MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT.

Shall from time

to time give infer

mation and recom

mend ineasures.

"The President shall, from time to time, give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”—Const., 2, 3, p. 18. The annual message of the President, with the accom- Annual message. panying documents, is usually communicated to the House at the commencement of each session, but usually not until after he has been notified through a joint committee of the two houses that a quorum of each body has assembled, and is ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make; although it was otherwise in the 34th and 36th Congresses, the message having been communicated on the first occasion on the 31st of December, and on the latter not only before the appointment of such committee, but before the election of the Speaker, which latter did not take place until the month of February.-(See Journals, 1, 34, pp. 221 to 228, 231, 233 444, 511; 1, 36.)

All messages from the President are in writing, and How announced. are sent to the House by his private secretary, or such other person as he may delegate, and, as in the case of messages from the Senate, are announced at the door by the doorkeeper and handed to the Speaker, who places

them upon his table, to be taken up whenever the House, When taken up. under the 54th rule, shall go to the business thereon. In the case of the annual message, however, it is usually taken up, by unanimous consent, as soon as received. Whenever taken up, messages from the President are always read in extenso, the House never, as in the case of Always read. other communications, dispensing with the reading of

the same.

In regard to printing the messages and other docu- Printing of. ments, see PRINTING, PUBLIC.

To be sent both houses

in certain cases.

to

on

"Where the subject of a message is of a nature that it can properly be communicated to both houses of Par- same day, except liament, it is expected that this communication should be made to both on the same day. But where a message was accompanied with an original declaration, signed by the party to which the message referred, its being sent

to one house was not noticed by the other, because the declaration being original, could not possibly be sent to both houses at the same time."—Manual, p. 131. [So, too, in Congress, where they can be properly made, communications are expected to be made to both houses on the same day, except where the communication may be in response to a call from one branch only. The parliamentary practice prevails, too, in regard to the communication of an original paper.-See Journal, 1, 35, p. 270.) [Where the President approves a bill, it is customary proval of or fail for him to notify the House where it originated of the fact, and the date of approval, which is entered on the Journal. A similar notification is also given in case a bill is allowed to become a law by his failure to return the same with his objections.-See President of the U. S.] Messages from the President giving notice of bills approved shall be reported forthwith from the Clerk's desk.-Rule 158.

Notifying the House of his ap

ure to return bills.

Of approvals to be read at Clerk's desk.

Veto.

Messages returning a bill with his objections. (See VETO.)

Doorkeeper shall

aunounce.

By whom to be

seut.

If in Committee of the

Speaker

Whole,

chair to receive.

ly.

MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE.

"When a message shall be sent from the Senate to the House of Representatives, it shall be announced at the door of the House by the doorkeeper, and shall be respectfully communicated to the Chair by the person by whom it may be sent."-Joint Rule.

"Messages shall be sent by such persons as a sense of propriety in each house may determine to be proper." -Joint Rule 4. [In the house they are commonly sent by its Clerk; in the Senate, by its Secretary.]

"If the House be in committee when messenger takes attends, the Speaker takes the chair to receive the message, and then quits it to return into committee, without Received prompt any question or interruption."-Manual, p. 130. [It is the practice of the House to receive messages promptly upon the appearance of the messenger, and without regard to the business in hand; in case a member is occupying the floor in debate, he suspends his remarks until the announcement is made and the message received, and a call of the yeas and nays is not unfre

quently suspended for the same purpose; but when 'received it is placed upon the Speaker's table, to be taken up at the time indicated in the 54th Rule, viz., after [messages and other executive communications."]

ted in message.

"If messengers commit an error in delivering their If error commitmessage, they may be admitted or called in to correct their message."-Manual, p. 130; Journal, 1, 2, pp. 171, 172. Messages from the Senate, giving notice of bills passed To be reported or approved, shall be reported forthwith from the Clerk's Clerk's desk. desk.-Rule 158.

forthwith from

MILEAGE.

allowed.

By the 17th section of the act of July 28, 1866, it is 20 cents per mile provided that mileage at the rate of twenty cents per mile, to be estimated by the nearest route usually travelled in going to and returning from each regular session of Congress, shall be allowed to each representative and delegate, the accounts thereof to be certified by the Speaker.-Sess. Lays, p. 333.

By the Joint Resolution of December 23, 1857, it is pro- When to be paid. vided that on the first day of the first session of each Congress, or as soon thereafter as he may be in attendance and apply, each representative and delegate shall receive his mileage as now provided by law; and on the first day of any subsequent session he shall receive his mileage as now allowed by law.-Stat. at Large, Vol. XI, p. 367.

March session to

By the Act approved January 22, 1867, it is provided Not allowed at that no person who was a member of the previous Con- certain members. gress shall receive any compensation as mileage for going to or from the additional session, (commencing March 4,) provided for in that act.-Sess. Laws. p. 8.

be kept by Ser

"It shall be the duty of the Sergeant-at-Arms to keep Accounts for, to the accounts for pay and mileage of members; to pre- geant-at-Arms. pare checks, and, if required to do so, to draw the money on such checks for the members, (the same being previ ously signed by the Speaker, and endorsed by the member,) and pay over the same to the member entitled thereto.-Rule 25.

By the Joint Resolution of July 17, 1862, it is provided, Forfeiture of, in that in case a member shall, without leave, in anticipa- sence.

certain case of ab

130

MILEAGE, COM. ON-MILITARY AFFAIRS, COM. ON, ETC.

Constructive, not allowable in case

may die.

tion of, and before, the adjournment of Congress, withdraw from his seat and not return, he shall, in addition to the penalty heretofore provided in case of absence, forfeit a sum equal to his mileage for his return home.— Stat. at Large, Vol. XII, p. 628.

By the Joint Resolution of March 3, 1859, it is provided, of a member who in reference to any member who may die after the commencement of the Congress to which he shall have been elected, that "in no case shall constructive mileage be computed or paid.”—Stat. at Large, Vol. XI, pp. 442, 443.

When appointed, and number of.

Shall ascertain

and report mileage

MILEAGE, COMMITTEE ON.

There shall be appointed at the commencement of each Congress a Committee on Mileage, to consist of five members.-Rule 74.

"It shall be the duty of the Committee on Mileage to of each member. ascertain and report the distance, to the Sergeant-atArms, for which each member shall receive pay."-Rule

When appointed, and number of.

Its duties.

When appointed, and number of.

Its duties.

99.

MILITARY AFFAIRS, COMMITTEE ON.

There shall be appointed at the commencement of each Congress a Committee on Military Affairs, to consist of nine members.-Rule 74.

"It shall be the duty of the Committee on Military Affairs to take into consideration all subjects relating to the military establishment and public defence which may be referred to them by the House, and to report their opinion thereupon; and also to report, from time to time, such measures as may contribute to economy and accountability in the said establishment."-Rule 87.

MILITIA, COMMITTEE ON THE

There shall be appointed at the commencement of each Congress a Committee on the Militia, to consist of nine members.-Rule 74.

"It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Militia to take into consideration and report on all subjects connected with the organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia of the United States.”—Rule 88.

MINES AND MINING, COMMITTEE ON-MODIFICATION, ETC. 131

MINES AND MINING, COMMITTEE ON.

A Committee on Mines and Mining, to consist of nine when appoint members, shall be appointed at the commencement of ed number, and each Congress.-Rule 74.

"It shall be the duty of said Committee to consider all subjects relating to mines and mining that may be referred to them, and to report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions relative thereto as may seem to. them expedient.”—Rule 153.

MODIFICATION.

duties of.

made.

[Motions may be modified before the previous question When may be is seconded, and before a decision or amendment,] but not after the previous question is seconded.-Journals, 1, 28, p. 811; 1, 31, p. 1397.

MORNING HOUR.

"morning hour."

The "morning hour," as it is called, is the hour after what is the the reading of the Journal, which, under the 51st and 52d Rules, has been "devoted to reports from committees and resolutions," and after the expiration of which it is in order, under the 54th Rule, to entertain a motion "that the House do now proceed to dispose of the business on the Speaker's table," &c. And under the general When it practice it is held that this hour begins to run from the announcement by the Speaker that reports from committees are in order.

MORNING HOUR ON MONDAYS.

mences to run.

com

leave and resolutions during.

On every Monday it is made the duty of the Speaker Call for bills on to call the States and Territories-first for bills on leave for reference only, and without debate, and not to be brought back by motions to reconsider, at which time joint resolutions of State and Territorial legislatures may be introduced for reference and printing; then for resolutions, at which time bills on leave may be introduced, and all resolutions which shall give rise to debate shall lie over for discussion.-Rule 130. [And so also in regard to bills introduced at this time and giving rise to debate. Ever since the foregoing rule has been in its present form