[274]. A committee is properly to receive directions from the assembly, as to the time and place of its meeting, and cannot regularly sit at any other time or place; and it [p146] ]may be ordered to sit immediately, whilst the assembly is sitting, and make its report forthwith.
[275]. When no directions are given, a committee may select its own time and place of meeting; but, without a special order to that effect, it is not at liberty to sit whilst the assembly sits; and, if a committee is sitting, when the assembly comes to order after an adjournment, it is the duty of the chairman to rise, instantly, on being certified of it, and, with the other members, to attend the service of the assembly.
[276]. In regard to its forms of proceeding, a committee is essentially a miniature assembly;—it can only act when regularly assembled together, as a committee, and not by separate consultation and consent of the members; nothing being the agreement or report of a committee, but what is agreed to in that manner;—a vote taken in committee is as binding as a vote of the assembly;—a majority of the members is necessary to constitute a quorum for business, unless a larger or smaller number has been fixed by the assembly itself;—and a committee has full power over whatever may be committed to it, [p147] ]except that it is not at liberty to change the title or subject.
[277]. A committee, which is under no directions as to the time and place of meeting, may meet when and where it pleases, and adjoin itself from day to day, or otherwise, until it has gone through with the business committed to it; but, if it is ordered to meet at a particular time, and it fails of doing so, for any cause, the committee is closed, and cannot act without being newly directed to sit.
[278]. Disorderly words spoken in a committee must be written down in the same manner as in the assembly; but the committee, as such, can do nothing more than report them to the assembly for its animadversion; neither can a committee punish disorderly conduct of any other kind, but must report it to the assembly.
[279]. When any paper is before a committee whether select or of the whole, it may either have originated with the committee, or have been referred to them; and, in either case, when the paper comes to be considered, the course is for it to be first read entirely through, by the clerk of the committee, if there is one, otherwise by the chairman; and then to be [p148] ]read through again by paragraphs by the chairman, pausing at the end of each paragraph, and putting questions for amending, either by striking out or inserting, if proposed. This is the natural order of proceeding in considering and amending any paper, and is to be strictly adhered to in the assembly; but the same strictness does not seem necessary in a committee.
[280]. If the paper before a committee is one which has originated with the committee, questions are put on amendments proposed, but not on agreeing to the several paragraphs of which it is composed, separately, as they are gone through with; this being reserved for the close, when a question is to be put on the whole, for agreeing to the paper, as amended, or unamended.
[281]. If the paper be one, which has been referred to the committee, they proceed as in the other case to put questions of amendment, if proposed, but no final question on the whole; because all the parts of the paper, having been passed upon if not adopted by the assembly as the basis of its action, stand, of course, unless altered or struck out by a vote of the assembly. And
even if the [p149] ]committee
are opposed to the whole paper, and are of opinion, that it cannot be made good by amendments, they have no authority to reject it; they must report it back to the assembly, without amendments, (specially stating their objections, if they think proper,) and there make their opposition as individual members.[Footnote 37] ]