PREFACE. The authority for the ordinary procedure of the House of Representatives is derived from four sources: First, the Constitution; second, the Rules adopted by the House under authority given by the Constitution; third, those principles of Jefferson's Manual which do not conflict with the rules; and fourth, the precedents of the House itself, comprising chiefly the decisions of the Chair. In certain cases, also, the House is governed by provisions of the statutes, but these are few and do not affect the ordinary procedure. Before the House has adopted rules the general parliamentary law of the land is recognized as the authority for procedure, and even after the adoption of rules it has been invoked in rare instances where the law of the House has been silent. This edition contains the Constitution, the Manual, and the Rules, with the special indexes to each. In addition the Digest of Precedents contains references to the other three sources of authority and to the statutes, making it in effect an index as well as a digest of the whole field of the House's procedure. In preparing this Digest an effort has been made to have each topic as complete as possible, cross references being generally avoided. Each citation is accompanied by references to the sources of authority, generally the Journal and Congressional Record, and in addition there has been included in parenthesis the number indicating the section of the "Parliamentary Precedents of the House of Representatives," which treats of the subject. References to statutes and other authorities, which are used rarely, are brief, and the largest portion of the Digest is devoted to those topics which the member needs to consult often and with expedition during the proceedings of the House. A. C. H. CONTENTS. V CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES-1787.* WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more 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 ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION for the United States of America. Chisholm v. Georgia, 2 Dall., 419; McCulloch v. State of Maryland et al., 4 Wh., 316; Brown et als. v. Maryland, 12 Wh., 419; Barron v. The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, 7 Pet., 243; Lane County v. Oregon, 7 Wall., 71; Texas v. White et al., 7 Wall., 700. ARTICLE. I. SECTION. 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate. and House of Representatives. Hayburn's case (notes), 2 Dall., 409. SECTION. 2. 'The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature. * In May, 1785, a committee of Congress made a report recommending an alteration in the Articles of Confederation, but no action was taken on it, and it was left to the State Legislatures to proceed in the matter. In January, 1786, the Legislature of Virginia passed a resolution providing for the appointment of five commissioners, who, or any three of them, should meet such commissioners as might be appointed in the other States of the Union, at a time and place to be agreed upon, to take into consideration the trade of the United States; to consider how far a uniform system in their commercial regulations may be necessary to their common interest and their permanent harmony; and to report to the several I |