Page:Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies (1876).djvu/148

148 and represent all parties in the assembly, so that its opinion will carry with it as great weight as possible. The usefulness of the committee will be greatly impaired if any important faction of the assembly be unrepresented on the committee. The appointment of a committee is fully explained in § 46 (c).

The first member named on a committee is their chairman, and it is his duty to call together the committee and preside at their meetings. If he is absent, or from any cause fails or declines to call a meeting, it is the duty of the committee to assemble on the call of any two of their members. The committee are a miniature assembly, only being able to act when a quorum is present. If a paper is referred to them, they must not deface it in any way, but write their amendments on a separate sheet. If they originate the paper, all amendments must be incorporated in it. When they originate the paper, usually one member has previously prepared a draft, which is read entirely through, and then read by paragraphs, the chairman pausing after each paragraph, and asking: “Are there any amendments proposed to this paragraph?” No vote is taken on the adoption of the separate para-