Chapter LXXXII: Section XLVII: Messages

Messages between the Houses are to be sent only while both Houses are sitting. 3 _Hats._, 15. They are received during debate without adjourning the debate. 3 _Hats._, 22.

[In Senate the messengers are introduced in any state of business, except, 1. While a question is putting. 2. While the yeas and nays are calling. 3. While the ballots are counting. _Rule 47._ The first case is short; the second and third are cases where any interruption might occasion errors difficult to be corrected. So arranged June 15, 1788.]

In the House of Representatives, as in Parliament, if the House be in committee when a messenger attends, the Speaker takes the chair to receive the message, and then quits it to return into committee, without any question or interruption. 4 _Grey_, 226.

Messengers are not saluted by the members, but by the Speaker of the House. 2 _Grey_, 253, 274.

If messengers commit an error in delivering their message, they may be admitted or called in to correct their message. 4 _Grey_, 41. Accordingly, March 13, 1800, the Senate having made two amendments to a bill from the House of Representatives, their Secretary, by mistake, delivered one only, which being inadmissible by itself, that house disagreed, and notified the Senate of their disagreement. This produced a discovery of the mistake. The Secretary was sent to the House to correct his mistake, the correction was received, and the two amendments acted on de novo.

As soon as the messenger, who has brought bills from the other House, has retired, the Speaker holds the bills in his hand, and acquaints the House “that the other house have by their messenger sent certain bills,” and then reads their titles, and delivers them to the clerk, to be safely kept till they shall be called for to be read. _Hakew._, 178.

It is not the usage for one House to inform the other by what numbers a bill has passed. _10 Grey_, 150. Yet they have sometimes recommended a bill, as of great importance, to the consideration of the House to which it is sent. 3 _Hats._, 25. Nor when they have rejected a bill from the other house, do they give notice of it; but it passes sub silentio, to prevent unbecoming altercations. 1 _Blackst._, 183.

[But in Congress the rejection is notified by message to the house in which the bill originated.]

A question is never asked by the one house of the other by way of message, but only at a conference; for this is an interrogatory, not a message. 3 _Grey_, 151, 181.

When a bill is sent by one house to the other, and is neglected, they may send a message to remind them of it. 3 _Hats._, 25; 5 _Grey_, 154. But if it be mere inattention, it is better to have it done informally, by communication 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.