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the commencement of each congress. But when the second session opens, the speaker takes the chair and calls the house to order. The election, therefore, stands for a congress, or two sessions. The same practice prevails as to clerk, sergeantat-arms, and door-keeper; they continue for the congress. At the reassembling of the twenty-first congress, at its second session, Mr. Speaker Stevenson was prevented from attending, from indisposition, on the first Monday of December, when the house, having heard the cause of his non-attendance, adjourned over till the next day, at which time he appeared and took the chair.

It is the practice in some of the state legislatures, when the sergeant-at-arms or door-keeper announces "the secretary of the senate," for the speaker to repeat "the secretary of the senate" before the secretary announces his message from the other house. The custom has been supposed to be a good one, as it informs the whole house of the message from the chair, the best selected position in the house to be heard by all the members, while it notifies the secretary from the chair, that the presiding officer is prepared to receive his communication.

The speaker and members being duly qualified, the house now proceeds to the election of clerk. This is sometimes done by resolution, but in most instances by ballot,* which is conducted in the same manner as in the election for speaker. Tellers are appointed, and the sergeant-at-arms and door-keeper collect the ballots. The clerk being

* At the third session of the twenty-fifth congress, the clerk was elected viva voce, to fill Mr. Franklin's vacancy,

chosen, a majority of votes being polled for him, the speaker administers to him the oath to support the constitution of the United States, and the oath truly and faithfully to discharge the duties of his office, to the best of his knowledge and abilities, as prescribed by the act of June 1st, 1789.

September 4th, 1837. Instead of electing the sergeant-at-arms, door-keeper and assistant doorkeeper by ballot, which consumes much time, they were appointed by resolution, thus: Resolved, That Roderick Dorsey be appointed sergeant-atarms, that Overton Carr be appointed principal door-keeper, and John W. Hunter assistant doorkeeper. Where there is no intention on the part of the house to change these officers, it is decidedly more convenient to appoint them by resolution; for of all uninteresting business that can come before the house, nothing is more so than going through a tedious ballot for sergeant-atarms, door-keeper and assistant, when they have no opponents.

It is usual about this time to pass the following resolution, which some gentleman offers to the consideration of the house:

Resolved, That the standing rules and orders of the last house of representatives be adopted as the rules and orders of proceeding of this house.

One of the rules (118) runs thus: "The rules of parliamentary practice comprised in Jefferson's Manual, shall govern the house in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the standing rules and orders of the house and the joint rules of the senate and house of representatives."

In some instances the rules are adopted, with an exception as to some particular rule, which is left open for further consideration. It being, however, exceedingly important to have the great body of the rules adopted for the government of the house, no very serious objections are made to the exception of one or two. The speaker being in the chair, the clerk and sergeant-at-arms elected and sworn, and the rules adopted, the house is considered fully organized, and ready to join with the senate in their legislative duties. Some gentleman, therefore, presents the following resolution:

On motion of Mr. —, Resolved, That a message be sent to the senate, to inform that body that a quorum of this house has assembled, and that one of the representatives from the has been elected speaker thereof; and that it is now ready to proceed to business, and that the clerk do go with said message.

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A majority of the house constitutes a quorum in congress. In the British house of commons, forty are sufficient to do business, and in the house of peers a very small number can do the business of legislation.

The following resolution is now adopted:

Resolved, That a joint committee be appointed on the part of this house, to join such committee as may be appointed on the part of the senate, to wait on the president of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of the two houses is assembled, and that congress is ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make; whereupon the speaker appoints the committee. Their names are not publicly announced. The

clerk sends them word, and they enter immediately upon their duties.

It is not always necessary to offer a resolution to appoint a joint committee, as it frequently occurs that the senate notifies the house, through their secretary, that they have adopted such a resolution, and the house merely concurs in it. The following is the message of the senate through their secretary, which is announced to the chair from the bar of the house: "Mr. Speaker—I am directed to inform the house of representatives that a quorum of the senate is assembled, and that the senate is ready to proceed to business. The senate have passed the resolution for the appointment of a joint committee to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of the two houses is assembled and that congress is ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make, and have appointed Mr. R. and Mr. W. of the committee on its part.'

The house proceeds to the consideration of the resolution from the senate, and being read, it was agreed to, and Mr. and Mr.

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were appointed of the said committee on the part of the house of representatives.

Ordered, that the clerk inform the senate. The clerk notifies the senate of the concurrence of the house in their joint resolution.

Nothing further being usually required to be done on the first day of meeting, some gentleman rises and says, "Mr. Speaker, I move that, till otherwise ordered, the daily hour to which the house shall be adjourned, shall be 12 o'clock meridian." On motion, the house adjourns, and the

speaker says: "This house stands adjourned till to-morrow at 12 o'clock."

The speaker on the succeeding day takes the chair at 12 o'clock, and ascertaining that there is a quorum present, he says: "There is a quorum of members present; the clerk will read the journal of yesterday." The clerk rises and reads the proceedings of the previous day. The speaker, with the view to accuracy, must examine and correct the journal before it is read in the house. It is the practice to correct the journals on their reading, if any errors are discovered.

The journals being read and corrected of any errors which may have occurred, if any new member is present who has not taken the requisite oath, some gentleman then rises and informs the speaker, That Mr.- from the state of has arrived, and is prepared to enter upon his duties. The speaker invites the gentleman to step near the chair, where he administers the oath taken by the other members. Sometimes the new member informs the speaker, before the house opens, and the chair announces, after the journals are read, that Mr.- from the is present, and he qualifies him before he enters upon any other business. The swearing or affirming of a member of course precedes any thing, after reading the journals. Otherwise a member and his constituents might go unheard, on some important bills. It is the practice to swear a member, at any time during the day, as he may come into the house; no business can constitutionally prevent him from taking his oath.

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A delegate takes the same oath as a member

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