How-to-Behave-A-Pocket-Manual-of-Republican-Etiquette-and-Guide-to-Correct-Personal-Habits-123

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PARLIAMENTARY	ETIQUETTE.
The	object	of	a	meeting	for	deliberation	 is,	of	course,	 to	obtain	a	free	expression	of
opinion	 and	 a	 fair	 decision	 of	 the	 questions	 discussed.	Without	 rules	 of	 order	 this
object	would,	in	most	cases,	be	utterly	defeated;	for	there	would	be	no	uniformity	in
the	 modes	 of	 proceeding,	 no	 restraint	 upon	 indecorous	 or	 disorderly	 conduct,	 no
protection	to	the	rights	and	privileges	of	members,	no	guarantee	against	the	caprices
and	 usurpations	 of	 the	 presiding	 officer,	 no	 safeguard	 against	 tyrannical	majorities,
nor	any	suitable	regard	to	the	rights	of	the	minority.—McElligott.
I.—COURTESY	IN	DEBATE.T
he	 fundamental	principles	of	courtesy,	 so	 strenuously	 insisted	upon	 throughout
this	 work,	 must	 be	 rigorously	 observed	 in	 the	 debating	 society,	 lyceum,
legislative	 assembly,	 and	wherever	 questions	 are	 publicly	 debated.	 In	 fact,	we
have	not	yet	discovered	any	occasion	on	which	a	gentleman	is	justified	in	being
anything	less	than—a	gentleman.
In	a	paragraph	appended	to	the	constitution	and	by-laws	of	a	New	York	debating
club,	 members	 are	 enjoined	 to	 treat	 each	 other	 with	 delicacy	 and	 respect,
conduct	all	discussions	with	candor,	moderation,	and	open	generosity,	avoid	all
personal	allusions	and	sarcastic	 language	calculated	 to	wound	 the	feelings	of	a
brother,	 and	cherish	concord	and	good	 fellowship.	The	 spirit	of	 this	 injunction
should	 pervade	 the	 heart	 of	 every	 man	 who	 attempts	 to	 take	 part	 in	 the
proceedings	of	any	deliberative	assembly.
II.—ORIGIN	OF	THE	PARLIAMENTARY	CODE.
The	 rules	 of	 order	 of	 our	 State	 Legislatures,	 and	 of	 other	 less	 important
deliberative	bodies,	are,	 in	almost	all	 fundamental	points,	 the	same	as	 those	of
the	National	Congress,	which,	again,	are	derived,	in	the	main,	from	those	of	the
British	 Parliament,	 the	 differences	 which	 exist	 growing	 out	 of	 differences	 in
government	and	 institutions.	 It	 is	 in	allusion	 to	 its	origin	 that	 the	code	of	rules
and	 regulations	 thus	 generally	 adopted	 is	 often	 called	 "The	Common	Code	 of
	X. PARLIAMENTARY ETIQUETTE.
	I.—COURTESY IN DEBATE.
	II.—ORIGIN OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CODE.