The preliminary work of deliberative bodies is usually prepared by mean. of committees. 'Nees(' may be standing committees appointed for it definite time, select C. oliittee, appointed tor a special and ennui it tee- of the whole consisting of the entire assembly. The first per son named on a committee i. usually the chair man• whose duty it is to the conn ittee together. A. committee may faeilitate it. labor by the appointment of a subcommittee of own membership. A committee report is usually made by the ehi irrnan. is signed by the mem bers and delivered to the clerk. In case of dis agreement aniong the members, there may be a majority and a minority report. The report of the majority is the report of the counnittee. :and it may lie adopted by the rejected, el. recommitted. After the report has been adopted. the question is open to at tendinent as if there had been no committee report. An assembly may go into 'committee of the whole' for the e,gI sidc•ration of a subject which it do,. not w ish to refer to a committee. but whieli it is desired to consider with the freedom and informality which characterizes the procedure of fit \\Then oils is done. the presiding officer eans another member to the chair and takes 1 is place as a men bee of the committee. During the consideration by committee of the whole no 1110tical, are in order except to amend and adopt. or that the collallitlee 'rise and report.' Debate may be without limit unless the a-send ly votes that debate in 4.0111111itteu (I a certain time. and until then any nu nit r it ay speak as often a- he can get the floor if no one else who has not had an opportunity to speak on the question claims it. \\ ht n the lieb:Ite is concluded, it motion is made that 'the committee rise and repoit.' This motion is always in ord. r is undebatable. \\ hen it is adopted. the lug sitiitl_ oiliter of the os-embly resumes (-hair, while the chairman of the committee. tort her resumed his pl lee in the asst nibly, repots to the Chair the decision of the committee. Like other the committee of the whole has no lower to alit r the t. \t of any resolution referred to it. It is the practice of many deliberative assemblies to consider certain questions 'informally' without going into com mittee of the whole. a proof dory whir i is not
von different from that of eonunittee of the whole. This is the practice of the United States Senate in the consideration of measures on their second reading.
Debate upon a motion begins after it has been stated by the chairman and is closed by the chairman rising to put the question. If the presiding officer thinks the debate has ended, he inquires if the assembly is ready for the question, and if no one claims the floor, he puts the question to a vote. The rule of the l'nited States House of Representatives requires that those favoring the motion shall indicate their preference by saying Aye, and those op posing it say No. If when the presiding ollicer announces the result any member rises and ex presses- doubt as to the correctness of the result, or calls for a division, the presiding officer requests those who favor the motion to rise. After counting these and announcing the result, those opposed are requested to rise. These are counted and the final result is then declared. Or he may appoint tellers to make the count and report to him. Whenever there is a tie vote, the motion is lost unless the presiding ollicer gives his vote for the affirmative. if his vote will cause a tie, he may cast it and thus defeat the measure. Still another form of ascertaining the wish of ambers is the ballot. The following motions require a two-thirds vote for their adop tion: Amendment or suspension of the rules, making of special orders, objections to the con sideration of a question, the demand for the pre vious question, and the closing or Iii niting of debate.
The most convenient and in some respects the most authoritative manual ofparliamentary law is Robert, Rules of Order (Chicago, 1883 and 1901). Consult, also, Stevens, Law of Assem blies (Minneapolis, 1901) ; Hackett, The Gavel and. the Mace (New York, 1900) ; Thomas Brackett Reed, Rules of Order; Cushing, Manual of Parliamentary Practice (Boston) ; Rules and Practices of the Senate and house of Representa tives of the United States (Washington).