PREFACE. THIS MANUAL has been undertaken and executed mainly with the view of giving gentlemen, who may not have served as members of our National Legislature, some small insight into the mode of transacting the business of Congress, especially in the House of Representatives of the United States. Members of the several State Legislatures will also find it serviceable in the performance of their legislative duties, while at the same time it will, in some measure, qualify them for a seat in the House of Represen tatives of the United States, in the event of their promotion to that distinguished body. Perhaps, occasionally the old members of congress may find it a convenient reference. This work contains the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, Rules of both Houses of Congress, and Jefferson's Manual, besides a mass of important parliamentary decisions worthy the attention of every man desirous of becoming acquainted with the congressional practice of the country. INDEX TO THE CONGRESSIONAL MANUAL. A. Amendments, offered to bills on first reading, B. Bills, mode of reporting, and receiving by the chair mode of passing, by the house, title of, mode of demanding the yeas and nays on, undetermined, may be taken up in the se- Business, priority of, local and private, C. Call of the House. A call of the house after previous Chaplain, elected for a session, one selected yearly, Clerk, oath of office administered to, salary of, duties, franks, &c. list of orders, Clerk, Journalizing, reads the journal of the preceding day to the Speaker, before the house convenes on the succeeding day, Committees, joint, to wait on the President at the opening of the two Houses, standing, how appointed, reports of, mode of calling and receiv- select, are called after standing com- of the whole on the state of the Union, report of, when not in committee of the Rooms, of the whole, Conferences, Committee of conference mutually separated with out agreement-agreed to recede on one amend- The House refusing to adhere, afterwards resolved to recede, Part of the report of conference rejected, 61 62 63 Further conference asked, D. 65 Receding after conference, Delegates may speak, frank, &c., but not vote, their pay and mileage same as members, District of Columbia, committee of public grounds, Election of clerk and sergeant-at-arms, E. 13 of Speaker, a majority of the whole number necessary, 11 Page. 54 F. Franking, to what extent allowed, H. House of Representatives-notice to Senate of its or- Majority of the whole number necessary to elect a Manual, Jefferson's, rules of, to govern the House Speaker, adopted, Message, mode of receiving and announcing, from printed confidentially before delivery, not seen by members till read in the House, Mileage, duty of the committee on, remarks concerning, 15 16 50 84 17 11 14 18 ib 19 Oath of office, members arriving after the opening of the session, take the Opening of the House, selection of seats at the, clerk puts the question to open, Orders of the day, when to proceed in the consider- 17 9 ib 10 27 P. Page. Petitions, Speaker calls for under the 16th rule, com- commences where he left off the preceding mode of presenting and receiving, reading, called for, may be presented daily for the first 30 days rule respecting, frequently suspended, Postpone-to postpone to a day certain takes precedence of a motion to postpone indefinitely Postponement, indefinite, last in the order of privi leged motions, President of the United States, General Washington and Mr. Adams met the Mr. Jefferson sent the first inaugural message, Previous Question, a majority must second the de- Division of the question, when the proposition Amendment pending when the question has If a majority should not vote in favour of the 82-84 44 44 44 45 A call of the House after previous question 46 Relative to points of order, having been ad journed over, 46 To lie on the table, 47 Call of the House not in order after the pre- 46 Precedents of Order-Casting vote of the chair to sustain its decision, 70 |