[58]. When a motion or proposition is regularly before the assembly, no other motion can be received, unless it be one which is previous in its nature to the question under consideration, and consequently entitled to take its place for the time being, and be first decided.
[Footnote 6:] In the house of representatives of Massachusetts, where each member’s seat is regularly assigned to him, and numbered, it has been found useful, in deciding upon the claims of several competitors for the floor, to prefer one who rises in his place, to a member who addresses the speaker from the area, the passageways, or the seat of any other member.] [Return to text]
[Footnote 7:] Such as, to adjourn,—lie on the table,—for the previous question,—for postponement,—commitment, etc.] [Return to text]
[Footnote 8:] “A member can make but one motion at a time. The contrary has been allowed in Congress, and has grown to be a common usage; e.g., as, when a member makes a motion, and then moves in the same breath that his own motion be laid on the table.
This is a great abuse; and the bad example of Congress should not be followed by other assemblies. In such a case, the presiding officer should entertain the former motion, and treat the latter as if it had not been made.”] [Return to text]
CHAPTER V.
OF MOTIONS IN GENERAL.
[59]. When a proposition is made to a deliberative assembly, for its adoption, the proposition may be in such a form as to be put to the question, and the assembly may be in such a state as to be willing to come to a decision upon it, at once; and when this is the case, nothing more can be necessary than to take the votes of the members, and ascertain the result. But a different state of things may and commonly does exist; the assembly may prefer some other course of proceeding to an immediate decision of the question in [p43] ]the form in which it is presented; and, as it is proper, that every parliamentary body should have the means of fitly disposing of every proposition which may be made to it, certain forms of question have from time to time been invented, and are now in general use, for that purpose. These forms of question may properly be called subsidiary, in order to distinguish them from the principal motion or question to which they relate.
[60]. The different states of mind, in which a proposition may be received by a deliberative assembly, and the corresponding forms of proceeding, or subsidiary motions, to which they give rise, in order to ascertain the sense of the assembly, are the following:
First. The assembly may look upon the proposition as useless or inexpedient; and may therefore desire to suppress it, either for a time, or altogether. The subsidiary motions, for this purpose, are the previous question, and indefinite postponement.