PARLIAMENTARY RULES,

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES.

A knowledge of the rules which regulate the formation and order of business in public assemblies, is essential to every well informed citizen. Every citizen is obliged, at some time, to take part in the primary assemblies of the people. These are constantly held, not merely for political purposes, but for those of business -commercial, literary, benevolent, or religious. In addition to these primary assemblies, there are various and numerous organized associations, with some one or more of which almost every citizen is connected. The rules for the transaction of business in the assemblies, or associations, are substantially the same in all of them, the most important of which are substantially as follows:

ORGANIZATION.

1. In regularly organized bodies, such as Congress, the State Legislatures, religious, political, or other associations, the Constitution under which they act usually designates the title of their presiding officer, defines his duties, and provides for the mode of his appointment.

2. When a primary assembly of the people, or of any part of them, is called together for any purpose, the first thing to be done is to choose a presiding officer, usually designated as Chairman.

3. At the proper time some one rises, and moves that A. B. be appointed Chairman of the meeting. When this is seconded the person making the motion puts the question, and if it be carried, A. B. takes the chair as presiding officer.

4. Regularly every public assembly should have a Secretary, who is chosen in such manner as the body may direct.

5. The assembly may appoint such other officers as is deemed expedient; and on important occasions there are usually appointed several vice-presidents and additional secretaries.

6. In deliberate bodies composed of delegates, it is usual to effect a primary organization as above; then appoint a committee on "Permanent Organization," who nominate permanent officers for the assembly; and a committee on “Credentials, "who prepare a list of those entitled to take part in the proceedings.

7. Immediately before or after (usually after) the permanent organization there is appointed committees on Order of Business, Resolutions, Address, and such others as the case may require.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS.

8. The presiding officer opens each sitting of the body by taking the chair and calling the members to order; he announces the business in order; receives all communications, messages. motions, and propositions; puts to vote all questions coming before the body for their decision; and enforces the rules of order. He may read sitting, but should rise to state a motion or put a question.

9. The Secretary keeps a record of the proceedings of the body; reads all papers as ordered; calls the roll of members and records their votes during a call for the ayes and nays; notifies committees of their appointment, and the business referred to them; and takes charge of all papers and documents belonging to the assembly.

10. The Vice President takes the chair in the absence of the presiding officer, or when he leaves the chair to take part in the proceedings of the meeting.

11. When other officers are chosen their duties are set forth in the resolution appointing them, or in the by-laws of the association.

ORDER.

12. In all assemblies any member may at any time rise to a point of order. He must distinctly state his question or objection, which the presiding officer will decide.

13. Any member dissatisfied with the ruling of the

chair may appeal to the assembly; and the presiding officer may call upon the house to sustain him in preserving order. The decision of the meeting is final.

14. Every member must treat every other member with respect and decorum; and especially must he acknowledge the dignity of the body at large, and of the officers thereof.

15. The chairman of an assembly cannot regularly speak to any thing but a point of order, or a question of fact.

16. In general the chairman has his own vote no more, but in primary meetings he is usually entitled to the casting vote.

17. If two persons rise to speak together, the chairman determines which shall have precedence; it may, however, be referred to the house.

18. A person speaking cannot regularly mention another member of the assembly by name. He must describe him as "The gentleman who has just sat down, "the gentleman on the other side of the question, etc.

19. When a person rises to speak, he must address the presiding officer, who should call him by name, that the assembly may know who he is.

20. The person speaking should confine himself to the question under debate, and avoid personality. If he transgress the rules of order, he may be called to order by the presiding officer, or any member.

21. No one should be interrupted while speaking, except he be out of order, or to ask, or to make an expla nation.

22. A speaker may allow others to ask questions or make explanations; but if he yield the floor, he cannot claim it again as his right.

ORDER OF BUSINESS.

23. All business should be presented by a motion-and in writing, if so required-the motion to be made by one member and secouded by another.

24. A question is not to be discussed until it is moved, seconded, and distinctly stated by the presiding officer. 25. A question before the meeting cannot be withdrawn, except by unanimous consent.

26. A motion should contain but one distinct proposition, or question. If it contains more than one, it may be divided at the request of any member, and the questions acted on separately.

27. A motion before the meeting, must be put to vote, unless withdrawn, laid on the table, or postponed.

23. A motion lost should not be renewed at the same meeting, unless under circumstances of peculiar necessity.

29. While a motion is under debate, no other motion can be allowed, except

6. To postpone indefinitely.

Which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are arranged; and no motion to postpone to a day certain, to commit, or to postpone indefinitely, being decided, shall be again allowed on the same day, and of the same stage of the proposition.

30. Motions to adjourn, to lay on the table, for the previous question, to commit, and to indefinitely postpone, are not debatable. But when they are modified by some condition of time, place, or purpose, they become debatable, and subject to the rules of other motions.

31. A motion to adjourn is always in order, except while the body is engaged in voting, on another question, or while a member is speaking.

32. A body may adjourn to specified time. But if no time is mentioned, then it is understood to be adjourned to the time of its next meeting; or if it have no other fixed time for meeting, then an adjournment without date is equivalent to a dissolution.

33. If a meeting votes to adjourn at a specified hour, no vote is requisite when that hour arrives. The chair simply announces that the meeting stands adjourned.

34. By adjournment the condition of things is not

changed; and when the body meet again, every thing is renewed at the point where it was left.

35. Immediate and decisive action, on any question, may be deferred by a vote to lay the resolution pending on the table, whence it can be ordered up when it suits the convenience of the assembly.

36. When any question is before the House, any member may move the previous question, which is: "Shall the main question be now put;" if it pass, then the main question is to be put immediately, without debate. or amendment; but if lost, then the main question is not put, and the discussion goes on.

37. A postponement to a day certain, is used when a proposition is made which it is proper to act on-but information is wanted, or something more pressing claims present attention.

38. An indefinite postponement is considered equivalent to a final dismissal of the question.

39. The meeting may decide to take up some particular business, at a specified time. That business becomes the order of the day, and when the hour specified arrives the chair announces the order of the day and other business is suspended.

40. Questions relating to the rights and privileges of the meeting, and of its members, are of primary importance, and for the time take precedence of all other business, and supercede all other motions, except that of adjournment.

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41. When a question has been decided it is in order for member who voted with the majority to move at the same or next succeeding sitting of the body for a reconsideration thereof. A question reconsidered is placed again before the body for action.

COMMITTEES.

42. All committees shall be appointed by the presiding officer, unless otherwise directed. If voted for by the body it requires a majority (in the absence of any other rule) of all the votes cast to elect.

43. The first one named in the appointment of a committee is by courtesy considered the chairman; but the committee have the right to appoint their own chairman.