Manual of Parliamentary Practice / Rules of Proceeding and Debate in Deliberative Assemblies

The following treatise forms a part only of a much larger and more comprehensive work, covering the whole ground of parliamentary law and practice, which the author has for some time been engaged in preparing; and which it is his intention to complete and publish, as soon as possible. In the mean time, this little work has been compiled, chiefly from the larger, at the request of the publishers, and to supply a want which was supposed to exist to a considerable extent.

The treatise, now presented to the public, is intended as a Manual for Deliberative Assemblies of every description, but more especially for those which are not legislative in their character; though with the exception of the principal points, in which legislative bodies differ from others, namely, the several different stages or readings of a bill, and conferences and amendments between the two branches, this work will be found equally useful in legislative assemblies as in others.

The only work which has hitherto been in general use in this country, relating to the proceedings of legislative assemblies, is the compilation originally prepared by Mr. Jefferson, when vice-president of the United States, for the use of the body over which he presided, and which is familiarly known as Jefferson’s Manual. This work, having been extensively used in our legislative bodies, and, in some States, expressly sanctioned by law, may be said to form, as it were, the basis of the common parliamentary law of this country. Regarding it in that light, the author of the following treatise has considered the principles and rules laid down by Mr. Jefferson (and which have been adopted by him chiefly from the elaborate work of Mr. Hatsell) as the established rules on this subject, and has accordingly made them the basis of the present compilation, with an occasional remark, in a note, by way of explanation or suggestion, whenever he deemed it necessary.

Members of legislative bodies, who may have occasion to make use of this work, will do well to bear in mind, that it contains only what may be called the common parliamentary law; which, in every legislative assembly, is more or less modified or controlled by special rules.

This edition of Cushing’s Manual of Parliamentary Practice has annotations, etc., not to be found in any other edition of the Manual. The old edition of course could not be improved upon, but there were several passages in which the meaning could be brought out plainer by notes illustrating them. This has been done, and the reader will find that the notes will assist him materially.

In addition the Constitution of the United States has been added, and as not a few references are made to it in the Manual, it will be found to be an addition to the book not to be despised.