Page:Robert's Parliamentary Practice.djvu/203

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DON'TS
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offered] the amendment," or "The amendment proposed [or offered] by Mr. A," or something similar. An amendment is moved, or proposed, or offered by a member, and it is made by the assembly.

Don't refer to a motion as having been amended by Mr, A, excepting when Mr. A made the original motion and amended it before it was stated by the chair. After a motion has been stated it can be amended only by an act of the assembly.

Don't say "I move to amend the motion so as to read thus ————." Use the motion "to strike out and insert," or "to substitute."

Don't move to lay an amendment on the table, or to postpone, or to commit it. Move to lay the question on the table, or to postpone or to commit the question, and, if such a motion is adopted, the amendment goes with the main question to the table, or to the committee, or is postponed to the specified time.

Don't move simply "to postpone the question," or "to postpone the question to later in the evening," but move "to lay the question on the table," in which case if the motion is adopted the question can be taken from the table at the will of the assembly. The motion to postpone must always specify the time to which it is proposed to postpone the question.

Don't move to lay the question on the table until a certain time. The motion to lay on the table cannot be qualified.

Don't move "to fix the time to adjourn" with the