Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-08-08
The Parliamentary Question.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Arc- 8 I4j

WASHINGTON, IL. T., Aug. 3, 1875.
TO the Ehftor of tie Star:
SIR In the Board of Common Council or
Monday evening, the previous question havins
been demanded and seconded, and the usual
formula "Shall the main question be now
put 90 having been decided Aft rmstively Mr.
McCutchen moved that the Board adjourn.
Mr. Clements said that the motion was not i'm
order. The President was about to decide in
us FAVOR, but, on my representation of the
case, decided that the motion was in order
Mr Clements appealed from the decision |
stated that, according to the parliamentary
us"ge Of all legislative bodies, "a motion t.,
aiJJurn was GEaD94S IN Urder-meaning of
course, whenever IA member could be recOg-
Eised by the Choir Mr. Clements said that
the rule Of the House of Representatives was.
that when the main question had been ordered
20 De put, no motion whatever could be enter
tanned; and that this was the invariable prac-
tlce of the House. The question on sustaining
the decision Of the President of the Board II
C'mm Council was lost by tie vute-th,
PRESIDENT himself having, at his own request.
ben excused from voting in favor of his own
decision
Ii would occupy too much of your space to
clte the passages of Jeffsrson's VI lnual Cush-
Ing Manual, the Rules of the two Houses Of
congress, ard other parlia mentary authori
Ives, which show tb at Mr. ClemeDts's view was
~~B~N+ftiiy oiNtC III arc EDb GADilClt
~ ID inc matter Ia contros. rsy; but as To the
PTdct'ce OF the House of Representatives there
can DE 10 doubt whatever. By reference T.
tne proceedings of chat bOiy on the 22d Of
May, 1891, (as reported in the National utei-
iigencer Of the following day. willie the Ne
hraska bill was Inder c0nsi1eTat on. it will be
pelcelved that the Committee of tie Whole
reported The bill with recommendation to
| Strike out It's enacting clause. Err. Richard
son then dema ded the previous question on
agreeing TO the recommendation OF the report
L Will Low quote from the proceedings
The previous question was then seconded
and the main question-yiz., on striking out
the enacting clause of the bill--oIdered to be
now put-yeas III, nays o. "
. Mr.. Sage mOUed that tie House adjourn;
which motion did not preyail-yeas IS, nays
l2I.
The question was then taken Oh agreeing
to the report of the Committee of the Who'll
10 strike out the enactlng clause Of the bill.
aud II was disagreed to-yeas 81, nays III
blr Richardson then moved, as a substi-
tute for the bill, the bill which passed the Sen.
ate with the exception of the Clayton proviso,
| and few verbal alterations, and demanded
the previous question y
The main question-upon the substitute
was then ordered TO be now put-ycas Il6.
nays 80.
Mr.. Morgan mOUed that the House ad-
J0HTH, and on this motion demanded the yeas
and nays; which were not ordered.
The question was then taken vira rOcs.
when there was only one response in the aft r
native; which caused great laughter and clap
ping Of hands.
The question then required on the substi
tute offered by Mr.. Richardson, and it was
agreed to by che following vots-yeas 1l5,
nays 9S."
1t will thus be seen that, on this occasion,
twice In succession the previous question was
moved, seconded, and the main question or
dered to be now put, and yet a motion to ad-
JUurn was iii each case received and acted on
before the main question actually was put.
l am, veryrespectfully. your obedient SER
want, FERD. JEFFERSON.