21. Bills and resolutions originating in the House of Delegates, and not requiring immediate action, shall be read the first and second times when received, and referred to their appropriate committees, unless the Senate direct otherwise.

22. A bill presented by a senator, by leave of the Senate, may be committed before its first reading; but no bill reported from a committee of the Senate shall be recommitted or amended until it has been twice read, nor shall any bill be amended after its third reading, except by the unanimous consent of the Senate.

23. Joint resolutions originating in the Senate shall lie on the table one day at least, unless otherwise ordered.

24. The yeas and nays on any question shall, at the desire of five senators, be entered on the Journal, and any senator may enter a protest on the Journal, upon the determination of any question. After the yeas and nays shall have been taken, and before they are counted or entered on the Journal, the clerk shall read over the names of those who voted in the affirmative and of those who voted in the negative, at which time any senator shall have the right to correct any mistake committed in enrolling his name.

25. Upon a motion for the pending question, seconded by a majority of senators present, indicated by rising, or by a recorded vote, the President shall immediately put the pending question, and all incidental questions of order arising after a motion for the pending question is made, and pending such motion, shall be decided, whether on appeal or otherwise, without debate.

26. Upon a motion for the previous question, seconded by a majority of senators present, indicated by rising, or by a recorded vote, the President shall immediately put the question, first upon amendments in the order prescribed in the rules, and then upon the main question. If the previous question be not or

dered, debate may continue as if the motion had not been made.

27. When a question is pending, no motion shall be received but to adjourn, for the pending question, for the previous question, to lie on the table, to postpone indefinitely, to adjourn the question to a different day, to commit, or amend; which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are arranged.

28. If words be spoken in debate that give offence, exceptions thereto shall be taken the same day, and be stated in writing; and in such case, if the words be decided by the President or by the Senate, upon an appeal, to be offensive, and they be not explained or retracted by the senator who uttered them, he shall be subject to such action as the Senate shall deem necessary.

29. At the commencement of each session, the following committees shall be appointed:

I. A committee of privileges and elections, to consist of not less than five nor more than nine senators. II. A committee for courts of justice, to consist of not less than seven nor more than eleven senators. III. A committee on general laws, to consist of not less than five nor more than nine senators.

IV. A committee on roads and internal navigation, to consist of not less than five nor more than ten senators.

V. A committee on finance, to consist of not less than five nor more than eleven sevators.

VI. A committee on banks, to consist of not less than three nor more than nine senators.

VII. A committee on federal relations, to consist of not less than five nor more than eleven senators. VIII. A committee on public institutions of the state, to consist of not less than five nor more than eleven senators.

IX. A committee on immigration, to consist of not less than three nor more than ten senators.

X. A committee on county, city, and town organizations, to consist of not less than five nor more than eleven senators.

XI. A committee on agriculture, mining, and manufacturing, to consist of not less than five nor more than nine senators.

XII. A committee on enrolled bills, to consist of not less than five nor more than nine senators.

XIII. A committee to examine the clerk's office, to consist of three senators.

XIV. Joint committees, each to consist of not less than three nor more than five senators, (except the joint committee on the public printing, which shall consist of two senators,) viz:

On executive expenditures;

On the library;

To examine the office of the auditor of public accounts;

To examine the second auditor's office;

To examine the register's office;

To examine the treasurer's office;

To examine the bonds of public officers;
On the public printing.

30. The standing committees shall be appointed by the President, unless the Senate direct otherwise, and the senator first named by the President shall be the chairman, unless the committee direct otherwise.

31. The clerk of the Senate shall appoint a first assistant and a second assistant clerk, and five committee clerks, not more than one of whom shall be appointed from the same congressional district. One of the committee clerks shall be clerk of the committee on roads and internal navigation; one of the committees on general laws and of federal relations; one of the committees for courts of justice and of finance; one of the committee on public institutions, the committee of privileges and elections, and the committee on banks; one of the committee on county, city, and town organizations, and the committee on immigra

tion. The clerks so appointed shall remain in the capitol during the sessions of the Senate, and shall perform any duties that the other standing committees may require, when not employed by their respective committees, and the clerk of the Senate may also require said clerks, when not employed by the standing committees, to assist in engrossing bills or aid him in the Senate chamber when necessary. The said clerks shall be removable by the clerk of the Senate, or by the committees of which they are clerks. The second assistant clerk shall receive the same compensation as a clerk of a committee.

32. The several committees shall, in all cases, report whether other cases comprised within the principal of the matter referred, may arise; and if a bill be ordered, it shall provide for all such cases; and upon any matter referred, the committee shall have power to report by bill.

33. Select committees shall consist of not less than three nor more than nine senators, unless the Senate direct otherwise.

34. The committee of privileges and elections shall examine the oaths taken by each senator, and the certificates of election furnished by the proper officer, and report thereon to the Senate.

35. The committee of privileges and elections shall report, in all cases of privileges or contested elections, the principles and reasons on which their resolutions are founded.

36. The committee on finance shall, at each session, examine into the indebtedness of the commonwealth, the revenue and expenditures of the preceding year, and prepare an estimate of the expenses of the succeeding year, and make such report thereon as they may deem proper.

37. The committee on general laws shall, at each session, examine into the state and manner of administration of the literary fund, and make such report thereon as they may deem proper.

38. To the committee on general laws shall be referred all resolutions and bills concerning the militia, private claims, propositions and grievances, and other matters of a general nature, not properly referrable to any other standing committee.

39. To the committee on public institutions shall be referred all bills and resolutions concerning schools and colleges, the penitentiary, lunatic asylums, the institutions for the deaf and dumb and the blind, the armory, and other public property at the seat of government. And it shall be the duty of the said committee to examine, at each session, into the condition of the penitentiary, and make such report thereon as they may deem proper.

40. To the committee on federal relations shall be referred all bills and resolutions touching our relations with the federal government.

41. To the committee on agriculture, mining and manufacturing shall be referred all bills, resolutions, and petitions concerning agriculture, mining, manufacturing, commerce, and mechanic arts.

42. When the yeas and nays are ordered, or a call of the Senate is directed, the names of the senators shall be called in alphabetical order.

43. The President may call any senator to the chair, who shall exercise its functions for the time; but no senator, by virtue of such appointment, shall preside for a longer period than three days.

44. The order of business of each day shall be to read the Journal, to dispose of communications from the House of Delegates or the executive, to receive reports from the standing committees, (for which purpose they shall be called over by the clerk,) to receive reports from the select committees, to receive resolutions and petitions, to act upon the unfinished business of the preceding day; and then take up and act upon the bills and resolutions in the order in which they have been reported or introduced, unless the Senate direct otherwise.