CHAPTER II. OF THE OFFICERS.

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26. The usual and necessary officers of a deliberative assembly are those already mentioned, namely, a presiding, and a recording, officer; both of whom are elected or appointed by the assembly itself, and removable at its pleasure. These officers are always to be elected by absolute majorities, even in those States in which elections are usually effected by a plurality, for the reason, that, being removable at the pleasure of the assembly, if any number short of a majority were to elect, [p26] a person elected by any such less number would not be able to retain his office for a moment; inasmuch as he might be instantly removed therefrom, on a question made for that purpose, by the votes of those who had voted for other persons on the election; and it is essential to the due and satisfactory performance of the functions of these officers, that they should possess the confidence of the assembly, which they cannot be said to do, unless they have the suffrages of at least a majority.

Sect. I. The Presiding Officer.

27. The principal duties of this officer are the following:—

To open the sitting, at the time to which the assembly is adjourned, by taking the chair and calling the members to order;

To announce the business before the assembly in the order in which it is to be acted upon;

To receive and submit, in the proper manner, all motions and propositions presented by the members;

To put to vote all questions, which are regularly moved, or necessarily arise in the [p27] course of the proceedings, and to announce the result;

To restrain the members, when engaged in debate, within the rules of order;

To enforce on all occasions the observance of order and decorum among the members;

To receive all messages and other communications and announce them to the assembly;

To authenticate, by his signature, when necessary, all the acts, orders, and proceedings of the assembly;

To inform the assembly, when necessary, or when referred to for the purpose, in a point of order or practice;

To name the members (when directed to do so in a particular case, or when it is made a part of his general duty by a rule,) who are to serve on committees; and, in general,

To represent and stand for the assembly, declaring its will, and, in all things, obeying implicitly its commands.

28. If the assembly is organized by the choice of a president, and vice-presidents, it is the duty of one of the latter to take the chair, in case of the absence of the president from the assembly, or of his withdrawing from the [p28] chair for the purpose of participating in the proceedings.

29. Where but one presiding officer is appointed, in the first instance, his place can only be supplied, in case of his absence, by the appointment of a president or chairman pro tempore; and, in the choice of this officer, who ought to be elected before any other business is done, it is the duty of the secretary to conduct the proceedings.

30. The presiding officer may read sitting, but should rise to state a motion, or put a question to the assembly.

Sect. II. The Recording Officer.

31. The principal duties of this officer consists in taking notes of all the proceedings and in making true entries in his journal of all “the things done and past” in the assembly; but he is not, in general, required to take minutes of “particular men’s speeches,” or to make entries of things merely proposed or moved, without coming to a vote. He is to enter what is done and past, but not what is said or moved. This is the rule in legislative assemblies. In others, though the spirit of [p29] the rule ought to be observed, it is generally expected of the secretary, that his record shall be both a journal and in some sort a report of the proceedings.

32. It is also the duty of the secretary to read all papers, etc., which may be ordered to be read; to call the roll of the assembly, and take note of those who are absent, when a call is ordered; to call the roll and note the answers of the members, when a question is taken by yeas and nays; to notify committees of their appointment and of the business referred to them; and to authenticate by his signature (sometimes alone and sometimes in conjunction with the president) all the acts, orders, and proceedings of the assembly.

33. The clerk is also charged with the custody of all the papers and documents of every description, belonging to the assembly, as well as the journal of its proceedings, and is to let none of them be taken from the table by any member or other person, without the leave or order of the assembly.

34. When but a single secretary or clerk is appointed, his place can only be supplied, during his absence, by the appointment of some one to act pro tempore. When several [p30] persons are appointed, this inconvenience is not likely to occur.

35. The clerk should stand while reading or calling the assembly.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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