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 40th 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 sons in the exercise of an official duty.

PROCESS OF PASSING BILLS.

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As every new member will have the responsibility of looking after legislation for his locality, the following statement of the manner of introducing, forwarding and passing bills will be found convenient.

Bills may be introduced by a member at any time during each session, by depositing the same in duplicate in a box provided for that purpose;

the same to be read a first time and referred to the appropriate committee at the opening of the next regular session, or may be reported by any standing or select committee to which the subjectmatter has been referred.

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 "order of second reading of bills," which is a list of all the bills thus reported, arranged in their proper order. They then come up for consideration on any day when that order of business is reached. The bills must be taken up in their exact order, unless the House, by unanimous consent, direct otherwise, on a motion made for

that purpose. When a bill has been duly considered on second reading and is agreed to by the House, the bill is ordered to a third reading, and when reported by the Committee on Revision 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 vica versa, unless by special order to that effect, in accordance with the rules.

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 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. Certain resolutions, after passing both Houses, 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 unanimous consent of the House, or by a suspension of the rules for that purpose.

If unanimous consent cannot be obtained the following steps may 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 (insert the number of rules) rules in order that the bill entitled "An act," etc. (insert the title), may be considered out of its order.

On any subsequent day, a motion may be made, under the order of " Motions and Resolutions," to suspend the rules and refer the matter as desired. For this purpose the following form is applicable:

Pursuant to previous notice,

Mr. Smith moves that the (number of rule) rules be suspended, in order that the bill entitled " An act," etc. (recite the title), may be considered out of its order.

This motion requires for its adoption sixty-five votes, being a majority of all the members elected. If it is carried, it must be followed by another motion, which is put in the following manner:

Mr. Smith moves that the bill entitled "An act," etc., be now considered out of its order.

When it is desired to have a bill ordered directly to a third reading, without consideration. in second reading, the same course must be pursued in regard to the notice. The following is the proper form, in a case where it is desired to order a bill which is on order of second reading, to a third reading:

Mr. Smith gives notice that he will, at some future day, move to suspend the (insert number) rule, in order that the bill entitled "An act," etc. (give the title), may be ordered to a third reading without being considered on second reading.

On a subsequent day, the motions may be made to suspend the rule, and order the bill to a third reading in the manner previously described.

If it is desired to have a bill taken up in Committee of the Whole, it is necessary to make a motion therefor in the House, under the proper order of business. The motion requires for its passage the assent of two-thirds of the members present.