[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 109th Congress]
[109th Congress]
[House Document 108-241]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 302-304]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

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                           sec. xlix--journals


Sec. 578. Obsolete provisions as to entry of motions in the journal. 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.
This provision of the parliamentary law is superseded by clause 1 of rule XVI, which requires every motion entertained by the Speaker to be entered on the Journal.
Sec. 579. Journal entries of questions postponed or laid on the table. 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 it on the table.
In the House a question is not adjourned, except in the sense that it may be left to go over as unfinished business by reason of a vote to adjourn. [[Page 303]] 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.
Sec. 580. Entry of amendments in the Journal. Where amendments are made to a question, those amendments are not printed in the journals, separated from the question; but only the question as
Sec. 581. Entry of votes in journal of the House of Commons. In the practice of the House a motion to amend is entered on the Journal as any other motion, under clause 1 of rule XVI. * * * * * The first order for printing the votes of the House of Commons was October 30, 1685. 1 Chandler, 387.
[[Page 304]] the journals and to take and publish votes from them. Being a record, every one may see and publish them. 6 Grey, 118, 119.
Sec. 582. The Journal as an official record. Some judges have been of opinion that the journals of the House of Commons are no records, but only remembrances. But this is not law. Hob., 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 Parl., 6 H. 8, c. 16; 4 Inst., 23, 24; and every member of the House of Commons hath 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 Journal of the House is the official record of the proceedings of the House (IV, 2727), and certified copies are admitted as evidence in the courts of the United States (IV, 2810; 28 U.S.C. 1736). A Senate committee concluded that the Journal entries of a legislative body were conclusive as to all the proceedings had, and might not be contradicted by ex parte evidence (I, 563).
Sec. 583. Correction of the Journal through a committee. On information of a misentry 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, 195.