FortheUseoftheSenateoftheUnitedStates。BYTHOMASJEFFERSON。1812SEC。Rules，importanceof。Legislature。Privilege。Elections。Qualifications。Quorum。CalloftheHouse。Absence。Speaker。Address。Committees。Committeeofthewhole。ExaminationbeforeCommittees，&；c。Arrangementofbusiness。Order。Respectingpapers。Indebate。OrdersoftheHouse。Petitions。Motions。Resolutions。Bills，Readings。Leavetobringin。Firstreading。Secondreading。Commitment。ReportofCommittee。Recommitment。Reporttakenup。QuasiCommittee。SecondreadingintheHouse。Readingpapers。Privilegedquestions。Previousquestion。Amendments。Divisionofquestion。Co-existingquestions。Bills，Equivalentquestions。TheQuestion。Thirdreading。DivisionoftheHouse。Title。Reconsideration。BillssenttotheotherHouse。AmendmentsbetweentheHouses。Conferences。Messages。Assent。Journals。
Adjournment。Session。Treaties。Impeachment。PrefaceTHEConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesestablishingalegislaturefortheUnion，undercertainforms，authoriseseachbranchofit\"todeterminetherulesofitsownproceedings。”TheSenatehaveaccordinglyformedsomerulesforitsowngovernment:butthesegoingonlytofewcases，theyhavereferredtothedecisionoftheirPresident，withoutdebateandwithoutappeal，allquestionsoforderarisingeitherundertheirownrules，orwheretheyhaveprovidednone。ThisplacesunderthediscretionofthePresidentaveryextensivefieldofdecision，andonewhich，irregularlyexercised，wouldhaveapowerfuleffectontheproceedingsanddeterminationsoftheHouse。
ThePresidentmustfeelweightilyandseriouslythisconfidenceinhisdiscretion；andthenecessityofrecurring，foritsgovernment，tosomeknownsystemofrules，thathemayneitherleavehimselffreetoindulgecapriceorpassion，noropentotheimputationofthem。Buttowhatsystemofrulesishetorecur，assupplementarytothoseoftheSenate？Tothistherecanbebutoneanswer；tothesystemofregulationsadoptedforthegovernmentofsomeoneoftheParliamentarybodieswithinthesestates，orofthatwhichhasservedasaprototypetomostofthem。Thislastisthemodelwhichwehaveallstudied，whilewearelittleacquaintedwiththemodificationsofitinourseveralstates。
Itisdepositedtooinpublicationspossessedbymanyandopentoall。
Itsrulesareprobablyaswiselyconstructedforgoverningthedebatesofadeliberativebody，andobtainingitstruesense，asanywhichcanbecomeknowntous；andtheacquiescenceoftheSenate，hitherto，underthereferencestothem，hasgiventhemthesanctionoftheirapprobation。
ConsideringthereforethelawofproceedingsintheSenateascomposedofthepreceptsoftheConstitution，theregulationsoftheSenate，and，wherethesearesilent，oftherulesofParliament，Ihavehereendeavoredtocollectanddigestsomuchoftheseasiscalledforinordinarypractice，collatingtheParliamentarywiththeSenatorialrules，bothwheretheyagreeandwheretheyvary。Ihavedonethis，aswelltohavethemathandformyowngovernment，astodepositwiththeSenatethestandardbywhichIjudgeandamwillingtobejudged。Icouldnotdoubtthenecessityofquotingthesourcesofmyinformation；amongwhichMr。Hatsell\'smostvaluablebookispreeminent；butashehasonlytreatedsomegeneralheads，Ihavebeenobligedtorecurtootherauthoritiesinsupportofanumberofcommonrulesofpracticetowhichhisplandidnotdescend。Sometimeseachauthoritycitedsupportsthewholepassage。Sometimesitrestsonalltakentogether。
Sometimestheauthoritygoesonlytoapartofthetext，theresiduebeinginferredfromknownrulesandprinciples。Forsomeofthemostfamiliarforms，nowrittenauthorityis，orcanbequoted；nowriterhavingsupposeditnecessarytorepeatwhatallwerepresumedtoknow。Thestatementofthesemustrestontheirnotoriety。
IamawarethatauthoritiescanoftenbeproducedinoppositiontotheruleswhichIlaydownasParliamentary。Anattentiontodateswillgenerallyremovetheirweight。TheproceedingsofParliamentinantienttimes，andforalongwhile，werecrude，multiformandembarrassing。Theyhavebeen，however，constantlyadvancingtowardsuniformityandaccuracy；andhavenowattainedadegreeofaptitudetotheirobject，beyondwhich，littleistobedesiredorexpected。
YetIamfarfromthepresumptionofbelievingthatImaynothavemistakentheParliamentarypracticeinsomecases；andespeciallyinthoseminorforms，which，beingpractiseddaily，aresupposedknowntoeverybody，andthereforehavenotbeencommittedtowriting。Ourresources，inthisquarteroftheglobe，forobtaininginformationonthatpartofthesubject，arenotperfect。ButIhavebegunasketch，whichthosewhocomeaftermewillsuccessivelycorrectandfillup，tillacodeofrulesshallbeformedfortheuseoftheSenate，theeffectsofwhichmaybe，accuracyinbusiness，economyoftime，order，uniformity，andimpartiality。
NOTE。TherulesandpracticespeculiartotheSenateareprintedinItalic。ThoseofParliamentareintheRomanletter。IMPORTANCEOFRULES。SEC。ITHEIMPORTANCEOFADHERINGTORULES。MR。ONSLOW，theablestamongtheSpeakersoftheHouseofCommons，usedtosay，\'itwasamaximhehadoftenheard，whenhewasayoungman，fromoldandexperiencedmembers，thatnothingtendedmoretothrowpowerintothehandsofadministrationandthosewhoactedwiththemajorityoftheHouseofCommons，thananeglectof，ordeparturefrom，therulesofproceeding:thattheseforms，asinstitutedbyourancestors，operatedasacheckandcontroulontheactionsofthemajority；andthattheywereinmanyinstances，ashelterandprotectiontotheminority，againsttheattemptsofpower。\'
Sofarthemaximiscertainlytrue，andisfoundedingoodsense，thatasitisalwaysinthepowerofthemajority，bytheirnumbers，tostopanyimpropermeasuresproposedonthepartoftheiropponents，theonlyweaponsbywhichtheminoritycandefendthemselvesagainstsimilarattemptsfromthoseinpower，aretheformsandrulesofproceedingwhichhavebeenadoptedastheywerefoundnecessaryfromtimetotime，andarebecomethelawoftheHouse；
byastrictadherencetowhich，theweakerpartycanonlybeprotectedfromthoseirregularitiesandabuseswhichtheseformswereintendedtocheck，andwhichthewantonnessofpowerisbuttoooftenapttosuggesttolargeandsuccessfulmajorities。2Hats。171，172。
Andwhethertheseformsbeinallcasesthemostrationalornot，isreallynotofsogreatimportance。Itismuchmorematerialthatthereshouldbearuletogoby，thanwhatthatruleis；thattheremaybeanuniformityofproceedinginbusiness，notsubjecttothecapriceoftheSpeaker，orcaptiousnessofthemembers。Itisverymaterialthatorder，decencyandregularity，bepreservedinadignifiedpublicbody。2Hats。149。
Andin1698theLordssay，\"thereasonablenessofwhatisdesiredisneverconsideredbyus，forweareboundtoconsidernothingbutwhatisusual。Mattersofformareessentialtogovernment，and\'tisofconsequencetobeintheright。Allthereasonforformsiscustom，andthelawofformsispractice；andreasonisquiteoutofdoors。Someparticularcustomsmaynotbegroundedonreason，andnogoodaccountcanbegivenofthem；
andyetmanynationsarezealousforthem；andEnglishmenareaszealousasanyotherstopursuetheiroldformsandmethods。”4Hats。258。SEC。II。
LEGISLATURE。ALLLegislativepowershereingranted，shallbevestedinaCongressoftheUnitedStates，whichshallconsistofaSenateandHouseofRepresentatives。ConstitutionoftheUnitedStates，Art。
1，Sec。1。
TheSenatorsandRepresentativesshallreceiveacompensationfortheirservices，tobeascertainedbylaw，andpaidoutoftheTreasuryoftheUnitedStates。ConstitutionoftheUnitedStates，Art。1。Sec。
6。
ForthepowersofCongress，seethefollowingArticlesandSectionsoftheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates。I。4。7。8。9。II。1。2。III。
3。IV。1。3。5。andalltheamendments。SEC。III。
PRIVILEGE。THEprivilegesofthemembersofParliament，fromsmallandobscurebeginnings，havebeenadvancingforcenturies，withafirmandneveryieldingpace。Claimsseemtohavebeenbroughtforwardfromtimetotime，andrepeated，tillsomeexampleoftheiradmissionenabledthemtobuildlawonthatexample。Wecanonlythereforestatethepointofprogressionatwhichtheynoware。Itisnowacknowledged，1。Thattheyareatalltimesexemptedfromquestionelsewhereforanythingsaidintheirownhouse；thatduringthetimeofprivilege，2。Neitheramemberhimself，1hiswife，orhisservants，(familiaressui)foranymatteroftheirown，maybearrested，2onmesneprocess，inanycivilsuit:3。Norbedetainedunderexecution，thoughleviedbeforetimeofprivilege:4。Norimpleaded，cited，orsubpoenaedinanycourt:5。Norsummonedasawitnessorjuror:6。Normaytheirlandsorgoodsbedistrained:7。Northeirpersonsassaulted，orcharacterstraduced。
Andtheperiodoftimecoveredbyprivilege，beforeandafterthesession，withthepracticeofshortprorogationsundertheconnivanceofthecrown，amountsinfacttoaperpetualprotectionagainstthecourseofjustice。
Inoneinstance，indeed，ithasbeenrelaxedbythe10。G。3。c。50，whichpermitsjudiciaryproceedingstogoonagainstthem。Thattheseprivilegesmustbecontinuallyprogressive，seemstoresultfromtheirrejectingalldefinitionofthem；thedoctrinebeingthat\"theirdignityandindependencearepreservedbykeepingtheirprivilegesindefinite；\"andthat\"themaximsuponwhichtheyproceed，togetherwiththemethodofproceeding，restentirelyintheirownbreast，andarenotdefinedandascertainedbyanyparticularstatedlaws。”1。Blackst。163。164。
Itwasprobablyfromthisviewoftheencroachingcharacterofprivilege，thattheframersofourconstitution，intheircaretoprovidethatthelawsshallbindequallyonall，andespeciallythatthosewhomakethemshallnotexemptthemselvesfromtheiroperation，haveonlyprivileged\"SenatorsandRepresentatives\"themselvesfromthesingleactof\"arrestinallcases，excepttreason，felonyandbreachofthepeace，duringtheirattendanceatthesessionoftheirrespectiveHouses，andingoingtoandreturningfromthesame，andfrombeingquestionedinanyotherplaceforanyspeechordebateineitherHouse。”Const。U。S。Art。1。Sec。6。Underthegeneralauthority\"tomakealllawsnecessaryandproperforcarryingintoexecutionthepowersgiventhem，\"Const。U。S。Art。
2。Sec。8。，theymayprovidebylawthedetailswhichmaybenecessaryforgivingfulleffecttotheenjoymentofthisprivilege。Nosuchlawbeingasyetmade，itseemstostandatpresentonthefollowingground:
1。Theactofarrestisvoidabinitio。32。Thememberarrestedmaybedischargedonmotion。1。Bl。166。
2。Stra。990，orbyHabeasCorpusunderthefederalorstateauthority，asthecasemaybe；orbyawritofprivilegeoutoftheChancery，2Stra。989，inthosestateswhichhaveadoptedthatpartofthelawsofEngland。OrdersoftheH。ofCommons。1550。February20。3。Thearrest，beingunlawful，isatrespass，forwhichtheofficerandothersconcernedareliabletoactionorindictmentintheordinarycourtsofjustice，asinothercasesofunauthorisedarrest。4。Thecourtbeforewhichtheprocessisreturnable，isboundtoactasinothercasesofunauthorisedproceeding，andliablealso，asinothersimilarcases，tohavetheirproceedingsstaidorcorrectedbythesuperiorcourts。
ThetimenecessaryforgoingtoandreturningfromCongress，notbeingdefined，itwillofcoursebejudgedofineveryparticularcasebythosewhowillhavetodecidethecase。
WhileprivilegewasunderstoodinEnglandtoextend，asitdoeshere，onlytoexemptionfromarresteundo，morando，etredeundo，theHouseofCommonsthemselvesdecidedthat\"aconvenienttimewastobeunderstood。”
(1580。)1。Hats。99，100。Noristhelawsostrictinpointoftimeastorequirethepartytosetoutimmediatelyonhisreturn，butallowshimtimetosettlehisprivateaffairsandtoprepareforhisjourney；
anddoesnotevenscanhisroadverynicely，norforfeithisprotectionforalittledeviationfromthatwhichismostdirect；somenecessity，perhaps，constraininghimtoit。2。Stra。986，987。
Thisprivilegefromarrest，privilegesofcourseagainstallprocess，thedisobediencetowhichispunishablebyanattachmentoftheperson；
asasubpoenaadrespondendum，ortestificandum，orasummonsonajury:
andwithreason；becauseamemberhassuperiordutiestoperforminanotherplace。
Whenarepresentativeiswithdrawnfromhisseatbysummons，the50，000peoplewhomherepresentslosetheirvoiceindebate，andvoteastheydoonhisvoluntaryabsence:whenasenatoriswithdrawnbysummons，hisstateloseshalfitsvoiceindebateandvote，asitdoesonhisvoluntaryabsence。Theenormousdisparityofeviladmitsnocomparison。
Sofar，therewillprobablybenodifferenceofopinionastotheprivilegesofthetwoHousesofCongress:butinthefollowingcasesitisotherwise。InDecember1795，theH。ofR。committedtwopersonsofthenameofRandallandWhitney，forattemptingtocorrupttheintegrityofcertainmembers，whichtheyconsideredasacontemptandbreachoftheprivilegesoftheHouse:andthefactsbeingproved，Whitneywasdetainedinconfinementafortnight，andRandallthreeweeks，andwasreprimandedbytheSpeaker。InMarch1796，theH。ofR。votedachallengegiventoamemberoftheirHousetobeabreachoftheprivilegesoftheHouse；
butsatisfactoryapologiesandacknowledgmentsbeingmade，nofurtherproceedingwashad。TheeditoroftheAurorahaving，inhispaperofFebruary19，1800，insertedsomeparagraphsdefamatoryoftheSenate，andfailedinhisappearance，hewasorderedtobecommitted。Indebatingthelegalityofthisorder，itwasinsisted，insupportofit，thateveryman，bythelawofnature，andeverybodyofmen，possessestherightofselfdefence；
thatallpublicfunctionariesareessentiallyinvestedwiththepowersofself-preservation；thattheyhaveaninherentrighttodoallactsnecessarytokeepthemselvesinaconditiontodischargethetrustsconfidedtothem；
thatwheneverauthoritiesaregiven，themeansofcarryingthemintoexecutionaregivenbynecessaryimplication；thatthusweseetheBritishParliamentexercisetherightofpunishingcontempts；allthestatelegislaturesexercisethesamepower；andeverycourtdoesthesame；thatifwehaveitnot，wesitatthemercyofeveryintruder，whomayenterourdoorsorgallery，and，bynoise，andtumult，renderproceedinginbusinessimpracticable；
thatifourtranquillityistobeperpetuallydisturbedbynewspaperdefamation，itwillnotbepossibletoexerciseourfunctionswiththerequisitecoolnessanddeliberation；andthatwemustthereforehaveapowertopunishthesedisturbersofourpeaceandproceedings。Tothisitwasanswered，thattheParliamentandcourtsofEnglandhavecognisanceofcontemptsbytheexpressprovisionsoftheirlaw；thatthestatelegislatureshaveequalauthority，becausetheirpowersareplenary；theyrepresenttheirconstituentscompletely，andpossessalltheirpowers，exceptsuchastheirconstitutionshaveexpresslydeniedthem；thatthecourtsoftheseveralstateshavethesamepowersbythelawsoftheirstates，andthoseofthefederalgovernmentbythesamestatelaws，adoptedineachstatebyalawofCongress；thatnoneofthesebodies
thereforederivethosepowersfromnaturalornecessaryright，butfromexpresslaw；thatCongresshavenosuchnaturalornecessarypower，noranypowersbutsuchasaregiventhembytheconstitution；thatthathasgiventhemdirectlyexemptionfrompersonalarrest，exemptionfromquestionelsewhereforwhatissaidintheirHouse，andpowerovertheirownmembersandproceedings；forthese，nofurtherlawisnecessary，theconstitutionbeingthelaw；thatmoreover，bythatarticleoftheconstitutionwhichauthorisesthem\"tomakealllawsnecessaryandproperforcarryingintoexecutionthepowersvestedbytheconstitutioninthem，\"theymayprovidebylawforanundisturbedexerciseoftheirfunctions，e。g。forthepunishmentofcontempts，ofaffraysortumultintheirpresence，&；c。
but，tillthelawbemade，itdoesnotexist；anddoesnotexist，fromtheirownneglect；thatinthemeantime，however，theyarenotunprotected，theordinarymagistratesandcourtsoflawbeingopenandcompetenttopunishallunjustifiabledisturbancesordefamations，andeventheirownserjeant，whomayappointdeputiesadlibitumtoaidhim，3Grey。59。
147。255。，isequaltosmalldisturbances；thatinrequiringapreviouslaw，theconstitutionhadregardtotheinviolabilityofthecitizenaswellasofthemember；as，shouldoneHouse，intheregularformofabill，aimattoobroadprivileges，itmaybecheckedbytheother，andbothbythePresident；andalso，as，thelawbeingpromulgated，thecitizenwillknowhowtoavoidoffence。Butifonebranchmayassumeitsownprivilegeswithoutcontroul，ifitmaydoitonthespuroftheoccasion，concealthelawinitsownbreast，and，afterthefactcommitted，makeitssentenceboththelawandthejudgmentonthatfact；iftheoffenceistobekeptundefined，andtobedeclaredonlyexrenata，andaccordingtothepassionsofthemoment，andtherebenolimitationeitherinthemannerormeasureofthepunishment，theconditionofthecitizenwillbeperilousindeed。
Whichofthesedoctrinesistoprevail，timewilldecide。Wherethereisnofixedlaw，thejudgmentonanyparticularcaseisthelawofthatsinglecaseonly，anddieswithit。
Whenanewandevenasimilarcasearises，thejudgmentwhichistomake，andatthesametimeapplythelaw，isopentoquestionandconsideration，asareallnewlaws。Perhaps，Congress，inthemeantime，intheircareforthesafetyofthecitizen，aswellasthatfortheirownprotection，maydeclarebylawwhatisnecessaryandpropertoenablethemtocarryintoexecutionthepowersvestedinthem，andtherebyhanguparulefortheinspectionofall，whichmaydirecttheconductofthecitizen，andatthesametimetestthejudgmentstheyshallthemselvespronounceintheirowncase。
Privilegefromarresttakesplacebyforceoftheelection；andbeforeareturnbemade，amemberelectedmaybenamedofacommittee，andistoeveryintentamember，exceptthathecannotvoteuntilheissworn。Memor。107，108。Dewes642。col。2，643。col。1。
Pet。Miscel。Parl。119。Lex。Parl。c。23，2。Hats。22，62。
Everymanmust，athisperil，takenoticewhoaremembersofeitherHousereturnedofrecord。Lex。Parl。23，4。inst。24。
Oncomplaintofabreachofprivilege，thepartymayeitherbesummoned，orsentforincustodyoftheserjeant。1。Grey，88，95。
TheprivilegeofamemberistheprivilegeoftheHouse。Ifthememberwaiveitwithoutleave，itisagroundforpunishinghim，butcannotineffectwaivetheprivilegeoftheHouse。3。Grey140，222。
ForanyspeechordebateineitherHouse，theyshallnotbequestionedinanyotherplace。Const。U。S。I。6。S。P。ProtestoftheCommonstoJamesI。1621。2。Rapin，No。54。pa。211，212。ButthisisrestrainedtothingsdoneintheHouseinaParliamentarycourse。
1。Rush。663。Forheisnottohaveprivilegecontramoremparliamentarium；
toexceedtheboundsandlimitsofhisplaceandduty。Com。P。
IfanoffencebecommittedbyamemberintheHouse，ofwhichtheHousehascognisance，itisaninfringementoftheirrightforanypersonorcourttotakenoticeofit，tilltheHousehaspunishedtheoffender，orreferredhimtoaduecourse。Lex。Parl。63。
PrivilegeisinthepoweroftheHouse，andisarestrainttotheproceedingofinferiorcourts；butnotoftheHouseitself。2。Nalson450。
2。Grey，399。ForwhateverisspokenintheHouseissubjecttothecensureoftheHouse；andoffencesofthiskindhavebeenseverelypunished，bycallingthepersontothebartomakesubmission，committinghimtothetower，expellingtheHouse，&；c。Scob。72。L。Parl。c。22。
ItisabreachoforderfortheSpeakertorefusetoputaquestionwhichisinorder。2。Hats。175。6。5。Grey133。
Andevenincasesoftreason，felony，andbreachofthepeace，towhichprivilegedoesnotextendastosubstance，yetinParliament，amemberisprivilegedastothemodeofproceeding。ThecaseisfirsttobelaidbeforetheHouse，thatitmayjudgeofthefactandofthegroundsoftheaccusation，andhowfarforththemannerofthetrialmayconcerntheirprivilege。Otherwise，itwouldbeinthepowerofotherbranchesofthegovernment，andevenofeveryprivateman，underpretencesoftreason，&；c。totakeanymanfromhisserviceintheHouse，andsoasmany，oneafteranother，aswouldmaketheHousewhathepleaseth。Decl。oftheCom。ontheking\'sdeclaringSirJohnHothamatraitor。4。Rushw。586。Sowhenamemberstoodindictedoffelony，itwasadjudgedthatheoughttoremainoftheHousetillconviction。Foritmaybeanyman\'scase，whoisguiltless，tobeaccusedandindictedoffelony，orthelikecrime。
23。El。1580。D\'Ewes。283。col。1。Lex。Parl。133。
Whenitisfoundnecessaryforthepublicservicetoputamemberunderarrest，orwhen，onanypublicenquiry，mattercomesoutwhichmayleadtoaffectthepersonofamember，itisthepracticeimmediatelytoacquainttheHouse，thattheymayknowthereasonsforsuchaproceeding，andtakesuchstepsastheythinkproper。2。Hats。259。Ofwhichseemanyexamples。Ib。256。257。258。Butthecommunicationissubsequenttothearrest。1。Blackst。167。