Seventeenth Congress, 1st. session, 1822.

The yeas and nays having been ordered on an amendment to a bill pending before the house, and the speaker having put the question by saying that "those who are in favour of the amendments would, when their names were called, answer aye," &c. ; but no member having answered, Mr. Mallory rose to discuss the amendments, when the speaker declared that in this stage of the business debate was inadmissible. On appeal by Mr. Edwards of N. C. the decision was reversed.

PRESIDENTIAL TITLE.

Friday, April 24, 1789. The speaker laid before the house a letter from the vice-president of the United States, enclosing a resolution of the senate for the appointment of a committee on their part, "to consider and report what style or titles it will be proper to annex to the office of the president and vice-president of the United States, if any other than those given in the constitution?"Whereupon, Messrs. Benson, Ames, Madison, Carroll, and Sherman, were appointed a committee for that purpose, on the part of the house.

Tuesday, May 5, 1789. Mr. Benson, from the committee, made a report, which being then read, was agreed to as followeth :-"That it is not proper to annex any style or titles to the respective style and titles expressed in the constitution."

Monday, May 11, 1789. A motion was made that the house do agree to the following:-" Resolved, that this house having, on Tuesday last,

adopted the report of their committee, appointed to confer with a committee of the senate, stating that it is not proper to annex any style or titles to the respective style and titles expressed in the constitution, and having, in their address to the president of the United States, on Friday last, proceeded to act pursuant thereto, deem it improper to accede to the proposition made by the se

nate.

Saturday, May 9, 1789. A message was received from the senate, by their secretary, informing the house, that the senate had disagreed to the report of a committee, appointed to consider and report what style or titles it will be proper to annex to the office of president and vice-president; and had appointed a committee to consider and report, under what title it will be proper for the president of the United States in future to be addressed, and to confer thereon with such committee as this house may appoint for that purpose.

May 14, 1789. The committee appointed on the 9th instant, to determine "under what title it will be proper for the senate to address the president," and to confer with a committee of the house of representatives "upon the disagreeing votes of the senate and house,” informed the senate, that they had conferred with a committee of the house of representatives, but could not agree upon a report.

The committee appointed on the 9th inst., "to consider a report under what title it would be proper for the senate to address the President of the United States of America," reported, that in the opinion of the committee, it will be proper

thus to address the president: His Highness the President of the United States of America, and protector of their liberties; which report was postponed, and the following resolution agreed to, to wit:

"From a decent respect for the opinion and practice of civilized nations, whether under monarchial or republican forms of government, whose custom is to annex titles of respectability to the office of their chief magistrate, and that, on intercourse with foreign nations, a due respect for the majesty of the people of the United States may not be hazarded by any appearance of singularity, the senate have been induced to be of opinion, that it would be proper to annex a respectable title to the office of president of the United States; but the senate, desirous of preserving harmony with the house of representatives, where the practice lately observed, in presenting an address to the president, was without the addition of titles, think it proper, for the present, to act in confor mity with the practice of the house,—therefore, resolved:

That the present address be “To the President of the United States," without addition of title. A motion was made to strike out the preamble as far as the words "but the senate"-which passed in the negative.

INAUGURATION.

On the 30th day of April, 1789, the day appointed for the formal reception of the president, (General Washington,) Mr. Lee, on the behalf of the committee appointed to take order for conducting

the ceremonial of the formal reception, &c. of the president of the United States, having informed the senate that the same was adjusted, the house of representatives were notified that the senate were ready to receive them in the senate chamber, to attend the president of the United States while taking the oath required by the constitution. Whereupon the house of representatives, preceded by their speaker, came into the senate chamber, and took the seats assigned them; and the joint committee, preceded by their chairman, agreeably to order, introduced the president of the United States into the senate chamber, where he was received by the vice-president, who conducted him to the chair: when the vice-president informed him that "the senate and house of representatives of the United States were ready to attend him to take the oath required by the constitution, and that it would be administered by the chancellor of the state of New York." To which the president replied, he was ready to proceed; and being attended to the gallery in front of the senate chamber by the vice-president and senators, the speaker and representatives, and the other public characters present, the oath was administered; after which the chancellor proclaimed-"Long live George Washington, president of the United States."

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PRECEDENTS OF ORDER.

First Session, Nineteenth Congress.

On Mr. Metcalf's Panama Resolution, Jan. 31, 1826. The resolution of Mr. Metcalf, yesterday, calling on the president for information on the subject of the congress of Panama, being again read as follows: "Resolved, That the president of the United States be requested to communicate to this house such information, documents, or correspondence, touching the invitation to be represented at the congress of Panama, which has been received by this government, from the governments of Mexico, Central America, and Columbia, as may be communicated without detriment to the public interest."

Mr. Forsyth put the question to the chair, whether the resolution of Mr. Metcalf was in order, inasmuch as the same subject was now before the house, by a resolution of Mr. Hamilton, of South Carolina, laid on the table, on the 16th December, as follows:

Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to transmit to this house, copies of all such documents, or parts of correspondence, (not incompatible with the public interest to be communicated,) relating to an invitation which has been extended to the government of this country "by the republics of Columbia, of Mexico, and of Central America, to join in the deliberations of a congress to be held at the isthmus of Panama," and which has induced him to