CLAUSE 1. The senators and representatives shall receive a
compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid
out of the treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases,
except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from
arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective
houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any
speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in
any other place.
CLAUSE 2. No senator or representative shall, during the time for
which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the
authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or
the emoluments whereof shall have been increased, during such time;
and no person holding any office under the United States shall be a
member of either house during his continuance in office.
[Footnote: _Section 7_. What bills must originate in the House
of Representatives? What authority is given the Senate with regard
to such bills? Describe the three ways in which a bill may become a
law--(1) With the President's concurrence, (2) over his veto (I
forbid); and (3) by non-return within ten dayss? What "orders,
resolutions and votes" must be submitted to the President? What is
the object of this provision? (_Notes_.--In case a vacancy
occurs in the senatorial representation of any state, the governor
of the state can appoint a senator to fill the place, who can hold
office only until the next session of the Legislature. The method
of representation in the Senate gives in that body perfect equality
to all the states, Rhode Island having the same power as Virginia.
A senator is chosen by the Legislature, a representative by the
people; a senator serves for six years, a representative for two.
The Senate tries an officer for misconduct, but he must be
impeached by the House of Representatives. The salary of a
Congressman is now $5,000 per year, and mileage (20 cents per mile
for every mile of travel by the usual route in coming and going).
The speaker of the House has double a member's salary, and the
president of the Senate has a salary of $8,000. One-third of the
Senate retire from office every two years. By the term "a Congress"
is meant the body of senators and representatives holding office
during any one representative term of two years; the Congress which
began its term March 4, 1879, is the 46th. Each Congress "ends at
noon of the 4th of March next succeeding the beginning of its
second regular session." The committees in the House are appointed
by the Speaker; those in the Senate by itself. The classification
of the Senate makes it a more efficient and conservative body than
the House, since in the former there are always two thirds of the
number old members, while the House is all new every two years. If
the president of the Senate were a senator, it would give extra
power to one state, which would be contrary to the plan of that
body.)]