he same city, and neither shall move
to any other place, or adjourn for more than three days, except by
common consent. Nor shall they begin to do business without two-thirds
of the total number of their members being present, or continue their
sessions without the attendance of an absolute majority.

ART. 55. Each House shall be the judge of the election of its respective
members and shall also pass upon their resignations. No Senator or
Representative shall be expelled from the House to which he belongs,
except upon grounds previously determined, and to the concurrence of at
least two-thirds of the total number of its members.

ART. 56. Each House shall frame its respective rules and regulations,
and elect from among its members its president, vice-presidents and
secretaries. But the president of the Senate shall not discharge his
duties as such, except in case the Vice-President of the Republic is
absent or acting as President.

SECTION FIFTH

CONGRESS AND ITS POWERS

ART. 57. Congress shall assemble, without necessity of previous call,
twice in each year, each session to last not less than forty working
days. The first session shall begin on the first Monday in April and the
second on the first Monday in November.

It shall meet in extra session in such cases and in such manner as may
be provided by its rules and regulations and when called to convene by
the President of the Republic in accordance with the provisions of this
Constitution. In both cases it shall only consider the express object or
objects for which it assembles.

ART. 58. Congress shall meet in joint session to proclaim, after
counting and verifying the electoral vote, the President and
Vice-President of the Republic.

In this case the president of the Senate, and in his absence the
president of the House of Representatives, as vice-president of the
Congress, shall preside over the joint meeting.

If upon counting the votes for President it is found that none of the
candidates has an absolute majority of votes, or if the votes are
equally divided, Congress, by the same majority, shall elect as
President one of the two candidates having obtained the greatest number
of votes.

Should more than two candidates receive the highest number of votes--no
one obtaining an absolute majority--two or more having secured the same
number, Congress shall elect from said candidates.

The method established in the preceding paragraph shall be also empl