ページの画像
PDF
ePub

THE LEGISLATIVE GUIDE,

CONTAINING

ALL THE RULES FOR CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN CONGRESS;

JEFFERSON'S MANUAL;

AND

THE CITIZENS' MANUAL,

INCLUDING A CONCISE SYSTEM OF RULES OF ORDER FOUNDED ON CONGRESSIONAL

PROCEEDINGS:

WITH

COPIOUS NOTES AND MARGINAL REFERENCES,

EXPLAINING

THE RULES AND THE AUTHORITY THEREFOR;

DESIGNED

TO ECONOMIZE TIME AND SECURE UNIFORMITY IN THE PROCEED

INGS OF ALL DELIBERATIVE ASSEMBLIES,

AND ALSO

TO MEET THE WANTS OF EVERY PRIVATE CITIZEN WHO DESIRES TO UNDERSTAND THE RIGHT

WAY TO TRANSACT PUBLIC BUSINESS. '

BY

JOSEPH BARTLETT BURLEIGHY LE, D,

FOURTH EDITION REVISED..

PHILADELPHIA:

LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO & CO.,

758

PREFACE.

THE Author's attention was first called to the importance of a uniform system of rules for conducting public business, when presiding at the faculty meetings of a University, which were composed of members educated in the different States of the Union, and in different countries of Europe.

Questions sometimes arose in reference to the mode of conducting business, respecting which the members entertained various opinions. This led to an examination of works on Parliamentary practice, for there were none based on Congressional proceedings, and it was found that no two books were alike in all respects, that the rules of State Legislatures differed from each other, and from those of Congress, in matters where uniformity would add alike to the convenience of the members and the dispatch of business.

There are now more than thirty State Legislatures; each having its separate and distinct forms for conducting public business. After having visited most of those bodies during their sessions, the Author is of the opinion, that much time is needlessly lost for the want of a systematic and uniform standard.

No one can doubt but that the will of the majority is often defeated, and public business retarded, for the want of the general diffusion of, and the familiar acquaintance with, correct legislative forms of proceeding.

This Guide contains a full set of rules for conducting business in every association, of whatever name or character, from the lowest to the most exalted.

By these, a person having properly learned how to conduct the affairs of a small society or meeting of one kind, may know at once how to carry on that much of the proceedings of another body of larger size and greater scope, and a State legislator, on being transferred to Congress, will not be under the disagreeable necessity of unlearning anything he has acquired and studying a new system of rules for conducting legislative business.

[ocr errors]

Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by

JOSEPH BARTLETT BURLEIGH,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Mary

land.

Stereotyped by SLOTE & MOONEY, Philadelphia, | Printed by T. K. & P. G. COLLINS.

DEP

ARTMENT

OF

ST

ATE

DEPARTMENT of State.

WASHINGTON, OCT. 1, 1850. This is to certify, that Joseph Bartlett Burleigh's Script Edition of the U. S. Constitution with the Amendments, has been carefully collated with the originals in the Archives of this Department, and proved to be accurate in the CAPITALS, ORTHOGRAPHY, TEXT, and PUNCTUATION.

Daw Webster

SECRETARY OF STATE.

1 S Derrick

CHIEF CLERK.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 3, 1850.

I have carefully compared Burleigh's Script Edition of the American Constitution and the Amendments appended, with the original manuscript and the twelve Amendments, IN THE ORDER OF THEIR ADOPTION, and have found that it minutely delineates the original documents, with all their peculiarities. It may be proper to add, that other Amendments have been proposed, but only the aforesaid twelve have been constitutionally ratified.

James Mackie

KEEPER OF THE ARCHIVES.

WASHINGTON, D. C., SEPT. 30, 1850.

I have critically compared Burleigh's Script Constitution of the United States, and all its Amendments, with the original documents deposited at the Department of State, and have found them in every respect alike, even to the minutest particular.

Josiah Melvin

PROOF-READER IN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

THE following Script is an exact copy, in capitals, orthography, text, and punctuation, of the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, as proposed by the Convention held at Philadelphia, September 17, 1787, and since ratified by the several States; with the Amendments thereto.

We the People of the United States, in

a more

Order to form
perfect Union,
establish Justice, insure domestic
Tranquility, provide for the common
defence, promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty
to ourselves and our Posterity, do or=
dain and establish this Constitution
for the United States of America.

Article. I.

Section. 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Con= gress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Roepresentatives.

*

Constitution estab lished by the People

Of the Lo gislative power.

« 前へ次へ »