6. But if the proposition be well digested, and may need but few and simple amendments, and especially if these be of leading consequence, they then proceed to consider and amend it themselves.
The Senate, in their practice, vary from this regular gradation of forms. Their practice comparatively with that of Parliament stands thus:
| FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY: | THE SENATE USES: |
|---|---|
| Postponement indefinite, | Postponement to a day beyond the session. |
| Adjournment, | Postponement to a day within the session. |
| Lying on the table. | Postponement indefinite. |
| Lying on the table. | |
In their eighth rule, therefore, which declares that while a question is before the Senate no motion shall be received, unless it be for the previous question, or to postpone, commit, or amend the main question, the term postponement must be understood according to their broad use of it, and not in its parliamentary sense. Their rule, then establishes as privileged questions, the previous question, postponement, commitment, and amendment.
But it may be asked: Have these questions any privilege among themselves? or are they so equal that the common principle of the “first moved first put” takes place among them? This will need explanation. Their competitions may be as follows:
| 1. Previous question and postpone commit amend | In the first, second, and the third classes, and the first member of the fourth class, the rule “first moved first put” takes place. |
| 2. Postpone and previous question commit amend | |
| 3. Commit and previous question postpone amend | |
| 4. Amend and previous question postpone commit |
In the first class, where the previous question is first moved, the effect is peculiar; for it not only prevents the after motion to postpone or commit from being put to question before it, but also from being put after it; for if the previous question be decided affirmatively, to wit, that the main question shall now be put, it would of course be against the decision to postpone, or commit; and if it be decided negatively, to wit, that the main question shall not now be put, this puts the House out of possession of the main question, and consequently there is nothing before them to postpone or commit. So that neither voting for nor against the previous question will enable the advocates for postponing or committing to get at their object. Whether it may be amended shall be examined hereafter.
Second class. If postponement be decided affirmatively, the proposition is removed from before the House, and consequently there is no ground for the previous question, commitment, or amendment; but if decided negatively, (that it shall not be postponed,) the main question may then be suppressed by the previous question, or may be committed, or amended.
The third class is subject to the same observations as the second.
The fourth class. Amendment of the main question first moved, and afterwards the previous question, the question of amendment shall be first put.