HISTORY OF CONGRESS. ORGANIZATION OF HOUSES-RULES, &c. СНАР. І. 1st Congress. CHAPTER I. Organization of Houses-Elections of Officers-Adoption of Rules-Examina- THE First Congress of the United States, under the constitution of government proposed by the federal convention, held in 1st Session. Philadelphia on the 17th of September, 1787, assembled in the Meeting of city of New York, on Wednesday, the 4th of March, 1789; eleCongress. 1789. ven of the states, namely, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Con- H. Journal, СНАР. І. Organization of Houses-Rules, &c. 1789. 1st Session. absentees, Second cir cular, Mar. 18th. p. 5, 6. 1st Congress. tors present, addressed a circular letter to the absent members of that body, describing the situation in which they found themCircular to selves placed, pointing out "the indispensable necessity of put- S. Journal, Mar. 11th. ting the government into immediate operation," and requesting the attendance of the absentees as soon as possible. On the 18th of March, no other senator having arrived, a second circular letter was addressed to eight of the absent senators, excluding those whose residences were so distant as to make it impossible that a letter would reach them previously to their departure on their public duties. The terms in which this second communication was couched were more urgent. It was suggested, that "the House of Representatives will probably be formed in two Id. p. 6. or three days;" that, therefore, the presence of the absent senators" is indispensably necessary;" and a confidence is expressed that they will not suffer "the public expectations to be disappointed." An efficient response to these applications does not appear to have been received until the 6th of April, some days after the appearance of a majority of the House of Representatives. Quorum in On the 1st of April, thirty members of the house being pre- H. Journal, the house. sent, constituting a quorum, a resolution was adopted to proceed p.6. Election of to the choice of a speaker by ballot, and Frederick Augustus a speaker. Muhlenberg, one of the representatives for the state of Pennsyl ment of a vania, having received a majority of the votes of the whole house, was declared to be duly elected speaker of the house. The speaker was then conducted to the chair, and suitably acknowledged the honour which had been conferred upon him. Appoint- Mr. John Beckley was then appointed clerk of the house, by a clerk. majority of the votes, the election being made by ballot, as in the choice of the speaker. An order was adopted that the memCommittee bers deliver in their credentials at the clerk's table. On the to prepare following day, a committee of eleven members was appointed report du- "to prepare and report such standing rules and orders of proservices of ceeding as may be proper to be observed in this house," and a sergeant- Messrs. Gilman, Gerry, Wadsworth, Boudinot, Hartley, Smith, Lee, Tucker, Madison, Sherman, and Goodhue, were appointed such committee. An instruction was given to this committee to report, also, "the duties and services of a sergeant-at-arms, or rules and ties and at-arms. Ibid. Ibid. other proper officer for enforcing the orders of the house." On Ibid. Election of the 4th of April, Gifford Dalley was elected by ballot to be doordoor keep keeper of the house, and Thomas Claxton was elected, in the Id. p. 7. sistant door same manner, to be assistant door-keeper. er, and as keeper. Notwithstanding the efforts which were made to produce the |