Robert's Rules of Order, Henry M. Robert [top books of all time .txt] 📗

act by a vote upon the question of expulsion or other punishment proposed.

In acting upon the case, it must be borne in mind that there is a vast distinction between the evidence necessary to convict in a civil court and that required to convict in an ordinary society or ecclesiastical body. A notorious pickpocket could not even be arrested, much less convicted, by a civil court, simply on the ground of being commonly known as a pickpocket; while such evidence would convict and expel him from any ordinary society.

The moral conviction of the truth of the charge is all that is necessary in an ecclesiastical or other deliberative body, to find the accused guilty of the charges.

If the trial is liable to be long and troublesome, or of a very delicate nature, the member is frequently cited to appear before a committee, instead of the society, for trial. In this case the committee report to the society the result of their trial of the case, with resolutions covering the punishment which they recommend the society to adopt.

=== Page 164 === === Page 165 ===

TABLE OF RULES

RELATING TO MOTIONS.

[This Table contains the answers to more than two hundred questions on parliamentary law, and should always be consulted before referring to the body of the Manual.]

=== Page 166 ===

TABLE OF RULES RELATING TO MOTIONS.

Explanation of the Table. A Star shows that the rule heading the column in which it stands, applies to the motion opposite to which it is placed: a blank shows that the rule does not apply: a figure shows that the rule only partially applies, the figure referring to the note on the next page showing the limitations. Take, for example, "Lie on the table:" the Table shows that � 19 of the Pocket Manual treats of this motion; that it is "undebatable" and "cannot be amended;" and that an affirmative vote on it (as shown in note 3) "cannot be reconsidered:" -- the four other columns being blank, show that this motion does not "open the main question to debate," that it does not "require a 2/3 vote," that it does "require to be seconded," and that it is not "in order when another member has the floor."

The column headed "Requires a two-thirds vote," applies only where the "Pocket Manual of Rules of Order," or similar rules, have been adopted. [See "Two-thirds Vote," on next page, under Miscellaneous Rules.]

After the note to the Table is some additional information that a chairman should always have at hand, such as the Order of Precedence of Motions, the Forms Of Putting Certain Questions, etc.

In order when another has the floor [� 2]-------------| Requires no Second [� 3]-----------| | Requires a 2/3 vote [� 39]--See Note 1.---------| | | Cannot be Reconsidered [� 27]-------| | | | Cannot be Amended [� 23]-----| | | | | Opens Main Question to Debate [� 35]---| | | | | | Undebatable [� 35]-| | | | | | | |- Section in Pocket Manual | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 Adjourn ............................................. x . x x . . . 10 Adjourn, Fix the Time to which to ................... 2 . . . . . . 23 Amend ............................................... . . . . . . . 23 Amend an Amendment .................................. . . x . . . . 43 Amend the Rules ..................................... . . . . x . . 14 Appeal, relating to indecorum, etc., [6] ............ x . x . . . x 14 Appeal, all other cases ............................. . . x . . . x 14 Call to Order ....................................... x . x . . x x 37 Close Debate, motion to ............................. x . . . x . . 22 Commit .............................................. . x . . . . . 31 Extend the limits of debate, motion to .............. x . . . . . . 10 Fix the Time to which to Adjourn .................... 2 . . . . . . 15 Leave to continue speaking when guilty of indecorum x . x . . . . 19 Lie on the Table .................................... x . x 3 . . . 37 Limit Debate, motion to ............................. x . . . x . . 13 Objection to Consideration of a Question [7] ........ x . x . x x x 13 Orders of the Day, motion for the ................... x . x . . x x 21 Postpone to a certain time .......................... 4 . . . . . . 24 Postpone indefinitely ............................... . x x . . . . 20 Previous Question ................................... x . x . x . . 44 Priority of Business, questions relating to ......... x . . . . . . 16 Reading Papers ...................................... x . x . . . . 27 Reconsider a debatable question ..................... . x x . . . 5 27 Reconsider an undebatable question .................. x . x . . . 5 22 Refer (same as Commit) .............................. . x . . . . . 11 Rise (in Committee equals Adjourn) .................. x . x x . . . 11 Shall the question be discussed? [7] ................ x . x . x x x 61 Special Order, to make a ............................ . . . . x . . 23 Substitute (same as Amend) .......................... . . . . . . . 18 Suspend the Rules ................................... x . x x x . . 59 Take from the table ................................. x . x 3 . . . 44 Take up a question out of its proper order .......... x . x . x . . 17 Withdrawal of a motion .............................. x . x . . . .

=== Page 167 ===

Notes To The Table.

(1) This column only applies to assemblies that have adopted these Rules. If no rules are adopted, a majority vote is sufficient for the adoption of any motion, except to "suspend the rules," which requires a unanimous vote. [See Two-thirds Vote, below.]

(2) Undebatable if made when another question is before the assembly.

(3) An affirmative vote on this motion cannot be reconsidered.

(4) Allows of but limited debate upon the propriety of the postponement.

(5) Can be moved and entered on the record when another has the floor, but cannot interrupt the business then before the assembly: it must be made on the day the original vote was taken, and by one who voted with the prevailing side.

(6) An appeal is undebatable only when relating to indecorum, or to transgressions of the rules of speaking, or to the priority of business, or when made while the Previous Question is pending. When debatable, only one speech from each member is permitted.

(7) The objection can only be made when the question is first introduced, before debate.

MISCELLANEOUS RULES.

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 supercede 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 [see note 5 above], 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.

Two-thirds Vote.

In Congress the only motions requiring a two-thirds vote, are to suspend or amend the Rules, to take up business out of its proper order, and to make a special order. In ordinary societies harmony is so essential, that a two-thirds vote should be required to force the assembly to a final vote upon a resolution without allowing free debate. The Table conforms to the Rules of Order, which are based upon this principle. If an assembly has adopted no Rules of Order, then a majority vote is sufficient for the adoption of any motion, except to "suspend the rules," which would require a unanimous vote.

Forms of Putting Certain Questions.

If a motion is made to Strike out certain words, the question is put in this form: "Shall these words stand as a part of the resolution?" so that on a tie vote they are struck out.

If the Previous Question is demanded, it is put thus: "Shall the main question now be put?"

If an Appeal is made from the decision of the Chair, the question is put thus: "Shall the decision of the Chair stand as the judgement of the assembly?" [convention, society, etc.].

If the Orders of the Day are called for, the question is put thus: "Will the assembly now proceed to the Orders of the Day?"

When, upon the introduction of a question, some one objects to its consideration, the chairman immediately puts the question thus: "Will the assembly consider it?" or "Shall the question be considered?" [or discussed.]

If the vote has been ordered to be taken by yeas and nays, the question is put in a form similar to the following: "As many as are in favor of the adoption of these resolutions, will, when their names are called, answer yes [or aye]--those opposed will answer no.

Various Forms of Amendments.

An Amendment may be either (1) by "adding" or (2) by "striking out" words or paragraphs; or (3) by "striking out certain words and inserting others;" or (4) by "substituting" a different motion on the same subject; or (5) by "dividing the question" into two or more questions, so as to get