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                    MANUAL
                             OF
PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE.
                  BY THOMAS JEFFERSON.
              IMPOlRTANCE OF RULES.
                        SECTION I.
          THE IMPORTANCE OF ADHEItING TO RULES.
  Mln. ONSLOW, the ablest among the Spedaaers of the House of Com-
mons, used to say, "It was a maxim he had of:-a hea.rd when he was
a- young man, from old and experienced member,, th:.t nothing tended
more to throw power into the hands of Adm-'::;_:ration, and those
who acted with the majority in the House of Co0 ons, th an a neg-
lect of, or ft denarture from, the rules of pil eng that- these
formS, a1S     "i :" oar . -Z,  operat ;nd          l control
on the act s o : c   - or:.: " :.d - : --~- .        -- : tan-
ces, a shelter -n- 1:o~c:: :r the m'o:::.  '        emnts of
power.
  So far the maxim is cer: m.'y tru:ei,n  u-nded in good sense,
that as it is always in the power of the majority, by their numbers,
to stop any improper measure proposed on the part of their oppo-
nents, the only weapon by which the minority can defend themselves
against similar attempts from those in power, are the forms and rules
of proceeding, which- have been adopted as they were found neces-
sary from time to time, and become the law of the House; by a strict
adherence to which, the weaker party can only be protected from
those irregularities and abuses, which these forms were intended to
check, and which the wantonness of power is but too often apt to
suggest to large and successful majorities.-2 Hats., 171, 172.
  And whether these forms be in all cases the most rational or not,
is really not of so great importance. It is much more material that
there should be a rule to go by, than what that -rule is: that there
may be a uniformity of proceeding in business, no: Subic- -o :he