In order to accomplish the object by the first method, the following steps must be taken:

1. Give one day's notice of the intention to move to suspend the rule or rules which conflict with the object in view. The following form of notice is applicable to this case:

Mr. Smith gives notice that he will, at some future day, move to suspend the