27. In legislative bodies, it is usual to provide, that certain questions as, for example, to adjourn, to lie on the table, for the previous question, or, as to the order of business, shall be decided without debate.
28. “In the latter event, the member will rise, and addressing himself to the presiding officer, will say, ‘I rise to a point of order.’ When requested by the chair to state it, he will specify the thing he objects to. If the chair rules that the member is out of order in his remarks, and no appeal is taken from the decision, he will abandon the line of remark condemned, and, if permitted, proceed in order.
“Should an appeal be taken, it will be decided without debate.”—Ed.
29. The mover and seconder, if they do not speak to the question, at the time when the motion is made and seconded, have the same right with other members to address the assembly.
30. “In the House of Commons, England, ever since the Irish Parliamentary Party proved strong enough to combat with the Opposition by obstructing all bills in the endeavor to procure ‘Home Rule’ for Ireland there has been nothing but turmoil over every bill proposed; to stop this the ‘Government Party’ passed a rule which was applied whenever obstruction or debate was carried too far; this was called ‘Cloture.’ It is used as a ‘gag’ law, as when ‘Cloture’ is moved every thing or motion is subordinated to the motion in favor of which ‘Cloture’ was applied.”—Ed.
31. The words, as written down, may be amended, so as to conform to what the assembly thinks to be the truth.
32. Mr. Hatsell, in England, and Mr. Jefferson, in this country.
33. Mr. Jefferson (§ 17) lays it down, that “disorderly words are not to be noticed till the member has finished his speech.” But in this, he is contradicted by Hatsell, as well as by the general practice of legislative bodies.
233. When any proposition is made to a deliberative assembly, it is called a _motion_; when it is stated or propounded to the assembly, for their acceptance or rejection, it is denominated a _question_; and, when adopted, it becomes the _order_, _resolution_, or _vote_, of the assembly.
234. All the proceedings, which have thus far been considered, have only had for their object to bring a proposition into a form to be put to the question; that is, to be adopted as the sense, will, or judgment, of the assembly, or to be rejected; according as such proposition may be found to unite in its favor, or to fail of uniting a majority of the members.