In ancient Rome, the Senate was comprised of esteemed, respected leaders, who by virtue of birth, training and experience were expected to act in the best interest of the Republic.

It rarely worked as this ideal, but the system still survived for millennia.

The British Parliament has the House of Lords, a distant descendant of the Roman Senate. Membership was once drawn from the aristocracy – now it’s political appointments – to balance the turbulent House of Commons.

These austere bodies existed because the diverse, powerful will of the “people” requires stoic, thoughtful filters. It’s why the place to introduce legislation is the House of Representatives.

But the place to pass legislation is the Senate.

This week’s approach to the $700 billion bailout bill by Congress only reinforced this principle.

Earlier this week, the House of Representatives derailed the economic bailout over concerns about the expense, who stood to benefit, and most important, broad populist distaste over the whole idea.

It is a bitter pill. But it was sweeter than the next day’s catastrophe on Wall Street, when stocks plummeted nearly 800 points. By putting principle over practicality, the House’s rejection caused economic turmoil to ripple worldwide.

Enter the Senate, whose historical role has been sorting out measures like this. With a strong bipartisan vote, they enacted the bailout, which was welcomed on Wall Street. The House is expected to vote again today.

(And the Dow, in fear of this, closed down 348 points on Thursday.)

The House should pass the bailout, post-haste. Rep. Mike Michaud, one of the Democrats who opposed it initially, should reconsider his position. Rep. Tom Allen should repeat his initial vote in favor.

The Senate has shown what should be done. In times of crisis, cooler heads should prevail. Ideologies must be put aside, grandstanding must come to an end and, most important, action should be taken.

It is, after all, what our elected representatives are there – and paid – to do.

The House’s first go-round at the bailout was embarrassing. It devolved into partisan rhetoric on both sides, with sight on the greater goal lost. Neither Republicans nor Democrats, despite their intentions, did their parties or constituents any favors.

Nobody is truly happy with this bailout. But it must be done. The Senate, in its wisdom, saw this from the start and wasted little time.

The House must follow suit today.