1.  At the first session, the house is called to order by the clerk of the preceding house, who then calls the roll of members-elect [Footnote:  The members-elect have previously sent him their certificates of election, received from the state canvassing board.] by states.  If a quorum is found to be present, the clerk declares it to be in order to proceed to the election of a speaker.  The vote is viva voce on the call of the roll, each member when his name is called pronouncing the name of his choice for speaker.  Election is by majority of the votes given.  The result is declared by the clerk, who “then designates two members (usually of different politics, and from the number of those voted for as speaker) to conduct the speaker-elect to the chair; and also one member (usually that one who has been longest in continuous service a member of the house) to administer to him the oath required by the constitution.” [Footnote:  Manual of the House of Representatives.]

The speaker then administers the oath to the members, in groups of about forty, all standing in line before the speaker’s desk.

3.  The organization is completed by the election of a clerk, a sergeant-at-arms; a doorkeeper, a postmaster, and a chaplain.  The vote is viva voce, and the term is “until their successors are chosen and qualified”—­usually about two years, though all are subject to removal at the will of the house.

The delegates from the territories are then sworn in.

“At this stage it is usual for the house to adopt an order that a message be sent to the senate to inform that body that a quorum of the house of representatives has assembled, and that --------, one of the representatives from the state of ----, has been elected speaker, and ----- —–­, a citizen of the state of —–­, has been chosen clerk, and that the house is now ready to proceed to business.” [Footnote:  Manual of the House of Representatives.]

Each house then orders a committee of three members to be appointed, the joint committee “to wait upon the president of the United States and inform him that a quorum of the two houses has assembled, and that congress is ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make.” [Footnote:  Manual of the House of Representatives.] It is in order then for the president to forward his message to congress.

The above are the usual proceedings, and they generally occur on the first day of the session.

The seating of the members is by lot, except in the case of certain members privileged by very long experience or otherwise, who are by courtesy permitted to make the first selection.  Each member is numbered, and corresponding numbers are placed in a box “and thoroughly intermingled.”  Then the numbers are drawn from the box successively by a page, the member whose number is drawn first having first choice of seat, and so on.  This may be done while the committees are waiting on the president, as above described.