THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ss:
The Senate of the United States to ———— ————, greeting:
You are hereby commanded to deliver to and leave with ———— ————, if conveniently to be found, or, if not, to leave at his usual place of abode or at his usual place of business, in some conspicuous place, a true and attested copy of the within writ of summons, together with a like copy of this precept; and in whichsoever way you perform the service, let it be done at least —— days before the appearance day mentioned in said writ of summons.
Fail not, and make return of this writ of summons and precept, with your proceedings thereon indorsed, on or before the appearance day mentioned in the said writ of summons.
Witness ———— ————, and Presiding Officer of the Senate, at the city of Washington, this —— day of ——, A.D. ——, and of the Independence of the United States the ———.
All process shall be served by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate unless otherwise ordered by the court.
XXV. If the Senate shall at any time fail to sit for the consideration of articles of impeachment on the day or hour fixed therefor, the Senate may by an order, to be adopted without debate, fix a day and hour for resuming such consideration.
On March 31 Rule VII was amended to read as follows:
VII. The Presiding Officer of the Senate shall direct all necessary preparations in the Senate Chamber, and the presiding officer on the trial shall direct all the forms of proceeding while the Senate are sitting for the purpose of trying an impeachment, and all forms during the trial not otherwise specially provided for, and the presiding officer on the trial may rule all questions of evidence and incidental questions, which ruling shall stand as the judgment of the Senate, unless some member of the Senate shall ask that a formal vote be taken thereon, in which case it shall be submitted to the Senate for decision; or he may, at his option, in the first instance submit any such question to a vote of the members of the Senate.
On April 3 Rule VII was further amended by inserting at the end thereof the following: