All orders of the House determine with the session; and one taken under such an order may, after the session is ended, be discharged on a Habeas Corpus.—Raym. 120; Jacob's L. D. by Ruffhead; Parliament, 1 Lev. 165, Prichard's case.
Where the Constitution authorizes each House to determine the rule of its proceedings, it must mean in those cases, legislative, executive, or judiciary, submitted to them by the Constitution, or in something relating to these, and necessary towards their execution. But orders and resolutions are sometimes entered in their journals, having no relation to these, such as acceptances of invitations to attend orations, to take part in processions, &c. These must be understood to be merely conventional among those who are willing to participate in the ceremony, and are therefore, perhaps, improperly placed among the records of the House.
SECTION XIX.
PETITIONS.
A petition prays something. A remonstrance has no prayer.—1 Grey, 58.
Petitions must be subscribed by the petitioners, Scob. 87; L. Parl. c. 22; 9 Grey, 362, unless they are attending, 1 Grey, 401, or unable to sign, and averred by a member.—3 Grey, 418. But a petition not subscribed, but which the member presenting it affirmed to be all in the handwriting of the petitioner, and his name written in the beginning, was, on the question, (March 14, 1800,) received by the Senate. The averment of a member, or somebody without doors, that they know the handwriting of the petitioners, is necessary, if it be questioned.—6 Grey, 36. It must be presented by a member, not by the petitioners, and must be opened by him, holding it in his hand.—10 Grey, 57.
Before any petition or memorial, addressed to the Senate, shall be received and read at the table, whether the same shall be introduced by the President or a member, a brief statement of the contents of the petition or memorial shall verbally be made by the introducer.—Rule 21.
Regularly a motion for receiving it must be made and seconded, and a question put, Whether it shall be received? But a cry from the House of "Received," or even its silence, dispenses with the formality of this question: it is then to be read at the table, and disposed of.
SECTION XX.
MOTIONS.
When a motion has been made, it is not to be put to the question, or debated, until it is seconded.—Scob. 21.
The Senate say, No motion shall be debated until the same shall be seconded.—Rule 6.