Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIII.djvu/129

 PARLIAMENTARY LAW AND PRIVILEGES 119 be confined to its merits. This amendment can itself be amended, but the amendment of an amendment cannot be amended. If the original question needs more amendment than can well be made in the assembly, it is then moved to refer it to a committee, and this mo- tion can be made even while an amendment is pending. 2. To defer action. When it is de- sired to defer action upon the question till a particular time, a motion is made to postpone the question to that time ; it can be made when either of the previous motions is pending, and can be amended by altering the time. A mo- tion that a question lie on the table is used when it is desired to lay the question aside temporarily and at the same time retain the privilege of taking it up at any moment. This motion is frequently used to destroy or " kill " a measure when it is known that a sufficient vote cannot be obtained to take it up during that session. It can be made when any of the previous motions are pending. 3. To suppress debate. The usual method of stopping debate is for a friend of the measure to call for the previous question, which if ordered brings the assembly at once to a vote on the questions be- fore it, in their order, until the main question is finally disposed of. If any one of the fol- lowing motions is pending, the previous ques- tion is exhausted by the vote on it, and does not cut off debate on any other motion that may be pending, viz. : to postpone to a certain time, to postpone indefinitely, to reconsider, and an appeal. The chairman states this ques- tion as follows: "Shall the main question be now put?" If it fails, the debate continues. Other methods of stopping debate are to adopt motions limiting the time allowed each speaker or the number of speeches on each side, or to appoint a time at which debate must cease and the question be put. In ordinary societies, where harmony is important, a two-thirds vote is usually required for the adoption of any of the above motions to cut off debate. 4. To suppress the question. As soon as a motion is introduced, before it has been debated, and only then, any member can object to the con- sideration of the question; this requiring no second, the chairman instantly puts the ques- tion, "Will the assembly consider it?" or, 4 Shall the question be discussed ? " and if nega- tived the question is dismissed for the session. In ordinary meetings whose sessions are short, and where but few subjects can be considered, this motion is necessary to suppress irrele- vant, useless, or contentious questions. But it should require a two-thirds vote to suppress a question without debate. In congress the ques- tion is put as follows: "Will the house now consider it ? " and a negative vote dismisses the question for the time. The motion to postpone indefinitely is the usual one to suppress a ques- tion for the whole session, and the only one available after the question has been debated. It cannot be made while any motion is pending except the original or main question, and yields to all other motions mentioned except to amend. A motion to lay on the table is often used for this purpose, and, if there is no possibility of obtaining during the session a sufficient vote to take it from the table, it is the preferable one because of its high rank and its being un- debatable. 5. To consider a question a second time. When a question has been once adopted, rejected, or suppressed, it cannot be again con- sidered in the same session except by a motion to reconsider; and this motion can only be made by one who voted on the prevailing side and on the day the vote was taken which it is proposed to reconsider. In congress it can be made on the next day, and if the yeas and nays were not taken on the vote it can be made by any one. It can be made and entered on the record in the midst of debate, even when an- other member has the floor ; but it cannot be considered until there is no question before the assembly, when, if called up, it takes prece- dence of every motion except to adjourn and to fix the time to which to adjourn. The rule prohibiting the renewal of a motion does not apply to the motion to adjourn, which can be renewed if there has been mere progress in de- bate. The subsidiary motions already described can be again introduced if the question has changed in either matter or form. 6. Order and rules. If the assembly has directed that certain questions shall be considered at a cer- tain time, when that time arrives any member can call for the order of the day ; and as it re- quires no second, the chairman must at once put the question whether the assembly will now take up the order of the day ; if it is carried, the subject under consideration is laid aside, and the questions appointed for that time are taken up in their order. But where there is a rule adopted, it must be enforced by the chair- man without any question, and a motion to suspend the rules for a particular purpose must be adopted by a two-thirds vote in order to al- low that particular thing to be done if it con- flicts with the rules. It is the duty of the chair- man to announce the business in its order, to enforce the rules, and preserve order ; and when any member notices a violation of order, he can call for the enforcement of the rules. While in all such cases the chairman first decides the question, any member can appeal from his de- cision ; and if the appeal is seconded, the chair- man states the question thus : " Shall the de- cision of the chair stand as the judgment of the assembly?" The chairman can speak to the question without leaving the chair, which is prohibited in all other cases. 7. Miscellaneous. If a speaker wishes to read a paper, or a mem- ber to withdraw his motion after it has been stated by the chair, it is necessary, if any one objects, to make a motion to grant permission. 8. To close the meeting. If it is desired to have an adjourned meeting of the assembly, it is best some time before its close to move to fix the time to which the assembly shall adjourn. The question is of this form : " That when this