Thomas Jefferson: A Manual of Parliamentary Practice

Thomas Jefferson: A Manual of Parliamentary Practice
gives leave to the member to attend, if he chuse it; waiting first to know from the member
himself whether he chuses to attend, till which, they do not take the message into
consideration. But when the peers are sitting as a court of criminal judicature, they may order
attendance; unless where it be a case of impeachment by the Commons. There it is to be a
request. 3 Hats. 17. 9 Grey 306, 406. 10 Grey 133.
Counsel are to be heard only on private, not on public bills, and on such points of law only as
the House shall direct. 10 Grey 61.
SEC. XIV.
ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS.
THE Speaker is not precisely bound to any rules as to what bills or other matter shall be first
taken up, but is left to his own discretion, unless the House on a question decide to take up a
particular subject. Hakew. 136.
A settled order of business is, however, necessary for the government of the presiding person,
and to restrain individual members from calling up favorite measures, or matters under their
special patronage, out of their just turn. It is useful also for directing the discretion of the
House, when they are moved to take up a particular matter, to the prejudice of others having
priority of right to their attention in the general order of business.
In Senate, the bills and other papers which are in possession of the House, and in a
state to be acted on, are arranged every morning, and brought on in the following
order.
1. Bills ready for a second reading are read, that they may be referred to
committees, and so be put under way. But if, on their being read, no motion is
made for commitment, they are then laid on the table in the general file, to be
taken up in their just turn.
2. After twelve o'clock, bills ready for it are put on their passage.
3. Reports in possession of the House, which offer grounds for a bill, are to be
taken up, that the bill may be ordered in.
4. Bills or other matters before the House and unfinished on the preceding day,
whether taken up in turn, or on special order, are entitled to be resumed and
passed on through their present stage.
5. These matters being dispatched, for preparing and expediting business, the
general file of bills and other papers is then taken up, and each article of it is
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