memorial or petition, the number of the signers of the same,
and of what city, county or town they are residents. This
endorsement is to facilitate its reference to a committee by
the President and for entry on the Journal; but any petition
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
they must always accompany the message requesting 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 con-
ferees. It is a question of the highest privilege, and the
report may 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 on the table.