    [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 Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    * * * * *
                               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      This provision of the parliamentary law is superseded by clause 1 of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.