” 7—The Governor of Miss. called on the President for federal aid to protect citizens and restore order.
CHAPTER XXX.
PARLIAMENTARY RULES.
We give in this chapter the Standing Rules and Orders for conducting business in the House of Representatives of the United States, as a proper compend of parliamentary rules for the people of the United States. They are naturally a standard of procedure in all public bodies in this country so far as the circumstances are parallel; they have been carefully compiled and adopted by our highest popular Legislative Body during the course of more than three-quarters of a century, and may therefore be considered thoroughly well adapted to the genius of our people and the character of our institutions; and they were originally based on Jefferson’s Manual, compiled by him for the use, and at the request of the Senate when, as Vice-President of the United States, he became its presiding officer, and was digested by him from the usages of the English Parliament and other Legislative bodies in Europe.
The value of this manual is attested by its use continued to the present day, so far as it is applicable. The Rules of the House are therefore representative of the wisdom of the Old World on this point as well as of the usages of the New.
They deserve to be carefully studied by American citizens above any other body of parliamentary rules for several reasons besides those mentioned above. Hardly any other will be likely to contain so many points of adaptation to popular use; every one should be fairly acquainted with the prevailing usages that he may be ready to act his part well if called on to preside in any public meeting; all who read the reports of congressional doings require such acquaintance with parliamentary usage to fully appreciate many points in such reports, and these Rules are a fine illustration of the spirit of our government and the genius of the American people.
We see, in the most impressive manner, that the utmost pain is taken to make Legislative work orderly, decorous, and as rapid as is consistent with due care that what is done shall be well and carefully done; that no pains are spared, in regulations, that every legislator shall have the means of knowing all that is his special business to know; and we discover that proper care is taken to see that economy and faithfulness are constantly observed by all the officers of the government. If this is not always actually the case there is, at least, no fault in the arrangements, rules and orders to that effect. All the people should know to what they may properly hold their Representatives accountable, and they will be prepared to judge of the extent of obedience or transgression. The Rules are just and good. Let the people see that they are properly observed.