PARLIAMENTARY LAW. The body of rules and precedents regulating the procedure of deliberative assemblies. Certain rules of parlia mentary procedure have always been found neces sary for the accomplishment of the purposes for which deliberative assemblies are called. Experi ence has shown that restrictions must be placed on individual members in the general interest of the whole holy ; that mere customary rules are in sufficient, and hence regular parliamentary ...al. must be prepared for the government of delffiera• live assemblies. In the ['tilted States this has become almost a distinct brawl' of the law, an I its mastery is highly essential to the success of the legislator. The necessary officers of a de liberative assembly arc a chairman, usually called Speaker, president, or moderator, and a secretary or clerk. It is the duty of the pre siding officer to tall the meeting to order; to state clearly all questions brought before tic assembly; to put motions properly made and in their proper order; to preserve order and enforce the rules of procedure; and decide questions of order subject to the right of appeal to the whole assembly. These are his primary duties, but he may in addition participate in debate as any other member, and vote in case of a tie. It is the duty of the secretary to keep a record of the proceedings of the meeting. including a correct statement of every motion made and the manner in which it was disposed of: the of mem bers of all committee's appointed; a true of every resolution passed with the affirmative and negative votes cast therefor. etc.
Business is or should be brought before an assembly by motion of a member or in the form of a resolution which is presented by a member who at once moves its adoption. if it is a mass meeting called for a particular purpose. a motion is made for the appointment of a chairman, who. upon taking the chair, asks for a statement of the purpose for which the meeting is called. A proposition which is presented to an issembly is usually called a motion if it relates to a mat ter of secondary importanee; and a if of greater importance. The difference is of no practical consequence, however, since a resolution may be offered as a motion and a motion may be presented in the form of a resolution. The member upon whose motion the subject under discussion was brought before the assenild. or upon whose report the conclusion of a emumittee is presented, is untitled to be recognized as hav ing the floor. although another member n ay have already risen and addressed the ehair. No mem ber who has once had the floor is again entitled to it while the same question is before the assem bly so as any member who has not -Token claim, the privilege of the floor. from the de cision of the chairman as to the claim of two members for the floor an appeal may In' taken. or. in first instance. the chairman may refer the question directly to the assembly for decision. It is the custom. exc.( pt in the United `states Congress, to require important motions to be seconded as a means of assurance that the meas ure has the support of more than one n tenilwr. The motion is often seconded a: a matter of course. c5en though the person seeending it 11.ely 'DO favor it. kfter the motion has been made and seconded, the chairman elearly states it to the assembly and then recognizes the author of the In di011 as entitled to the floor it h. wisbes to .1a inn it, otherw ise the first who rises and addresses the chair. The question is now before the assembly and cannot he or modified by the mover. if any member objects,
excel it by obtaining leave from the r by moving an amendment. Before the chair has put the question, however, the mover may with draw it without the consent of the assembly.
The question on the adoption of a motion or resolution is usually known as the main question, and during the consideration of it the introduc tion of any other question is not permissible, but it is allowable to make subsidiary motions that may aid in disposing of the main question, or such as incidentally in the course of the consideration of the main question, or such as relate to the rules of procedure, the privileges of members, or the termination of the meeting. Among the subsidiary motions for disposing of the inain question, all of which must be decided before the main question can be acted upon, are: First in precedence, the motion to lay on the table. The purpose of this motion is to postpone further of the question until sonic future time, when it may again he taken up, which would not be allowable had the question been disposed of by a motion to postpone either definitely or indefinitely. This is a common method of suppressing a question, and is successful whenever a majority cannot lie found to take it from the table during the session. A motion to lay on the table is not open to debate, cannot he amended. nor can another subsidiary motion be applied to it. The effect of the motion is usually to place on the table everything pertain ing to the subject: thus, if an be ordered to lie on the table the subject which it is proposed to amend is also laid on the table. A second means of disposing of the main question by means of a subsidiary motion is the demand for the previous question. This takes prece dence of every debatable question, but is itself open to ueitlivr debate nor amendment. it applies to questions of privilege as well as to any other debatable question. Its effect is to stop imme diately all debate and bring the assembly to a vote on the question pending. When a demand is made for the previous question and seconded, the presiding officer immediately puts the ques tion. "Shall the main question now he put?" If the question is lost, the discussion continues as if the motion had not been made. The pre vious question requires a two-thirds vote for its adoption, may he demanded on a pending amend ment, and if carried, debate on the amendment only is closed. the main question being still open to debate and amendment. It may also be used on an amendment to an amendment. (See PRE VIOUS QuEsTox.) A third method of disposing of the main question is by means of the motion to postpone to a certain day. Debate on this motion is limited. and must not go into the merits of the subject matter any further than may be necessary to enable the assembly to judge of the propriety of the postponement. The efroet of this motion is to postpone further con sideration of the subject until a certain time, during which period it cannot be taken up except by a two-thirds vote. When that time arrives the question is entitled to be taken up in prefer ence to everything except privileged questions. In the fourth place, the main question may be disposed of by a motion to commit recommit. The purpose of this motion is to refer the sub ject to a committee. If different committes are proposed, they should be voted on in the follow ing order: ( 1 ) Committee of the whole; (2) a standing committee; (3) a special committee.