Following the House chaplain's prayer, Secretary of the Senate John W. Forney read the Address. The practice of reading the Farewell Address did not immediately become a Senate tradition. In following years, Congress generally did not meet on Washington's Birthday, but early in 1888 the centennial year of the Constitution's ratification the Senate agreed to have its presiding officer read the Address on February 22. Five years later, in 1893, the Senate made the practice an annual event. Every year since then the Senate has observed Washington's Birthday by selecting one of its members, alternating parties, to read the 7,641-word Address in legislative session.
Delivery generally takes about forty-five minutes.
At the conclusion of each reading, the appointed senator inscribes his or her name and brief remarks in a black, leather-bound book maintained by the Secretary of the Senate . The book's first entry bears the signature of Ohio Republican Joseph Foraker and is dated February 22, 1900.