PERSONAL EXPLANATION.

CAN NOT BE MADE EXCEPT BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

35th Cong., 2d sess.; J., pp. 492, 493.]

MARCH 9, 1859.

Mr. Trumbull arose to address the Senate for the purpose of making a personal explanation.

Mr. Johnson of Arkansas raised a question of order, that it was not competent for the Senator from Illinois to address the Chair when no subject was pending before the Senate.

The Vice President (Mr. Breckinridge) decided that without unanimous consent first obtained the Senator from Illinois could not proceed. (See Cong. Globe, pp. 1688-1690.)

467

PETITIONS.

1. May not be received if not signed.

2. May not be received if not addressed to the Senate.
3. May not be received from subjects of foreign countries.

1. MAY NOT BE RECEIVED IF NOT SIGNED. 19th Cong., 2d sess.; J., p. 158.]

FEBRUARY 7, 1827.

Mr. Chambers presented a memorial of the American Colonization Society. Reception objected to on the ground that it was not signed; objection sustained and memorial not received. (G. & S. Deb., vol. 3, pp. 289, 296.)

2. MAY NOT BE RECEIVED IF NOT ADDRESSED TO THE SENATE. 42d Cong., 3d sess.; not journalized.]

JANUARY 8, 1873.

Mr. Sprague presented a paper purporting to be resolutions of the Board of Trade of Providence, R. I., but addressed to him and not to the Senate, and asked that it be read. Upon the reading Mr. Hamlin objected to its reception, for the reason that it was a private communication to a Senator and not addressed to the Senate. Mr. Sprague thereupon withdrew the paper. (See Cong. Globe, p. 394; see also Papers, reading of.)

3. MAY NOT BE RECEIVED FROM SUBJECTS OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 20th Cong., 1st sess.; J., p. 38.] DECEMBER 14, 1827.

Mr. Smith presented the petition of Robert Holl, a British subject. Ordered to lie on the table. (G. & S. Debates, vol. 4, pt. 1, pp. 5, 6.)

29th Cong., 2d sess.; J., pp. 198, 222.]

FEBRUARY 17, 23, 1847.

Vice President (Mr. Dallas) presented the memorial of John A. Barry, a British subject, and submitted the question of its reception to the Senate. Motion to receive ordered to lie on the table. (See Cong. Globe, pp. 434, 435, 480.)

37th Cong., 3d sess.; J., p. 148.]

JANUARY 26, 1863. Ruled not in order to pre

Mr. Foster presented papers signed by British subjects. sent communications emanating from citizens of a foreign Government. (See Cong. Globe, pp. 504, 505.)

39th Cong., 1st sess.; J., p. 470.]

MAY 29, 1866.

Mr. Johnson presented the petition of E. P. Salas, a Spanish subject. Chair ruled that, being an alien subject, the petition could not be received by the Senate. (See Cong. Globe, pp. 2865, 2866.)

468

PLURALITY VOTE.

ALL OFFICERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS MUST BE ELECTED BY A MAJORITY AND NOT BY A.

62d Cong., 1st sess.; J., p. 62.]

MAY 11, 1911.

During the proceedings relating to the election of a President of the Senate pro tempore,

Mr. Stone raised a question of order, viz, that a Senator having received a plurality vote should be declared elected President of the Senate pro tempore.

The Presiding Officer (Mr. Lodge) overruled the question of order and decided that under the Constitution of the United States, in the absence of any provision to the contrary, all officers of both Houses must be elected by a majority; and in the practice of the House, where there have been contests very frequently, a majority vote has been and is required. (See Cong. Record, pp. 1183, 1188, 1189.)

469

POSTPONEMENT.

1. To simply postpone a measure not in order.

2. Indefinitely.

3. A bill postponed indefinitely may be considered at a succeeding session.

1. TO SIMPLY POSTPONE A MEASURE NOT IN ORDER. 46th Cong., 3d sess.; J., p. 126.]

JANUARY 17, 1881.

The Presiding Officer (Mr. Withers) decided that under the forty-third rule (now twenty-second) of the Senate a motion to simply postpone a pending measure was not in order. (See Cong. Record, p. 672.)

2. INDEFINITELY.

30th Cong., 1st sess.; J.,

p. 527.]

AUGUST 3, 1848.

The bill to establish the Territorial government of Oregon having been read the first and second times, Mr. Badger moved to postpone the bill indefinitely, and, having addressed the Senate, withdrew the motion.

The President pro tempore (Mr. Atchison) decided that it was not competent for the Senator from North Carolina to withdraw his motion without leave being first given by the Senate.

From this decision Mr. Badger appealed, and, on motion, by Mr. John P. Hale, Ordered, That the appeal lie on the table. (See Cong. Globe, p. 1031.) 40th Cong., 3d sess.; J., pp. 141, 142, 146, 151, 157, 158.]

JANUARY 25, 26, 27, 28, 1869.

3. A BILL POSTPONED INDEFINITELY MAY BE CONSIDERED AT A

SUCCEEDING SESSION.

Mr. Morton submitted a motion that the Senate proceed to the consideration of the bill (H. R. 65) "for the relief of William McGarrahan."

The President pro tempore (Mr. Wade) “stated that the bill proposed to be taken up having been postponed indefinitely by a vote of the Senate on the 25th of July last, at the last session, and returned to the House of Representatives in which it originated, with the action of the Senate thereon, which he believed, by the uniform practice of the Senate, was regarded as a rejection of the bill, and that the bill being not now in the possession of the Senate the motion to take it up did not appear to him to be in order, and that the effect of the indefinite postponement of the bill being involved in the question of order he would prefer to have it decided by the Senate: Is the motion to take up a bill which has been indefinitely postponed by a vote of the Senate at a previous session of Congress in order?" After a discussion the Senate decided that the motion of Mr. Morton was in order by a vote of yeas 27, nays 18. (See Cong. Globe, pp. 568-570, 590-593, 623-625, 665–667.)

NOTE.-The rule limiting the time in which a vote can be reconsidered was the same in January, 1869, as now. The motion "to proceed to the consideration of the bill" was, in effect, the same as a motion for reconsideration of the vote by which the bill was postponed indefinitely.

PREAMBLE.

1. May not be withdrawn without consent of Senate.

2. May be laid on the table.

3. Separate vote may be had on third reading of, and also on passage of the.

1. MAY NOT BE WITHDRAWN WITHOUT CONSENT OF SENATE. 42d Cong., 2d sess.; J., p. 270.]

FEBRUARY 21, 1872.

A resolution having a preamble is under consideration; after amendment, a division of the question is called, and the mover of the resolution asks leave to withdraw the preamble. Decided by the Vice President (Mr. Colfax) that, the preamble being a part of the resolution and the resolution having been amended, it was, under the tenth rule of the Senate, no longer within the control of the mover, and could not, without the consent of the Senate, be modified or withdrawn. (See Cong. Globe, pp. 1158, 1159.)

2. MAY BE LAID ON THE TABLE.

42d Cong., 2d sess.; J., pp. 303, 304.]

FEBRUARY 29, 1872.

When a division has been demanded on the preamble to a resolution and the resolution has been agreed to, the preamble may be laid on the table without carrying the resolution (Vice President Colfax). Mr. Edmunds appealed; appeal laid on the table; Chair sustained. (See Cong. Globe, pp. 1298, 1299.)

44th Cong., 1st sess.; J., p. 133.]

JANUARY 24, 1876.

May be laid on the table after the resolution has been agreed to, without prejudice to the resolution. (See Cong. Record, pp. 578, 579.)

3. SEPARATE VOTE MAY BE HAD ON THIRD READING of, and ALSO ON PASSAGE OF THE.

44th Cong., 1st sess.; J., p. 192.]

FEBRUARY 11, 1876.

A separate vote may be had on the question of the third reading of a bill, upon the third reading of the preamble also. On the question of the passage of a bill a division of the question as to the preamble may be called for and the question put upon the passage of the preamble. (See Cong. Record, pp. 1037, 1038.)

471