BY-LAWS.
Rule 1.—No question shall be stated unless moved by two members, nor be open for consideration until stated by the chair. When a question is before the Society, no motion shall be received, except to lay on the table, the previous question, to postpone, to refer, or to amend; and they shall have precedence in the order in which they are here arranged.
Rule 2.—When a member intends to speak on a question, he shall rise in his place, and respectfully address his remarks to the President, confine himself to the question, and avoid personality. Should more than one member rise to speak at the same time the President shall determine who is entitled to the floor.
Rule 3.—Every member shall have the privilege of speaking three times on any question under consideration, but not oftener, unless by the consent of the Society (determined by vote); and no member shall speak more than once, until every member wishing to speak shall have spoken.
Rule 4.—The President, while presiding, shall state every question coming before the Society; and immediately before putting it to vote shall ask: “Are you ready for the question?” Should no member rise to speak, he shall rise to put the question; and after he has risen no member shall speak upon it, unless by permission of the Society.
Rule 5.—The affirmative and negative of the question having been both put and answered, the President declares the number of legal votes cast, and whether the affirmative or negative have it.
Rule 6.—All questions, unless otherwise fixed by law, shall be decided by a majority of votes.
Rule 7.—After any question, except one of indefinite postponement, has been decided, any member may move a reconsideration thereof, if done in two weeks after the decision. A motion for reconsideration the second time, of the same question, shall not be in order at any time.
Rule 8.—Any two members may call for a division of a question, when the same will admit of it.
Rule 9.—The President, or any member, may call a member to order while speaking, when the debate must be suspended, and the member take his seat until the question of order is decided.
Rule 10.—The President shall preserve order and decorum; may speak to points of order in preference to other members; and shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Society by any member, on which appeal no person shall speak but the President and the member called to order.
Rule 11.—No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of an amendment.
Rule 12.—No addition, alteration, or amendment to the Constitution, By-Laws, etc., shall be acted upon, except in accordance with the Constitution.
Rule 13.—No nomination shall be considered as made until seconded.
Rule 14.—The President shall sign all proceedings of the meetings.
Rule 15.—No member shall vote by proxy.
Rule 16.—No motion shall be withdrawn by the mover unless the second withdraw his second.
Rule 17.—No extract from any book shall be read consuming more than five minutes.
Rule 18.—No motion for adjournment shall be in order until after nine o’clock.
Rule 19.—Every motion shall be reduced to writing, should the officers of the society desire it.
Rule 20.—An amendment to an amendment is in order, but not to amend an amendment to an amendment of a main question.
Rule 21.—The previous question shall be put in this form, if seconded by a majority of the members present: “Shall the main question be put?” If decided in the affirmative, the main question is to be put immediately, and all further debate or amendment must be suspended.
Rule 22.—Members not voting shall be considered as voting in the affirmative, unless excused by the Society.
Rule 23.—Any member offering a protest against any of the proceedings of this Society may have the same, if, in respectful language, entered in full upon the minutes.
Rule 24.—No subject laid on the table shall be taken up again on the same evening.
Rule 25.—No motion shall be debatable until seconded.
Rule 26.—Points of order are debatable to the Society.
Rule 27.—Appeals and motions to reconsider or adjourn are not debatable.
Rule 28.—When a very important motion or amendment shall be made and seconded, the mover thereof may be called upon to reduce the same to writing, and hand it in at the table, from which it shall be read, open to the Society for debate.
Rule 29.—The mover of a motion shall be at liberty to accept any amendment thereto; but if an amendment be offered and not accepted, yet duly seconded, the Society shall pass upon it before voting upon the original motion.
Rule 30.—Every officer, on leaving his office, shall give to his successor all papers, documents, books, or money belonging to the Society.
Rule 31.—No smoking, and no refreshments except water, shall be allowed in the Society’s hall.
Rule 32.—When a motion to adjourn is carried, no member shall leave his seat until the President has left his chair.
Rule 33.—No alteration can be made in these rules of order without a four-fifth vote of the society, and two weeks’ notice; neither can they be suspended, but by a like vote, and then for the evening only.