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 state of has been elected speaker thereof; and that it is now ready to proceed to business, and that the clerk do go with said message.

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 arriv ed, 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

has the franking privilege, the same pay and mileage, but is not allowed to vote. He may, however, address the house at pleasure. It is not now the custom to put a delegate on committees, but it was formerly, and I think a good one, particularly when so large a share of the business is approved or reported against by committees.

On the second day of the session, the joint committees appointed to wait on the president of the United States, report to their respective houses, through their chairman, "That they informed the president that the two houses of congress had assembled, and were ready to receive any communications he might be pleased to make, and that the president informed them that he would make a communication in writing to each house, to-day, at 12 o'clock, meridian."

General Washington and Mr. Adams used to communicate with congress in person at the opening of the session, which by the way I think was a good practice, as it tended to keep up a friendly personal intercourse between the President and Congress. Mr. Jefferson sent the first annual message to congress, with an accompanying letter, which is here presented.*

Jan. 8. 1801. The following letter and message were received from the president of the United States, by Mr. Lewis, his secretary.

SIR,

December 8th, 1800.

The circumstances under which we find ourselves at this place, rendering inconvenient the mode heretofore practised of making, by personal address, the first communication be tween the legislative and executive branches of government, I have adopted that by message; as used on all subsequent

The new members being sworn, and the com. mittee that waited on the president having report. ed, the private secretary of the president enters the house, and bearing a copy of the message to be delivered, and notifying the serjeant-at-arms or door-keeper, that he has a communication with him. The officer standing at the bar of the house, announces, "A message from the president of the United States;" which being done, the private secretary says: "Mr. Speaker, I am charged with a message in writing from the President of the United States to the house of representatives." He then proceeds to the chair and hands it to the speaker when he rises and says: "I present to the house a message in writing from the President of the United States," and asks if it is the pleasure of the house that it should be read; which being agreed to, the clerk reads it to the house. He usually reads a printed copy, as the message is printed confidentially before it is transmitted to either house, so that it may be sent by express over the country with the greatest dispatch. Members, one day before its delivery to occasions through the session. In doing this, I have had particular regard to the convenience of the legislature, to the economy of their time, to their relief from the embarrassment of immediate answers on subjects not yet fully before them, and to the benefits resulting to the public affairs. Trusting that a procedure founded on these motives will meet their approbation, I beg leave, through you, Sir, to communicate the enclosed message, with the documents accompanying it to the honourable the senate, and pray you to accept for you and them, the homage of my high respect and consideration. TH. JEFFERSON.

The hon. the President of the Senate.