The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-11
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WEDNESDAY, July 8, 1868.
The House was called to order at 1O1
O'Clock by the Speaker.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Shaver, of Rowan
Mr.. Downing asked for leave of absence
for the remainder of the week after to-day.
Granted.
The Speaker, after giving notice that he
should enforce rule 10, bearing on ,iisortlerly
conduct in tile Hobbies, directed attention to
Rule IL, which is as follows:
Reporters wishing to take down debates
may be admitted by the Speaker, who shall
assign such places to them on the floor and
elsewhere to effect their object as shall not
interfere with the convenience of the House."
The Speaker said that this rule gives the
power of admission or exclusion of Report
ers to the Chair, subject to such provisions
OF parliamentary law as are applicable and
with final appeal to the House. 1t is only
in extraordinary instances that reporters are
excluded, and usually in such instances for
offences against the dignity of the House,
or against an individual member. Jeffer-
sons Manual, page So, reads as follows:
1.-THE editor of the Aur0ra having in
his paper of Feb. 10, 1900, inserted some
paragraphs defamatory of the Senate, and
failed in his appearance, he was ordered to
be committed. In debating the legality of
this order, it was insisted, in support OF it,
that every man, by the law OF nature. and
every body of men, possesses the right OF
self-defence that all public functionaries
are essentially invested with the powers OF
self-pre. ervation that they have an inherent
right to do all acts necessary to keep them
selves in a condition to discharge the trusts
cOnfided to them that whenever authorities
are given, the means of carrying them into
execution are given by necessary implica-
ton; that thus we see the British Parlis-
ment exercise the right of Furnishing con-
tempt al the State Legislatures exercise
the same power, and every court does the
same: that If we have il not, we sit at the
mercy Of every intruder who may enter our
doors or gallery. and, by noise and tu-
multi, render proceeding in business imprac-
f3cable; that if our tranquility is to be per-
petually disturbed by newspaper defamation,
it will not be possible to exercise our func-
tions with the requisite GOODNESS and dellb-
Grafton; and that we must, therefore. have
q power to punish these disturbers OF our
peace and proceedings"
The 33rd rule of this House reads as fol
lows:
'Decency Of speech shall be observed, and
personal reflections avoided"
On page 1872 of Barclays Digest Is the fol-
lowing:
"Eyery member shall confne himself to
the question under debate, and avoid per-
sonality."
The proceedings of the late Convention,
page Is, show that the following resolution
was adopted and enforced:
"heso1ued, That no reporter for any news
paper shall hereafter be allowed upon this
floor, who in his reports shall treat the Con-
vention, or any of its members, with disre-
spect. but that they shall, in case OF offence
in this respect be excluded from the floor of
the hall and from the galleries, by the Pres
ident."
The power of this House to exclude re-
porters fnr disrespect. cannot be fairly |
questioned.
But what is disrespect towards memoer'
or toward this House?
It will be observed that no one disap-
proves the tenor of the daily journal, pre-
pared by the Clerk of the House; An off, Off
cial reporter of the proceedings had mere,
discharges his duty in u respectful manner;
and if he did not, this House, through the