Page:Robert's Parliamentary Practice.djvu/93

Rh session, the assembly must first vote that when it adjourns it adjourns to meet at the desired time, and then a motion is in order to postpone the question to that adjourned meeting. When the unqualified expression "postpone" is used, it always refers to this motion, never to the motion to "postpone indefinitely."

When the time arrives to which the question was postponed, or as soon thereafter as unfinished business is in order and no question is pending, the chairman announces the postponed question in a form similar to this: "The resolution, 'Resolved,' etc. [reading it] was postponed at the last meeting to this hour. The question is on adopting the resolution," etc.

If it is desired to consider a question before the time to which it has been postponed, it can be done by adopting by a two-thirds vote a motion "to suspend the rules and take up the resolution, 'Resolved' " etc.

Lay on the Table. Instead of postponing a question to a particular time, it may be desired to lay it aside temporarily until some other question is disposed of, and to retain the privilege of resuming its consideration by a majority vote at any time when no other question is pending. This may be done by adopting the motion to "lay the question on the table." This motion cannot be qualified in any way, amended, or debated. It is the highest in rank of all the subsidiary motions. Since a question laid on the table can be taken up at any time by a majority vote at the same