Legislative Rules Quotes
Many people notice that in the House of Representatives in a debate or a speech the speaker always addresses “Mr. Speaker.” This was the rule voted on by the first House. The purpose was to avoid the legislators shouting at each other and getting into personal arguments and insulting each other. Try it. It’s hard to be angry with someone when you have to argue through a third person.
In 1836 the House of Representatives adopted the so-called "Gag Rule" whereby the house could not act on all further petitions regarding slavery, even though thousands of petitions were being received. Adams was one of the few who protested the Gag Rule:. Adams even submitted petitions with which he did not agree:. Every year Adams attempted to get the Gag Rule repealed. He was even threatened with censure for his efforts, but his status as an ex-president protected him. Finally, in 1844, Adams' perennial resolution carried:
