iv William D. McKissack, William Cruser, Elias Runyon, Rolph M. Crowell, George P. Molleson, George T. McDowell, William Burtis, Ananiah Gifford, Thomas G. Haight, Anderson Lalor, Moses Wills, George Deacon, Thomas F. Budd, Benjamin Davis, Joseph Rogers, Samuel B. Lippincott, William R. Cooper, Joseph Endicott, Hudson A. Springer, Thomas J. Yorke, William Cook, Thomas E. Hunt, Isaac Newcomb, Ephraim Whitecar, and Richard Thompson, Esquires, Members of the Sixtieth Legislature, the following pages are respectfully inscribed, By their obedient servant, and fellow citizen, CHARLES SITGREAVES. Phillipsburgh, New Jersey,} STATE OF NEW JERSEY, IN COUNCIL, Jan. 7th, A.D. 1836. THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATION WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL BY THE VICE PRESIDENT. To the members of the Legislative Council of the State of New Jersey. GENTLEMEN: During the recess, I have compiled a manual of Legislative practice, which I herewith present to your consideration and acceptance. The peculiarity of our State Constitution, in vesting almost unlimited powers in the Legislative Council and General Assembly; the general character of our Legislative rules, and the peculiarity of our Legislative practice, in dispensing almost entirely with committees of the whole, render it difficult for a new member to acquire a knowledge of the practice and order of business in a whole session, and impossible to acquire that knowledge from any book of practice now extant. The manual I have compiled, embodies the Legislative practice of New Jersey vi as settled by sixty successive Legislatures, the mode of business, rules and regulations of the Council, Assembly, Court of Appeals, Court of Pardons, and Joint-Meeting, and the duties of their respective officers, with an abstract of all laws connected with the proceedings of the Legislature, the mode of impeachments, and form of writs issued by either house, the whole so arranged, that a new Vice President or Speaker can have it as a book of reference, on any question which he may be called upon to decide, and new members can become at once conversant with the practice and order of business in the Legislature, which will thus tend to relieve the presiding officers of much labor and difficulty, and expedite the business of Legislation. Should this manual, Gentlemen! meet with your approval, I shall feel amply repaid for the time, care and research, that I have devoted to its compilation. Your obedient servant, and fellow citizen, CHARLES SITGREAVES. The above communication was read and with the accompanying documents, referred to Messrs. Stokes, Munn and Leaming. COUNCIL CHAMBER, Jan. 11th, A.D. 1836. The Committee to whom was referred the communication from the Vice President, relating to a manual of Legislative practice, presented to the Council, for their considération and acceptance, by the Vice President, ask leave to report vii That they have had the manuscript of the proposed manual under consideration, and have spent some time, in reviewing the same, and hereby recommend its acceptance as a valuable compilation, and calculated to be very useful in effecting the objects set forth in the communication of the Vice President. CHARLES STOKES, JEREMIAH LEAMING. 1st Month, 11th, A.D. 1836. HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, Jan. 11. A.D. 1836. Mr. HILLIARD presented the following resolution which passed the two houses unanimously. "Resolved, By the Council and General Assembly (Council concurring therein), that the Treasurer of this State be authorised to purchase one hundred and thirty copies of the manual of Legislative practice, compiled by the Vice President, and recommended for acceptance by a committee of Council. |