[Footnote 19:] It is quite common, when the business of a deliberative assembly has been brought to a close, to adjourn the assembly without day. A better form is to dissolve it; as an adjournment without day, if we regard the etymology of the word adjourn, is a contradiction in terms.] [Return to text]
[Footnote 20:] “A motion to adjourn and a question of privilege, take precedence of a motion for the orders of the day.”—Ed.] [Return to text]
[Footnote 21:] “This motion is not debatable.”—Ed.] [Return to text]
[Footnote 22:] “A motion to suspend the rules is not debatable.”—Ed.] [Return to text]
[Footnote 23:] In the house of representatives of Massachusetts, as the effect of a negative decision of the previous question is not to remove the principal question from before the house, that question is still open to postponement, commitment, or amendment, notwithstanding such negative decision.] [Return to text]
[p101]
]CHAPTER XI.
OF THE ORDER OF PROCEEDING.
[188]. When several subjects are before the assembly; that is, on the table for consideration (for there can be but a single subject under consideration at the same time), and no priority has been given to any one over another, the presiding officer is not precisely bound to any order, as to what matters shall be first taken up; but is left to his own discretion, unless the assembly on a question decide to take up a particular subject.
[189]. A settled order of business, however, where the proceedings of an assembly are likely to last a considerable time, and the matters before it are somewhat numerous, is useful if not necessary for the government of the presiding officer, and to restrain individual members from calling up favorite measures, or matters under their special charge, out of their just time. It is also desirable, for directing the discretion of the assembly, when [p102] ]a motion is made to take up a particular matter to the prejudice of others, which are of right entitled to be first attended to, in the general order of business.
[190]. The order of business may be established in virtue of some general rule, or by special orders relating to each particular subject, and must, of course, necessarily depend upon the nature and amount of the matters before the assembly.