Roberts Rules of Order | Page 2

much more material that there should be a rule to go by, than what that rule is, that there may be a uniformity of proceeding in business, not subject to the caprice of the chairman, or captiousness of the members. It is very material that order, decency and regularity be preserved in a dignified public body."
H. M. R. December, 1875.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS. Introduction. Page. Parliamentary Law .................................................. 9 Plan of the Work .................................................. 12 ''
Part I .................................................... 13
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Part II ................................................... 14
Definitions ....................................................... 15

Part I.--Rules of Order.
Art. I.--Introduction of Business. �� 1. How introduced ................................................. 17 2. Obtaining the floor ............................................ 17 3. What precedes debate on a question ............................. 19 4. What motions to be in writing, and how they shall be divided ...................................... 20 5. Modification of a motion by the mover .......................... 21
Art. II.--General Classification of Motions. �� 6. Principal or Main motions ...................................... 22 7. Subsidiary or Secondary motions ................................ 22 8. Incidental motions ............................................. 23 9. Privileged motions ............................................. 24
Art. III.--Motions and their Order of Precedence. Privileged Motions. 10. To fix the time to which to adjourn ........................... 25 11. Adjourn ....................................................... 26 12. Questions of privilege ........................................ 28 13. Orders of the day ............................................. 28 Incidental Motions. 14. Appeal [Questions of Order] ................................... 30 15. Objection to the consideration of a question ...................................................... 32 16. Reading papers ................................................ 33 17. Withdrawal of a motion ........................................ 34 18. Suspension of the Rules ....................................... 34
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Subsidiary Motions. �� 19. Lie on the table .............................................. 35 20. Previous Question ............................................. 37 21. Postpone to a certain day ..................................... 40 22. Commit [or Re-commit] ......................................... 41 23. Amend ......................................................... 43 24. Postpone indefinitely ......................................... 46 Miscellaneous Motions. 25. Filling blanks, and Nominations ............................... 47 26. Renewal of a motion ........................................... 48 27. Reconsideration ............................................... 49
Art. IV.--Committees and Informal Action. �� 28. Committees .................................................... 54 29. '' Form of their Reports .............................. 58 30. '' Reception '' .............................. 59 31. '' Adoption '' .............................. 61 32. Committee of the Whole ........................................ 61 33. Informal consideration of a question .......................... 65
Art. V.--Debate and Decorum. �� 34. Debate ........................................................ 66 35. Undebatable questions and those opening the main question to debate ................................... 68 36. Decorum in debate ............................................. 71 37. Closing debate, methods of .................................... 72
Art. VI.--Vote. �� 38. Voting, various modes of ...................................... 74 39. Motions requiring more than a majority vote ................................................. 80
Art. VII.--Officers and the Minutes. �� 40. Chairman or President ......................................... 81 41. Clerk, or Secretary, and the Minutes .......................... 85
Art. VIII.--Miscellaneous. �� 42. Session ....................................................... 90 43. Quorum ........................................................ 93 44. Order of business ............................................. 94 45. Amendment of the Rules of Order ............................... 97
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Part II.-Organization and Conduct of Business.
Art. IX.--Organization and Meetings. �� 46. An Occasional or Mass Meeting. (a) Organization .............................................. 99 (b) Adoption of resolutions .................................. 101 (c) Committee on '' .................................. 102 (d) Additional Officers ...................................... 105 47. A Convention or Assembly of Delegates .................................................... 106 48. A Permanent Society. (a) First meeting ............................................. 108 (b) Second meeting ............................................ 111 49. Constitutions, By-Laws, Rules of Order and Standing Rules ..................................... 115
Art. X.--Officers and Committees. �� 50. President or Chairman ........................................ 119 51. Secretary, or Clerk, and the Minutes ......................... 120 52. Treasurer .................................................... 123 53. Committees ................................................... 127
Art. XI--Introduction of Business. �� 54. Introduction of Business ..................................... 129
Art. XII.--Motions. �� 55. Motions classified according to their object ....................................................... 131 56. To Amend Or modify. (a) Amend .................................................... 133 (b) Commit ................................................... 134 57. To Defer action. (a) Postpone to a certain time ............................... 134 (b) Lie on the table ......................................... 135 58. To Suppress Debate. (a) Previous Question ........................................ 136 (b) An Order limiting or closing debate ................................................... 137
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�� 59. To Suppress the question. (a) Objection to its consideration ........................... 138 (b) Postpone indefinitely .................................... 139 (c) Lie on the table ......................................... 139 60. To Consider a question the second time (a) Reconsider ............................................... 140 61. Order and Rules. (a) Orders of the day ........................................ 142 (b) Special orders ........................................... 143 (c) Suspension of the rules .................................. 144 (d) Questions of order ....................................... 144 (e) Appeal ................................................... 145 62. Miscellaneous. (a) Reading of papers ........................................ 146 (b) Withdrawal of a motion ................................... 146 (c) Questions of privilege ................................... 146 63. To close a meeting. (a) Fix the time to which to adjourn ......................... 147 (b) Adjourn .................................................. 147 64. Order of Precedence of motions ............................... 149
Art. XIII.--Debate. �� 65. Rules of speaking in debate .................................. 150 66. Undebatable questions and those that open the main question to debate ............................. 151
Art. XIV.--Miscellaneous. �� 67. Forms of stating and putting questions ....................... 154 68. Motions requiring a two-thirds vote for their adoption ........................................... 154 69. Unfinished business .......................................... 154 70. Session ...................................................... 155 71. Quorum ....................................................... 156 72. Order of Business ............................................ 156 73.