Rules of the Congress

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The following Rules are agreed to, and resolved to be the Rules of this Congress, viz:

1st. That the President, and in his absence the Vice-President, and in the absence of both a President to be appointed pro tempore, shall preside at every meeting, and keep order and decorum, and that it shall be his duty to sign all letters from this Congress.

2d. That all Motions and Addresses be made to the Chair, and standing.

3d. That if more than one shall rise to speak at the same time, the President shall determine who shall first be heard.

4th. That the substance of every Motion made and seconded shall be entered on the Minutes.

5th. That no interruption shall be suffered while a Member is delivering his sentiments.

6th. That every question shall be determined by a majority of voices, and after the determination of any measure or thing, the same question shall not be reassumed but with the consent of a majority of the voices of this Board at a subsequent meeting; and that notice be given of the motion for reassuming such matter at least one day before such motion be made, and notice thereof given to the Members representing each County, who shall then be in the City of New-York.

7th. That when any question shall be determined upon a division, the names of the respective Counties shall be entered as they shall vote on each side; but any Member for any County may be at liberty to have his name and dissent from the vote of his County entered on the Minutes.

8th. That this Congress shall, from time to time, meet on their own adjournments for the present.

9th. That for the despatch of business, and to prevent interruptions, the doors at our meetings shall be shut, and that none but Members be permitted to take copies of the Proceedings of this Congress.

10th. That no question shall be determined on the day that it is agitated, if three Counties shall request that it be deferred to the next day.

11th. That no Member shall be at liberty to speak more than twice to the same point, without leave of the President for the time then being.

12th. That no Member shall absent himself from this Congress without leave of the Congress.

13th. That every Member of this Congress shall keep secret all such matters, proceedings and things in this Congress, as shall be enjoined from the Chair to be kept secret.

14th. That whenever the Proceedings of this Congress shall be published at the close of this session, all the Minutes shall be published, and no part concealed unless such as the unanimous voice of the Counties shall declare to be of a secret or unimportant nature; but that extracts of the Proceedings may nevertheless be published from time to, time as the Congress shall think fit.

The Congress then adjourned to five o' clock, P˙ M.