time_.

§5. The duty of the person presiding is to keep order, and to see that
the business of the house is conducted according to certain established
rules. When a vote is to be taken, he puts the question, which is done
by requesting all who are in favor of a proposed measure, to say _aye_,
and those opposed to say _no_. And, when a vote has been taken, he
declares the question to be carried or lost. This part of a speaker's
business is similar to that of the chairman of an ordinary public
meeting.

§6. The other officers chosen by each house are, a _clerk_ to keep a
record or journal of its proceedings; to take charge of papers, and to
read such as are to be read to the house; and to do such other things as
may be required of him; a _sergeant-at-arms_, to arrest members and
other persons guilty of disorderly conduct, to compel the attendance of
absent members, and to do other business of a like nature: also one or
more _door-keepers_. The officers mentioned in this section are not
chosen from the members of the house.

§7. The constitution does not prescribe to either house the order of
business, or the particular manner in which it shall be done; but
authorizes each house to determine for itself the rules of its
proceedings. But there are sundry things which it expressly enjoins. It
determines what portion of the members shall constitute a quorum to do
business. _Quorum_ is the Latin of the English words, _of whom_, and has
strangely come to signify the _number_ or _portion_ of any body of men
who have power to act for the whole. Thus with reference to a
legislative body consisting of a certain number of members, instead of
saying, A majority _quorum_ shall have power to act; or, A majority _of