    [Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 104th Congress]
    [104th Congress]
    [House Document 103-342]
    [Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
    [Pages 288-290]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 288]]

                              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      This provision of the parliamentary law is superseded by clause 1 of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 of Representatives 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 289]]
    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 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

      In the practice of the House of Representatives 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.
             *            *            *            *            *

    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 journals and to take
    and publish votes from them. Being a record, every one may see and
    publish them. 6 Grey, 118, 119.

    [[Page 290]]
    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).

      The Journal of the House of Representatives is the official record of
    the proceedings of the House (IV, 2727), and certified copies are
    admitted as

    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.