| BOOK IV.—Part IV. | |
| Parliamentary Manual | [3] |
| BOOK IV.—Part V. | |
| The Anas | [87] |
| BOOK IV.—Part VI. | |
| Miscellaneous Papers | [212] |
| 1. Extract from Diary relative to invasion of Virginia in 1780, 1781[p. 212.] | |
| 2. Memorandum relative to invasion of Virginia in 1780, 1781, [220.] | |
| 3. Instructions to the Ministers Plenipotentiary appointed to negotiatetreaties of peace with the European nations, 1784, [226.] | |
| 4. Report of a conference with the Count de Vergennes on the subjectof the commerce of the U. States with France, [230.] | |
| 5. Answers of Mr. Jefferson, to questions propounded to him by M. deMeusnier, [244.] | |
| 6. Answers to propositions propounded by M. de Meusnier, Jan. 24,1786, [282.] | |
| 7. Notes on M. Soulé's Work, [293.] | |
| 8. Observations on a letter of M. de Calonnes to Mr. Jefferson, Oct. 22,1786, [304.] | |
| 9. Proposals for concerted operations among the powers at war withthe piratical States of Barbary, [308.] | |
| 10. To the Editor of the Journal de Paris, [309.] | |
| 11. Memoranda taken on a journey from Paris to the Southern partsof France and Northern parts of Italy in 1787, [313.] | |
| 12. Tour to some of the gardens of England, [367.] | |
| 13. Memoranda of a tour to Amsterdam, Strasburgh, &c., and back toParis, in 1788, [373.] | |
| 14. Travelling notes for Mr. Rutledge and Mr. Shippen in 1788, [403.] | |
| 15. Questions as to the rights and duties of the U. States under hertreaties with France and the laws of neutrality, [405.] | |
| 16. Heads of consideration on the conduct to be observed in the warbetween Spain and Great Britain, and particularly should the latter attemptthe conquest of Louisiana and the Floridas, [409.] | |
| 17. Heads of consideration on the navigation of the Mississippi river,for Mr. Carmichael, [412.] | |
| 18. Questions to be considered, [415.] | |
| 19. Plan of a bill concerning consuls, [416.] | |
| 20. Matters to be arranged between the governments of the U. Statesand England, [419.] | |
| 21. Memorandum of communications made to a committee of the Senateon the subject of the diplomatic nominations to Paris, London, and theHague, [420.] | |
| 22. Considerations on the subject of ransom and peace with the Algerines,[424.] | |
| 23. Notes of a conversation with Mr. Hammond, [425.] | |
| 24. Extempore thoughts and doubts on very superficially running overthe bankrupt bill, [431.] | |
| 25. Heads of a conversation with Mr. Hammond, [432.] | |
| 26. Instructions to Andrew Michaud for exploring the WesternBoundary, [434.] | |
| 27. Memorandum relative to Commissioners for laying off the FederalCity, [437.] | |
| 28. Note given to the President relative to Genet, [438.] | |
| 29. Rules for regulating our conduct towards the belligerent powers,recommended to the President for his adoption, [440.] | |
| 30. Opinion relative to the propriety of convening the Legislature at anearlier period than that fixed by law, [441.] | |
| 31. Communication relative to our French relations, [442.] | |
| 32. Explanation of the origin of the principle "Free bottoms make freegoods," [443.] | |
| 33. An account of the capitol of Virginia, [446.] | |
| 34. To the Speaker and House of Delegates of the Commonwealth ofVa., being a protest against all interference by the Judiciary between Representativeand Constituent, [447.] | |
| 35. Etiquette, [454.] | |
| 36. Charges exhibited to the President of the United States againstHon. Arthur Sinclair, as Governor of the territory north-west of the riverOhio, [455.] | |
| 37. Hints on the subject of Indian boundaries, suggested for consideration,[460.] | |
| 38. Notes on the subject of the Consular convention between the UnitedStates and France, [462.] | |
| 39. Resolutions relative to the alien and sedition laws, [464.] | |
| 40. Doctor Stevens' case, [472.] | |
| 41. Notes on the draught of a second inaugural address, [475.] | |
| 42. Farewell address of Thomas Jefferson, [476.] | |
| 43. Notes on the 5th volume of Marshall's Life of Washington, [478.] | |
| 44. Scheme for a system of agricultural societies, [480.] | |
| 45. Observations on the force and obligation of the common law inthe U. States, on the occasion of Hardin's case in Kentucky, [485.] | |
| 46. Plan for elementary schools, [489.] | |
| 47. Solemn declaration and protest of the commonwealth of Va., onthe principles of the Constitution, and on the violation of them, [496.] | |
| 48. Thoughts on lotteries, [500.] | |
| 49. Jefferson's Will, [511.] | |
BOOK IV.—Continued.
MISCELLANEOUS.
| PART IV.—JEFFERSON'S MANUAL. |
| PART V.—THE ANAS. |
| PART VI.—MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. |
PART IV.
A MANUAL OF PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE.
PREFACE.
The Constitution of the United States, establishing a Legislature for the Union under certain forms, authorizes each branch of it "to determine the rules of its own proceedings." The Senate have accordingly formed some rules for its own government: but those going only to few cases, they have referred to the decision of their President, without debate and without appeal, all questions of order arising either under their own rules, or where they have provided none. This places under the discretion of the President a very extensive field of decision, and one which, irregularly exercised, would have a powerful effect on the proceedings and determinations of the House. The President must feel, weightily and seriously, this confidence in his discretion: and the necessity of recurring, for its government, to some known system of rules, that he may neither leave himself free to indulge caprice or passion, nor open to the imputation of them. But to what system of rules is he to recur, as supplementary to those of the Senate? To this there can be but one answer: to the systems of regulations adopted by the government of some one of the parliamentary bodies within these States, or of that which has served as a prototype to most of them. This last is the model which we have studied; while we are little acquainted with the modifications of it in our several States. It is deposited, too, in publications possessed by many, and open to all. Its rules are probably as wisely constructed for governing the debates of a considerative body, and obtaining its true sense, as any which can become known to us; and the acquiescence of the Senate hitherto under the references to them, has given them the sanction of their approbation.
Considering, therefore, the law of proceedings in the Senate as composed of the precepts of the Constitution, the regulations of the Senate, and where these are silent, of the rules of Parliament, I have here endeavored to collect and digest so much of these as is called for in ordinary practice, collating the parliamentary with the senatorial rules, both where they agree and where they vary. I have done this, as well to have them at hand for my own government, as to deposit with the Senate the standard by which I judge and am willing to be judged. I could not doubt the necessity of quoting the sources of my information; among which Mr. Hatsel's most valuable book is pre-eminent; but as he has only treated some general heads, I have been obliged to recur to other authorities, in support of a number of common rules of practice to which his plan did not descend. Sometimes each authority cited supports the whole passage. Sometimes it rests on all taken together. Sometimes the authority goes only to a part of the text, the residue being inferred from known rules and principles. For some of the most familiar forms, no written authority is or can be quoted; no writer having supposed it necessary to repeat what all were presumed to know. The statement of these must rest on their notoriety.