59. When a proposition is made to a deliberative assembly, for its adoption, the proposition may be in such a form as to be put to the question, and the assembly may be in such a state as to be willing to come to a decision upon it, at once; and when this is the case, nothing more can be necessary than to take the votes of the members, and ascertain the result. But a different state of things may and commonly does exist; the assembly may prefer some other course of proceeding to an immediate decision of the question in [p43] the form in which it is presented; and, as it is proper, that every parliamentary body should have the means of fitly disposing of every proposition which may be made to it, certain forms of question have from time to time been invented, and are now in general use, for that purpose. These forms of question may properly be called subsidiary, in order to distinguish them from the principal motion or question to which they relate.
60. The different states of mind, in which a proposition may be received by a deliberative assembly, and the corresponding forms of proceeding, or subsidiary motions, to which they give rise, in order to ascertain the sense of the assembly, are the following:
First. The assembly may look upon the proposition as useless or inexpedient; and may therefore desire to suppress it, either for a time, or altogether. The subsidiary motions, for this purpose, are the previous question, and indefinite postponement.
Second. The assembly may be willing to entertain and consider of a proposition, but not at the time when it is made; either because more information is wanted by the members individually; or because they desire [p44] further time for reflection and examination: or because the assembly is then occupied with some other matter, which has more pressing claims upon its present attention. The usual motions, under such circumstances, are postponement to some future day or time, and to lie on the table.
Third. The subject-matter of a proposition may be regarded with favor, but the form in which it is introduced may be so defective, that a more careful and deliberate consideration, than can conveniently be given to it in the assembly itself, may be necessary to put it into a satisfactory form. In this case, it is most proper to refer the proposition to a committee.
Fourth. The proposition may be acceptable, and the form in which it is presented so far satisfactory, that the assembly may be willing to consider and act upon it, with such alterations and amendments as may be thought proper. The motion adapted to this case is to amend.
61. It is not to be supposed that the subsidiary motions above specified are the only ones that have at any time been adopted or used; or that it is not competent to a [p45] deliberative assembly to frame new motions at pleasure; but these are the forms in most common use, and are entirely sufficient for all practical purposes.[Footnote 9] Neither is it to be supposed, that these motions are always applied strictly to the cases to which they most appropriately belong; several of them are frequently used to effect purposes, for which others would be more proper. These misapplications will be taken notice of, under the heads of the several motions.
