From the Library of Speaker of the House James Knox Polk, His Signed Copy of the Rules of the House He Led, the First Edition of the Rules to Include Thomas Jefferson’s Manual
Books from Polk's library are uncommon, particularly those of this association and importance
A Manual of Parliamentary Practice for the Use of the Senate of the United States, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1801, is the first American book on parliamentary procedure. As Vice President of the United States, Jefferson served as the Senate’s presiding officer from 1797 to 1801. Throughout these four years, Jefferson...
A Manual of Parliamentary Practice for the Use of the Senate of the United States, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1801, is the first American book on parliamentary procedure. As Vice President of the United States, Jefferson served as the Senate’s presiding officer from 1797 to 1801. Throughout these four years, Jefferson worked on various texts and, in early 1800, started to assemble them into a single manuscript for the Senate’s use. In December 1800 he delivered his manuscript to printer Samuel Harrison Smith, who delivered the final product to Jefferson on February 27, 1801.
The House of Representatives formally incorporated Jefferson’s Manual into its rules in 1837, stipulating that the manual “should govern the House in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the standing rules and order of the House and the joint rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives.” Since then, the House has regularly printed an abridged version of the Manual in its publication entitled Constitution, Jefferson’s Manual, and Rules of the House of Representatives.
In the House of Representatives, Polk was a chief lieutenant of President Andrew Jackson in his Bank war. Theirs was the party of Jefferson. Polk served as Speaker between 1835 and 1839. It was under his term as Speaker that he, along with his allies, decided to make Jefferson’s manual the rules of the body.
From Polk’s library as Speaker of the House, and signed by him, his copy of the Rules of the House, the first ever to include Jefferson’s manual. This is a remarkable piece of history.
Constitution of the United States of America: Rules of the House of Representatives, Joint Rules of the Two Houses and Rules of the Senate, with Jefferson’s Manual. Washington: Thomas Allen, 1837
Polk took this book with him from Washington back to Tennessee, where he served as Governor, and gifted it to a political ally there, meaning it remained in his Speaker’s office from its publication until his departure.
8vo (225 x 140 mm). Burgundy morocco, covers and spine elaborately gilt, pink coated endpapers, inscribed by Polk on the front free endpaper, edges gilt.
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