Page:Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies (1876).djvu/161

§ 60] sembly. It opens the merits of the main question to debate to as great an extent as if the main question were before the assembly. On account of these two facts, in assemblies with short sessions it is not very useful, as the same result can usually be more easily attained by the next motion.

(c) Lie on the Table. If there is no possibility during the remainder of the session of obtaining a majority vote for taking up the question, then the quickest way of suppressing it is to move “that the question lie on the table;” which, allowing of no debate, enables the majority to instantly lay the question on the table, from which it cannot be taken without their consent.

From its high rank [see p. 10] and undebatable character, this motion is very commonly used to suppress a question, but, as shown in § 57 (b), its effect is merely to lay the question aside till the assembly choose to consider it, and it only suppresses the question so long as there is a majority opposed to its consideration.

Reconsider. When a question has been once adopted, rejected or suppressed it cannot be again considered during that session [§ 42],