favor of or against a pending measure; 1 ut none but extreme cases would justify him in doing so. And it would be better for him and for the assembly were he to pertinaciously act upon the resolution never, whatever may be the temptation, to leave the chair in order to occupy the floor. This, of course, is limited to general measures; on questions of order he may speak, and is often in duty bound to do so.

45. These principles hold good in the case of a pastor who acts as moderator of a church. He is to make a wide distinction between the pulpit and the chair. In the former, he may discuss at pleasure all subjects which relate directly or indirectly to the gospel; and may communicate to the church and congregation any instruction he may deem profitable; but in the latter, he is but the presiding officer of a deliberative body that is, or ought to be, able to transact its own business. It must be admitted though, and claimed, that on some subjects, he may have to act not only in the capacity of Moderator, but in that of Pastor also. On questions, if any, that are to be decided by the concurrent voice of church and pastor, the latter of course has a right to express an opinion, and to exert an influence. Such cases, though, are rare, and well defined. all other questions, the pastor is simply the presiding officer; and if he dictates to the church on any matter out of the domains of order, he is guilty of usurpation. Such a course will certainly weaken his influence; and, if persisted in, ultimately destroy it.

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46. It is the duty of the presiding officer: to take the chair promptly at the appointed time and call the assembly to order; to announce the business in the order in which it is to be acted on; to entertain all propositions made in order, and submit them to the assembly; to put to the vote all questions which properly arise; to enforce order and decorum in debate; to decide promptly all questions of order; to give the floor to the one entitled to it, when two or more rise

and claim it about the same time; to give the assembly, when referred to, information on points of order; to receive and announce to the assembly all communications properly addressed to it; and, in general, to see that all business is brought in and conducted in proper order.

SECT. II.—OF THE RECORDING OFFICER.

47. The Secretary requires, as the qualifications of his office, quickness of apprehension, diligence, and the ability to express his ideas readily, intelligibly, and accurately, in writing.

48. It is his duty to make true records of all the proceedings of the assembly. This relates only to measures voted upon. Matters merely proposed, on which no final action has been taken, he is not to record. "He is to enter what is done and past, but not what is said or moved. This is the rule in legislative assemblies. In others, though the spirit of the rules ought to be observed, it is generally expected of the secretary that his record shall be both a journal and, in some sort, a report of the proceedings.'

49. It is the duty of the secretary to read all papers ordered by the assembly to be read; to call the roll whenever inquiry is to be made in regard to the presence of the members, and whenever a question is decided by the yeas and nays; to preserve on file all documents and papers belonging to the assembly, and on no account to suffer them to pass out of his hands; to furnish the chairman of every committee with a list of all the names appointed on it, with a statement of the subject referred to it; and to authenticate with his signature (sometimes in conjunction with the president) all the acts, orders, and proceedings of the assembly. The secretary, in reading and in calling the roll, invariably stands.

50. Where two or more secretaries are appointed, the first-named acts as chief officer. The recording officer, when a member of the assembly, has all the

rights and privileges of other members. He can make motions, engage in debate, and in all other respects take part in the proceedings as other members.

CHAPTER IV.

MANNER OF PROCEEDING.

51. The topics which engage the attention of a deliberative body are brought to its notice either by communications from authorized external sources, or from the suggestions of its own members.

52. The principal forms or instruments used by an assembly for disposing of topics, are motions, resolutions, and orders.

53. A motion is a proposition made by one member and seconded by another to do something, to order something, or to express its opinion in regard to something. When adopted, it becomes the order or resolution of the assembly. Without a motion, nothing can be set in operation, and by motions everything is made to progress to the end.

54. "When the house commands, it is by an 'order.' But facts, principles, their own opinions and purposes, are expressed in the form of resolutions." JEFFER SON. When an assembly directs anything to be done by its officers or members, it expresses itself in the form of an order; but when it indicates its determination to do anything itself, it expresses itself in the form of a resolution. Thus: it orders such a document to be printed, or that a debate be adjourned; it resolves that a bill do pass, and resolves itself into a committee of the whole. But resolutions of this kind must be distinguished from resolutions properly so called; and 'order," in the sense above, from orders in the sense of rules. and from orders of the day.

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55. When a member wishes to obtain the vote of the assembly in reference to any matters of opinion or of expediency, he submits his proposition in the form of a resolution, etc., and moves its adoption.

SECT. I. OF OBTAINING THE FLOOR.

56. A member wishing to gain the attention of the assembly to anything he desires to present, must first, as it is technically termed, obtain the floor. This he does by rising and addressing the presiding officer by his title, as, "Mr. (or Bro.) President." If he secures the recognition of the chair, he is said to have obtained the floor.

57. If two or more rise about the same time, he is entitled to the floor who was the first up, and the first to address the chair. But it is not always easy for the presiding officer to decide with accuracy, as it may not be in his power to see all parts of the room at the same time. Nothing is left then but for him to give the floor to the one who appeared to him to be the first to rise. The decision of the chair is usually acquiesced in when that officer has a reputation for impartiality. But the rule in the case is, that the first up is entitled to the floor; and if, through inadvertency or wilfully, any one is deprived of his right, it is competent for the assembly to interpose and remedy the wrong. In that case, the question is to be put to the vote as to who rose first. When this is done, the vote is to be taken first upon the name of the member recognized by the chair.

58. Members sometimes intimate to the chair in advance that they would like to have the floor after the one occupying it shall yield; and think they are treated with neglect if the presiding officer do not call out their names, even though they make no legitimate effort to obtain the floor. This is unreasonable and absurd. The chair can call out the name of no one excepting in response to an address to himself by

one standing on his feet. Besides, these intimations, given in advance, either by word or gesture, are themselves disorderly, and should always be disregarded by the chair. In like manner should one's claims be disregarded who rises before the one speaking has finished. All such conduct is disorderly, and should prejudice rather than advance a member's claims.

59. When one has once obtained the floor, the general rule is that he cannot be deprived of it so long as he does not violate order. He may voluntarily yield it to another, or give way to a motion to adjourn, or waive his right because he detects and respects impatience manifested by the assembly; but he cannot be forced to relinquish it. This rule, though, admits of exceptions, when the measure on which the member is speaking ceases to be in order by the lapse of time, or when the time has arrived for an order of the day.

60. Members sometimes permit others to interrupt them, to explain, and otherwise to address the house, claiming still that they have the floor. This is liable to great abuse; for, in this way, members may usurp the prerogatives of the chair, and manage to give their party friends the use of the floor to the exclusion of all others. Such compacts should not be recognized by the chair; and he should rule that the floor given up for one purpose of the kind is relinquished for all.

61. But while it is the duty of the presiding officer to protect every one in his right to the floor, he may -indeed, is in duty bound to do so-give the floor temporarily to any one who interrupts, and addresses himself to the chair-at least, long enough to ascertain his object. He may have risen to a point of order, or to a question of privilege, which cannot be made known unless he is recognized by the chair. When, in the one case, the point of order is decided in favor of the one addressing the house, or, in the other, the question of privilege is disposed of, the one temporarily interrupted resumes the floor. When a member rises to interrupt, he should always state in advance that he