196 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



debate and bring the house to a vote; it may therefore be 

 made when only one motion without any amendments or 

 modifications is before the house; in fact, a member may 

 introduce a motion that he does not want debated by 

 moving the previous question at the same time he intro- 

 duces the resolution. The proper way to move the 

 previous question after having secured the floor in the 

 the regular way is to say, "Mr. President, I move the 

 previous question;" if this meets with a second the Presi- 

 dent will immediately take the vote of the house by 

 saying, ' ' Shall the main question be now put ? Those in 

 favor of the motion will manifest.it, 1 ' etc. If decided in 

 the negative the discussion goes on as before; but if 

 decided in the affirmative (which requires two-thirds of 

 the votes cast), then the President proceeds to take the 

 vote on the amendments and questions as above. 



15. THE PREVIOUS QUESTION. Third-class. Can- 

 not be taken up before that time except by a two-thirds 

 vote. Previous question is exhausted on this motion and 

 does not affect the main question. Different questions 

 postponed to different times and not reached on time should 

 be considered in the order in which they were postponed. 

 This motion only admits of debate on the merits of post- 

 ponement. 



1 6. To COMMIT. Third-class. Can be amended; 

 is debatable and opens main question to debate. The 

 usual form for this motion is, U I move to refer the subject 

 to ." 



17. To AMEND. Third-class. An amendment 

 can be amended, but an amendment to an amendment can- 

 not be amended; no further modification of this subject 

 can be allowed without a vote. A substitute, however, 

 may be offered for the whole business. Amendments 

 should be in writing if requested by the President. When 

 the President takes a vote on a question to which an 



