A MANUAL FOR CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN TOWN AND WARD MEETINGS; SOCIETIES; BOARDS OTHER DELIBERATIVE BODIES. BASED ON THE RULES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE. It is much more material that there should be a rule to BY A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE. PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY JAS. HARMSTEAD, 1846. THENEW YORK ASTOR, LENOX AND [Entered according to an act of Congress, in the year 1846, by BENJAMIN MATTHIAS, in the office of the Clerk of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.] J. VAN COURT, PRINTER, QUARRY, NEAR SECOND ST. Alsas: Myer PREFACE. THE compiler's motive in presenting this little work to the public, is a firm conviction that it will be found extensively useful, especially to those who have not leisure to peruse and study more elaborate publications on the subject. He begs to say that he has strenuously aimed at simplicity of style, and clearness of arrangement, so that every point laid down in theory, may be easily comprehended, and as readily applied in practice. The compiler is indebted, for authorities, to Jefferson's Manual, Cushing's Manual, the Congressional and Legislative Manuals, by Dr. Sutherland, and the British authors quoted in those works. The publications by Dr. Sutherland possess a high degree of merit, and should be in the hands of every individual who desires to become entirely familiar with intricate rules of order in Congressional and Parliamentary practice. As all these works, however, are only applicable, in general, to Legislative bodies, being too diffuse and complicated for the use of Societies, Boards of Managers, &c., it is believed that the present work will be found eminently serviceable to the public, without at all underrating the merits, or trespassing upon the claims, of other and more extended publications. |