mere inattention, it is better to have it done informally, by communications between the Speakers, or members of the two Houses.

Where the subject of a message is of a nature that it can properly be communicated to both Houses of Parliament, 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.-2 Hats. 260, 261, 262.

The King having sent original letters to the Commons, afterwards desires they may be returned, that he may communicate them to the Lords.-1 Chandler, 303.

SECTION XLVIII.

ASSENT.

THE House which has received a bill, and passed it, may present it for the King's assent, and ought to do it, though they have not by message notified to the other their passage of it. Yet the notifying by message is a form which ought to be observed between the two Houses, from motives of respect and good understanding.-2 Hats. 242. Were the bill to be withheld from being presented to the King, it would be an infringement of the rules of parliament.-2 Hats. 242.

When a bill has passed both Houses of Congress, the House last acting on it notifies its passage to the other, and delivers the bill to the joint committee of enrolment, who see that it is truly enrolled in parchment.-(Vide Joint Rules, 6.) When the bill is enrolled, it is not to be written in paragraphs, but solidly, and all of a piece, that the blanks within the paragraphs may not give room for forgery-9 Grey, 143. It is then put in the hands of the clerk of the House of Representatives, to have it signed by the Speaker. The clerk then brings it by way of message to the Senate, to be signed by their President. The secretary of the Senate returns it to the committee of enrolment, who present it to the President of the United States.-(Vide Joint Rules, 8, 9.) If he approves, he signs and deposits it among the rolls in the office of the Secretary of State, and notifies by message the House in which it originated, that he has approved and signed it; of which that House informs the other by message. If the President disapproves, he is to return it, with his objections, to the House in which it shall have originated; who are to enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to re-consider it. If, after such re-consideration, two-thirds of the House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the President's objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be re-considered, and if approved by twothirds of that House, it shall become a law. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days, (Sundays excepted,) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress, by their adjournment, prevent its return; in which case it shall not be a law.— Const. U S. Art. I Sec. 7.

Every order, resolution. or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate and the House of Representatives may be necessary. (except on a question of adjournment,) shall be presented to the President of the United States, and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or, being disapproved by him, shall be re-passed by two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.-Const, U. S. Art. I. Sec. 7.

SECTION XLIX.

JOURNALS.

EACH House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may, in their judgment, require secrecy.-Const. L 5. 3.

The proceedings of the Senate, when not acting as in a committee of the House, shall be entered on the journals, as concisely as possible, care being taken to detail a true account of the proceedings. Every vote of the Senate shall be entered on the journals, and a brief statement of the contents of each petition, memorial, or paper, presented to the Senate, be also inserted on the journals.-Rule 32.

The tiles of bills, and such parts thereof only as shall be affected by proposed amendments, shall be inserted on the journals.-Rule 31.

If a question is interrupted by a vote to adjourn, or to proceed to the orders of the day, the original question is never printed in the journal, it never having been a vote, nor introductory to any vote: but when suppressed by the previous question, the first question must be stated, in order to introduce, and make intelligible the second.-2 Hats. 83.

So also, when a question is postponed, adjourned, or laid on the table, the original question, though not yet a vote, must be expressed in the journals; because it makes part of the vote of postponement, adjourning, or laying on the table.

Where amendments are made to a question, those amendments are not printed in the journals, separated from the question; but only the question as finally agreed to by the House. The rule of entering in the journals only what the House has agreed to, is founded in great prudence and good sense; as there may be many questions proposed which it may be improper to publish to the world, in the form in which they are made.-2 Hats. 85.

In both Houses of Congress, all questions whereon the yeas and nays are desired by one-fifth of the members present, whether decided affirmatively or negatively, must be entered on the journals.—Const. I. 5. 3.

The first order for printing the votes of the House of Commons, was October 30, 1685.-1 Chandler, 387.

Some judges have been of opinion, that the journals of the House of Commons are no records, but remembrances. But this is not law.-Cob. 110, 111; Lex. Parl. 114, 115; Jour. H. C. Mar. 17, 1592; Hale Parl. 105. For the Lords, in their House, have power of judicature; the Commons, in their House, have power of judicature; and both Houses together have power of judicature;

and the book of the clerk of the House of Commons is a record, as is affirmed by act of Parliament.-6 H. 8. c. 16; Inst. 23, 24; and every member of the House of Commons has a judicial place.-4 Inst. 15. As records, they are open to every person; and a printed vote of either House is sufficient ground for the other to notice it. Either may appoint a committee to inspect the

Journals of the other, and report what has been done by the other in any particular case.-2 Hats. 261; 3 Hats. 27. 30. Every member has a right to see the journals, and to take and publish votes from them. Being a record, every one may see and publish them.-6 Grey, 118, 119.

On information of a mis-entry or omission of an entry in the journal, a committee may be appointed to examine and rectify it, and report it to the House. -2 Hats. 194, 5.

SECTION L.

ADJOURNMENT.

THE two Houses of Parliament have the sole, separate, and independent power of adjourning, each their respective Houses. The King has no authority to adjourn them; he can only signify his desire, and it is in the wisdom and prudence of either House to comply with his requisition, or not, as they see fitting.-2 Hats. 332; 1 Blackstone, 186; 5 Grey, 122.

By the Constitution of the United States, a smaller number than a majority may adjourn from day to day.-I. 5. But neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.-I. 5. The President may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper.-Const. II. 3.

A motion to adjourn simply, cannot be amended as by adding, "To a particular day." But must be put simply, "That this House do now adjourn?" and, if carried in the affirmative, it is adjourned to the next sitting day, unless it has come to a previous resolution. That at its rising, it will adjourn to a parti

cular day;" and then the House is adjourned to that day.-2 Hats. 82.

Where it is convenient that the business of the House be suspended for a short time, as for a conference presently to be held, &c., it adjourns during pleasure.-2 Hats. 305. Or for a quarter of an hour.-5 Grey, 331.

If a question be put for adjournment, it is no adjournment till the Speaker pronounces it.-5 Grey, 137. And from courtesy and respect, no member leaves his place till the Speaker has passed on.

SECTION LI.

A SESSION.

PARLIAMENT have three modes of separation, to wit, by adjournment, by prorogation, by dissolution by the King, or by the efflux of the term for which they were elected. Prorogation or dissolution constitutes there what is called a session; provided some act has passed. In this case, all matters depending before them are discontinued, and at their next meeting are to be taken up de Adjournment, which is by them

novo,

if taken up at all.-1 Blackst. 186.

selves, is no more than a continuance of the session from one day to another, or for a fortnight, a month, &c., ad libitum. All matters depending remain in statu quo, and when they meet again, be the term ever so distant, are resumed without any fresh commencement, at the point at which they were left.- 1 Lev. 165; Lex. Parl. c. 2; 1 Ro. Rep. 29; 4 Inst. 7. 27, 28; Hutt. 61; 1 Mod. 152; Ruffh. Jac. L. Dict. Parliaments; Blackst. 186. Their whole session is considered in law but as one day, and has relation to the first day thereof.-Bro. Abr. Parliament, 86.

Committees may be appointed to sit during a recess by adjournment, but not by prorogation.-5 Grey, 374; 9 Grey, 350; 1 Chandler, 50. Neither House can continue any portion of itself in any Parliamentary function, beyond the end of the session, without the consent of the other two branches. When done, it is by a bill constituting them commissioners for the particular purpose.

Congress separate in two ways only, to wit, by adjournment or dissolution by the efflux of thei time. What then constitutes a session with them? A dissolution certainly closes one session, and the meeting of the new Congress begins another. The Constitution authorizes the President, "On extraordinary occasions, to convene both Houses, or either of them."-Art. I. Sec. 3. If convened by the President's procla mation, this must begin a new session, and of course determine the preceding one to have been a session. So, if it meets under the clause of the Constitution, which says, "The Congress shall assemble, at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day," -L. 4,-this must begin a new session. For even if the last adjournment was to this day, the act of adjournment is merged in the higher authority of the Constitution, and the meeting will be under that, and not under their adjournment. So far we have fixed landmarks for determining sessions. In other cases, it is declared by the joint vote authorizing the President of the Senate and the Speaker, to close the session on a fixed day, which is usually in the following form, “ Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, be authorized to close the present session, by adjourning their respective Houses on the day of

When it was said above, that all matters depending before Parliament were discontinued by the determination of the session, it was not meant for judiciary cases, depending before the House of Lords, such as impeachments, appeals, and writs of error. These stand continued of course to the next session.Raym. 120. 381; Ruffh. Jac. L. D. Parliament.

Impeachments stand in like manner continued before the Senate of the United

States.*

SECTION LII.

TREATIES.

THE President of the United States has power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.— Const. U. S. Art. II. Sec. 2.

All confidential communications, made by the President of the United States to the

* It was held, in the case of Hastings, that a dissolution did not work the discontinuance of an impeachment.

Senate, shall be, by the members thereof, kept inviolably secret; and that all treaties, which may hereafter be laid before the Senate, shall also be kept secret, until the Senate shall, by their resolution, take off the injunction of secrecy.-Rule 38.

Treaties are legislative acts. A treaty is a law of the land. It differs from other laws only as it must have the consent of a foreign nation, being but a contract with respect to that nation. In all countries, I believe, except England, treaties are made by the legislative power: and there, also, if they touch the laws of the land, they must be approved by Parliament. Ware vs. Hilton.-3 Dallas's Rep. 199. It is acknowledged, for instance, that the King of Great Britain cannot, by a treaty, make a citizen of an alien.-Vattel, b. 1, c. 19, sec. 214. An act of Parliament was necessary to validate the American treaty of 1783. And abundant examples of such acts can be cited. In the case of the treaty of Utrecht, in 1712, the commercial articles require the concurrence of Parliament. But a bill brought in for that purpose was rejected. France, the other contracting party, suffered these articles, in practice, to be not insisted on, and adhered to the rest of the treaty. 4 Russell's Hist. Mod. Europe, 457; 2 Smollett, 242. 246.

By the Constitution of the United States, this department of legislation is confined to two branches only, of the ordinary Legislature; the President originating, and Senate having a negative. To what subject this power extends, has not been defined in detail by the Constitution; nor are we entirely agreed among ourselves. 1. It is admitted that it must concern the foreign nation, party to the contract, or it would be a mere nullity res enter alias acta. 2. By the general power to make treaties, the Constitution must have intended to comprehend only those objects which are usually regula ted by treaty, and cannot be otherwise regulated. 3 It must have meant to except out of these the rights reserved to the States; for surely the President and Senate cannot do by treaty what the whole government is interdicted from doing in any way. 4. And also to except those subjects of legislation in which it gave a participation to the House of Representatives. This last exception is denied by some, on the ground that it would leave very little matter for the treaty power to work on. The less the better, say others. The Constitution thought it wise to restrain the Executive and Seuate from entangling and embroiling our affairs with those of Europe. Besides, as the negotiations are carried on by the Executive alone, the subjecting to the ratifica tion of the Representatives such articles as are within their participation, is no more inconvenient than to the Senate. But the ground of this exemption is denied as unfounded. For examine e. g the treaty of commerce with France, and it will be found that out of thirty-one articles, there are not more than small portions of two or three of them which would not still remain as subjects of treaties, untouched by these exceptions.

Treaties being declared, equally with the laws of the United States, to be the supreme law of the land, it is understood that an act of the Legislature alone can declare them infringed and rescinded. This was accordingly the process adopted in the case of France, 1798.

It has been the usage of the Executive, when it communicates a treaty to the Senate for their ratification, to communicate also the correspondence of the negotiations. — This having been omitted in the case of the Prussian treaty, was asked by a vote of the House of February 12, 1800, and was obtained. And in December, 1800, the Convention of that year, between the United States and France, with the report of the negotiations by the Envoys, but not their instructions, being laid before the Senate, the instructions were asked for, and communicated by the President.

The mode of voting onquestions of ratification is by nominal call.

Whenever a treaty shall be laid before the Senate for ratification, it shall be read a first time for information only; when no motion to reject, ratify, or modify the whole or any part, shall be received.