2. If the President is satisfied by the sound of voices or show of hands, he announces the result of the vote-"The ayes have it," or, "The motion prevails," or, "The motion is lost." If the preponderance is not very decided, and he would indicate this, and afford members an opportunity to test it more definitely, he says, "The ayes (or nays) seem to have it." If, after pausing for a moment, no one calls for a division, he positively announces, "The motion prevails," or, "The motion is lost."

3. If any member doubts the decision, or a division is called for, the President says, "As many as favor, etc., will rise and stand until you are counted." The tellers (usually the Secretary and his assistants) having announced the number in the affirmative to the President, he announces it to the assembly. The negative vote is ascertained in the same way, and the result announced. When a question has been put, and the result announced, if any member alleges that the question was not understood by him, the presiding officer may recall his decision, and put the question again. If a member fails to express doubt or call for a division at the time, or for a retaking of the question upon the ground that it was not understood, it is too

late after the assembly has passed on to other business. The decision must stand as announced. If, during a division, a question of order or privilege arises, (for example, the right of a certain. member to vote,) it must be decided peremptorily. After the division is over, the decision may be appealed from and corrected; otherwise, there might occur a division upon a division.

4. When it is reasonable to suppose a general acquiescence, the President may economize time by saying, "If no objection be offered, the petition will be received," or, "The Secretary will read the paper," or, "The member has leave to withdraw his motion," etc. In every such instance, the consent of the assembly is taken for granted; and if any one, immediately after a vote has been declared in this summary and informal way, objects, the President should say, "The question has been objected to," and proceed to take it in the regular way.

5. The members being equally divided, and the President having no casting vote, the motion is lost-upon the general principle that a majority is necessary for its adoption.

6. Though the question has been taken, it is no decision until announced by the chair.

SEC. XVIII.-DIVISION OF THE QUESTION.

1. It may happen that a proposition under debate contains several separate and distinct parts, some of which may be pernicious, while the others will be beneficial. Hence the wisdom of the rule in permitting any member, who has a second, to demand a division. It offers the shortest way of amendment, and throws every question upon its own merit.

2. The member calling for a division must state the form in which he would have it.

3. The question is not capable of division into two or more parts unless each can stand by itself, and have a consistent meaning. The President must decide it, as a point of order, whether the division as suggested is practicable.

4. A proposition thus divided becomes a series of propositions, to be considered and acted on one after another.

5. As the opposite of the above, when the matter of two propositions had better be consolidated into one, the mode of proceeding is to reject one, and then incorporate the substance of it into the other, by way of amendment. In like manner, if a paragraph or section is to be transposed, the usage is by one motion to strike it out where it is, and by another to insert it in

the place desired. But in these last cases, reference to a committee is generally advisable.

SEC. XIX.-FILLING BLANKS.

1. When propositions are introduced containing blanks to be filled either with dates or numbers, these must be filled before any motion is made to amend. To do this, the chair will entertain any number of propositions of time or number, not requiring any of them to be seconded, and put the propositions to the vote, beginning with the longest time or largest number, and continue to submit them to vote, in succession, until a majority is obtained.

2. This procedure is applicable only to blanks. If a proposition contain a date or number, it is liable to the common rule for amendment, viz., that any words may be struck out and other words inserted in their place. It is in order, therefore, to strike out a shorter time or smaller number and insert a longer time and larger number, and vice versa.

SEC. XX.-COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.

1. The committee of the whole, as its name imports, is composed of all the members of the assembly, and its design is to secure for propositions more extended examination and discus

sion than can be secured under the rules and formalities of the assembly.

2. When a matter has been referred to a committee of the whole, the mode of organizing such committee is as follows: A motion is made and seconded, "That the assembly now resolve itself into a committee of the whole for the purpose of considering the matter relating to " (naming the subject.) If the motion prevails, the President calls some member to the chair, or the assembly may appoint a chairman. The chairman thus designated will take the President's seat, and say, "The committee of the whole have referred to them the matter, etc., relating to Let it be read." After it has been read, he will say, "The resolution, etc., is before the committee." This makes it in order for discussion and other proceedings on it to commence.

3. The committee, thus organized, is under the same laws that govern the assembly, with the following exceptions:

(1) The previous question cannot be moved. (2) It cannot, like other committees, adjourn to some other time or place; but when it rises, if the business is unfinished, it can ask permission of the assembly to sit again.