A manual of parliamentary practice, composed originally for the use of the Senate of the United States. By Thomas Jefferson. With references to the practice and rules of the House of representatives. The whole brought down to the practice of the present time; to which are added the rules and orders, together with the joint rules of both houses of Congress. And accompanied with copious indices.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 147
be taken up for consideration in the order they were
presented, immediately after reports are called for
from select committees; and, when adopted, the clerk
shall cause the same to be delivered.
57. Any fifteen members (including the Speaker, if
there be one) shall be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members.
58. Upon calls of the House, or in taking the yeas
and nays on any question, the names of the members
shall be called alphabetically.
59. Any member may excuse himself from serving
on any committee at the time of his appointment, if
he is then a member of two other committees.
60. No member shall absent himself from the service of the House, unless he have leave, or be sick, or
unable to attend.
61. Upon the call of the House, the names of the
members shall be called over by the clerk, and the
absentees noted; after which the names of the absentees shall again be called over, the doors shall then
be shut, and those for whom no excuse, or insufficient
excuses are made, may, by order of those present, if
fifteen in number, be taken into custody, as they appear, or may be sent for and taken into custody,
wherever to be found, by special messengers to be
appointed for that purpose.
62. When a member shall be discharged from custody, and admitted to his seat, the House shall determine whether such discharge shall be with or without
paying fees; and, in like manner, whether a delinquent member, taken into custody by a special messenger, shall, or shall not, be liable to defray the expense of such special messenger.
63. A sergeant-at-arms shall be appointed, to hold
his office during the pleasure of the House, whose
duty it shall be to attend the House during its sittings;
to execute the commands of the House from time to