A manual of parliamentary practice, composed originally for the use of the Senate of the United States. By Thomas Jefferson. With references to the practice and rules of the House of representatives. The whole brought down to the practice of the present time; to which are added the rules and orders, together with the joint rules of both houses of Congress. And accompanied with copious indices.

P.ETITIONS. 47
SECTION XIX.
PETITIONS.
A PETITION prays something. A remonstrance has
no prayer.-1 Grey, 58.
Petitions must be subscribed by the petitioners,
Scob. 87; L. Parl. c. 22; 9 Grey, 362, unless they
are attending, 1 Grey, 401, or unable to sign, and
averred by a member.-3 Grey, 418. But a petition
not subscribed, but which the member presenting it
affirmed to be all in the handwriting of the petitioner,
and his name written in the beginning, was, on the
question, (March 14, 1800,) received by the Senate.
The avermcnt of a member, or somebody without
doors, that they know the handwriting of the petitioners, is necessary, if it be questioned. 6 Grey, 36.
It must be presented by a member, not by the petitioners, and must be opened by him, holding it in his
hand.-10 Grey, 57.
Before any petition or memorial, addressed to the Senate, shall be
received and read at the table, whether the same shall be introduced
by the President or a member, a brief statement of the contents of
the petition or memorial shall verbally be made by the introducer.Rule 24.
Petitions, memorials, and other papers, addressed to the House, shall
be presented by the Speaker, or by a member in his place; a brief
statement of the contents thereof shall be made verbally by the introducer; they shall not be debated on the day of their being presented,
nor on any day assigned by the House for the receipt of petitions after
the first thirty days of the session, unless where the House shall direct
otherwise, but shall lie on the table, to be taken up in the order in
which they were presented.-Rule H. R. 55.
Regularly a motion for receiving it must be made
and seconded, and a question put, Whether it shall be