or matter of a similar nature may, on motion, be referred to such committee.

35. When motions are made for reference of the same subject to a select committee, and to a standing committee, the question on reference to the standing committee shall be first put.

36. When nominations shall be made in writing by the President of the United States to the Senate, a future day shall be assigned, unless the Senate unanimously direct otherwise, for taking them into consideration. When the President of the United States shall meet the Senate in the Senate chamber, the President of the Senate shall have a chair on the floor, be considered as the head of the Senate, and his chair shall be assigned to the President of the United States. When the Senate shall be convened by the President of the United States to any other place, the President of the Senate and Senators shall attend at the place appointed. The secretary of the Senate shall also attend to take the minutes of the Senate.

37. Whenever a treaty shall be laid before the Senate for ratification, it shall be read a first time for information caly; when no motion to reject, ratify, or modify the whole, or any part, shall be received. Its second reading shall be for consideration, and on a subsequent day; when it shall be taken up as in committee of the whole, and every one shall be free to move a question on any particular article, in this form: "Will the Senate advise and consent to the ratification of this article?" or to propose amendments thereto, either by inserting or by leaving out words; in which last case, the question shall be, "Shall these words stand as part of the article?" And in every of the said cases, the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senators present shall be requisite to decide affirma. tively. And when through the whole, the proceed.

ings shall be stated to the House, and questions shall be again severally put thereon for confirmation, or new ones proposed, requiring, in like manner, a concurrence of two-thirds, for whatever is retained or inserted; the votes so confirmed shall, by the House, or a committee thereof, be reduced into the form of a ratification, with or without modifications, as may have been decided, and shall be proposed on a subsequent day, when every one shall again be free to move amendments, either by inserting or leaving out words; in which last case, the question shall be, "Shall these words stand as part of the resolution ?" And in both cases, the concurrence of two-thirds shall be requisite to carry the affirmative, as well as, on the final question, to advise and consent to the ratification in the form agreed to.

38. All confidential communications, made by the President of the United States to the Senate, shall be by the members thereof kept secret; and all treaties which may be laid before the Senate shall also be kept secret, until the Senate shall, by their resolution, take off the injunction of secrecy.

39. All information or remarks, touching or concerning the character or qualifications of any person, nominated by the President to office, shall be kept

secret.

40. When acting on confidential or executive business, the Senate shall be cleared of all persons except the secretary, the principal or the executive clerk, the sergeant-at-arms and doorkeeper, and the assistant doorkeeper.

41. The legislative proceedings, the executive proceedings, and the confidential legislative proceedings, of the Senate, shall be kept in separate and distinct books.

42. The President of the United States shall, from time to time, be furnished with an authenticated tran

script of the executive records of the Senate; and all nominations approved, or definitively acted on by the Senate, shall be returned by the secretary, from day to day, as such proceedings may occur; but no further extract from the executive journal shall be furnished, except by special order; and no paper, except original treaties transmitted to the Senate by the President of the United States, or any executive officer, shall be returned or delivered from the office of the secretary, without an order of the Senate for that purpose.

43. When an amendment to be proposed to the Constitution is under consideration, the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present shall not be requisite to decide any question for amendments, or extending to the merits, being short of the final question.

44. When any question may have been decided by the Senate, in which two-thirds of the members present are necessary to carry the affirmative, any member who votes on that side which prevailed in the question may be at liberty to move for a reconsideration; and a motion for reconsideration shall be decided by a majority of votes.

45. Messages shall be sent to the House of Representatives by the secretary, who shall previously endorse the final determination of the Senate thereon.

46. Messengers are introduced in any state of business, except while a question is putting, while the yeas and nays are calling, or while the ballots are counting.

47. The reporters shall be placed on the floor of the Senate, under the direction of the secretary.

No person, except members of the House of Representatives, their Clerk, Heads of Departments, Treasurer, Comptrollers, Register, Auditors, Postmaster-General, President's Secretary, Chaplains to Congress, Judges of the United States, Foreign

Ministers and their Secretaries, Officers who, by name, have received or shall hereafter receive, the thanks of Congress for their gallantry and good conduct displayed in the service of their country, or who have received medals by the vote of Congress, the Commissioners of the Navy Board, Commissioner of Patents, Governor for the time being, of any State or Territory of the Union, Judges of the Supreme Courts of Law and Equity of any State, such gentlemen as have been Heads of Departments or members of either branch of the Legislature, and at the discretion of the President of the Senate, persons who belong to such Legislatures of foreign Governments, as are in amity with the United States, shall be admitted on the floor of the Senate.

48. The presiding officer of the Senate shall have the regulation of such parts of the Capitol and of its passages, as are or may be set apart for the use of the Senate and its officers.

49. The Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant-atarms and Doorkeeper, and the Assistant Doorkeeper. shall be chosen on the second Monday of the first session of the 21st Congress, and on the same day of the first session of every succeeding Congress.

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