RULES OF THE SENATE. 121

endorsement is to facilitate its reference to a committee by
the President and for entry on the Journal; but any peti-
tion or memorial may be entered in full upon the Journal
by a majority vote of the Senators present.

COMMITTEES.
(See. Rules XV to XX.)

JOINT COMMITTEES.

A request for the appointment of a joint committee is
embodied in a message from one house to the other. ' It
embraces the subject and names the committee upon the
part of the House originating or concurring in the request.
The committee is appointed by the presiding officer, and
consists usually of two members of the Senate and three of
the House.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEES.
(See Rule XVII.)

A conference committee usually consists of three members
of each House, and is usually asked where one House dis-
agrees to amendments of its bills made by the other; but
may be asked in cases of difference of opinion on all matters
pending between them. The request for a conference must
always be by the House which is possessed of the papers,
and said papers must always accompany the message re-
questing the appointment of a conference committee, and
be retained by the conferees of the other. The report of a
committee of conference must be made in writing and
signed by the conferees. It is a question of the highest
privilege, and the report t«ay be made even during the
pendency of a motion to adjourn. A conference committee
may be instructed like any other committee, but their report
cannot be amended or altered, but it may be laid on the
table, and its effect will be to lay the bill also ou the table.