Robert's Rules of Order / Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies

by Henry M. Robert

62. Miscellaneous. (a) Reading of papers and (b) Withdrawal of a motion. If a speaker wishes to read a paper, or a member 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 the permission.

(c) Questions of Privilege. Should any disturbance occur during the meeting, or anything affecting the rights of the assembly or any of the members, any member may “rise to a question of privilege,” and state the matter, which the chairman decides to be, or not to be, a matter of privilege: (from the chairman’s decision of course an appeal can be taken). If the question is one of privilege, it supersedes, for the time being, the business before the assembly; its consideration can be postponed to another time, or the previous question can be ordered on it so as to stop debate, or it can be laid on the table, or referred to a committee to examine and report upon it. As soon as the question of privilege is in some way disposed of, the debate which was interrupted is resumed.

63. To Close the Meeting. (a) Fix the time to which to adjourn. If it is desired to have an adjourned meeting of the assembly, it is best some time before its close to move, “That when this assembly adjourns, it adjourns to meet at such a time,” specifying the time. This motion can be amended by altering the time, but if made when another question is before the assembly, neither the motion nor the amendment can be debated. If made when no other business is before the assembly, it stands as any other main question, and can be debated. This motion can be made even while the assembly is voting on the motion to adjourn, but not when another member has the floor.

(b) Adjourn. In order to prevent an assembly from being kept in session an unreasonably long time, it is necessary to have a rule limiting the time that the floor can be occupied by any one member at one time.* [Ten minutes is allowed by these rules.] When it is desired to close the meeting, without the member who has the floor will yield it, the only resource is to wait till his time expires, and then a member who gets the floor should move “to adjourn.” The motion being seconded, the chairman instantly put the question, as it allows of no amendment or debate; and if decided in the affirmative, he says, “The motion is carried;—this assembly stands adjourned.” If the assembly is one that will have no other meeting, instead of “adjourned,” he says “adjourned without day,” or “sine die.” If previously it had been decided when they adjourned to adjourn to a particular time, then he states that the assembly stands adjourned to that time. If the motion to adjourn is qualified by specifying the time, as, “to adjourn to to-morrow evening,” it cannot be made when any other question is before the assembly; like any other main motion, it can then be amended and debated.** [For the effect of an adjournment upon unfinished business see § 69.]

64. Order of Precedence of Motions. The ordinary motions rank as follows, and any of them (except to amend) can be made while one of a lower order is pending, but none can supersede one of a higher order:

To Fix the Time to which to Adjourn.
To Adjourn (when unqualified).
For the Orders of the Day.
To Lie on the Table.
For the Previous Question.
To Postpone to a Certain Time.
To Commit.
To Amend.
To Postpone Indefinitely.

The motion to Reconsider can be made when any other question is before the assembly, but cannot be acted upon until the business then before the assembly is disposed of; when, if called up, it takes precedence of all other motions except to adjourn and to fix the time to which to adjourn. Questions incidental to those before the assembly take precedence of them, and must be acted upon first.

A question of order, a call for the orders of the day, or an objection to the consideration of a question, can be made while another member has the floor: so, too, can a motion to reconsider, but it can only be entered on the minutes at that time, as it cannot supersede the question then before the assembly.

Art. XIII. Debate.

65. Rules of Speaking in Debate. All remarks must be addressed to the chairman, and must be confined to the question before the assembly, avoiding all personalities and reflections upon any one’s motives. It is usual for permanent assemblies to adopt rules limiting the number of times any member can speak to the same question, and the time allowed for each speech;* [In Congress the House of Representatives allows from each member only one speech of one hour’s length; the Senate allows two speeches without limit as to length.] as otherwise one member, while he could speak only once to the same question, might defeat a measure by prolonging his speech and declining to yield the floor except for a motion to adjourn. In ordinary assemblies two speeches should be allowed each member (except upon an appeal), and these rules also limit the time for each speech to ten minutes. A majority can permit a member to speak oftener or longer whenever it is desired, and the motion granting such permission cannot be debated.