Date: 1981-02-16
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I shall now read in detail these rules to show the similarity of the rules of the Continental Congress In 1778 and the rules of the U.S. Senate In 1789. Rule 11 of the 1789 Senate states as follows: No member shall speak to another. or otherwise Interrupt the business of the Senate. or read any printed paper while the journals or *public papers are reading. or when any member is speaking In any debate. Rules 3 and 4 of the Continental Congress of 1778 are as follows: 3. No member shall read any printed paper In the house during the sitting thereof. without leave of Congress. 4. No member shall speak to another or otherwise Interrupt the business of the house while the journals or public papers are readIng for the Information of Congress. or when any member Is speaking In any debate. Rule III of the 1789 Senate is very much like rule 5 of the Continental Congress in 1778. rule III being as follows: iII Every member. when he speaks. shall address the Chair standing In his place. and when he has finished shall sit down. Rule 5 of the Continental Congress Is as follows: 5. Every member. when he speaks. shall rise from his seat and address hsimself to the Chair. and when he has finished. shall sit down again. Rule IV of the Senate in 1789 is Identical. except for one word. to rule 6 of the 1778 Continental Congress. rule IV of the 1789 rules being as follows: IV. No member shall speak more than twice in any one debate on the same day. without leave of the Senate. Rule 6 of the Continental Congress is as follows: 6. No member shall speak more than twice In any one debate the same day. without leave of the house. Rule V of the 1789 Senate was very similar to the older version. rule 7 of the 11778 Continental Congress. For example. the 1789 rule read: V. When two members shall rise at the same time. the President shall name the person to apeak. but in all cases the person first rising shall speak first. Rule 7 of the Continental Congress of 1778 read as follows: 7. When two members shall rse together. the President shall name the person to speak. Rule VI of the Senate in 1789 was almost Identical to rule 8 of the 1778 Continental Congress. Rule VI stated: vi. No motion ehall be debated until the same shall be secondied. while the 1788 Continental Congress rule provided that8. No motion shall be debated until the same be seocmnded. Rule VII of the Senate in 1789 was almost an exact copy of rule 9 of the Continental Congress. the former reading as follows: vir. When a motion shall be made arid seconded. It shall be reduced to writing. if desired by the President. or any suerner. delivered tn at the table. and read by the President before the same shall be debated. The earlier rule. rule 9 of the Continental Congress. was as follows: 9. When a motioa shall be made arid eeb..ided. It shall be reduced to writing. if desired by the President or any menler. delivered at the table and read by the President. before the same shall be allowed to lie debated. Rule VIII of the 1789 Senate wasi obviously modeled after rule 10 of the Continenital Congress 11 years earlier. rule VIII being ats follows: VIII. White a question is before the Senate. no motion shall be received unless for an amendment. for the previous question. or for postponinlg the main question. or to comumit. or to adjourn. Rule 10 of the Continental Congress read as follows: 10. While a queriLion is before the house. no motion shall be received. unless for an amendment. for the previous question. to postpone the consideration of the main question. or to commit It. Rule X in 1789 was virtually the exact replica of the 1778 Continental Congress rule 11. rule X reading: X. If a question In a debate Include several points. any member may have the same divided. Rule 11 of the Continental Congress of 1778 read as follows: 11. If a question In debate contains several points. any member may have the same divided. The 19 rules proposed by the Committee of Five In the 1789 Senate. and the additional rule. which was adopted on April 18. making a total of 20 rules. were as follows. and I ask unanimous consent that the 20 rules be printed In the RECORD.