Robert's Rules of Order by Henry M. Robert (world best books to read txt) 📖

rises, he says, "As many as are in favor of the adoption of the resolutions just read, will say aye;" after the ayes have voted, he says, "As many as are of a contrary opinion will say no;" he then announces the result of the vote as follows: "The motion is carried--the resolutions are adopted," or, "The ayes have it the resolutions are adopted."

(c) Committee to draft Resolutions. If it is preferred to appoint a committee to draft resolutions, a member, after he has addressed the Chair and been recognized, says, "I move that a committee be appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of this meeting on,"

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etc., adding the subject for which the meeting was called. This motion being seconded, the Chairman states the question [� 67] and asks, "Are you ready for the question?" If no one rises, he puts the question, announces the result, and, if it is carried, he asks, "Of how many shall the committee consist?" If only one number is suggested, he announces that the committee will consist of that number; if several numbers are suggested, he states the different ones and then takes a vote on each, beginning with the largest, until one number is selected.

He then inquires, "How shall the committee be appointed?" This is usually decided without the formality of a vote. The committee may be "appointed" by the Chair--in which case the chairman names the committee and no vote is taken; or the committee may be "nominated" by the Chair, or the members of the assembly (no member naming more than one, except by unanimous consent), and then the assembly vote on their appointment. When the chairman nominates, after stating the names he puts one question on the entire committee, thus: "As many as are in favor of these gentlemen constituting the committee, will say

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aye." If nominations are made by members of the assembly, and more names mentioned than the number of the committee, a separate vote should be taken on each name. (In a mass meeting it is safer to have all committees appointed by the chairman.)

When the committee are appointed they should at once retire and agree upon a report, which should be written out as described in � 53. During their absence other business may be attended to, or the time may be occupied with hearing addresses. Upon their return the chairman of the committee (who is the one first named on the committee, and who quite commonly, though not necessarily, is the one who made the motion to appoint the committee), avails himself of the first opportunity to obtain the floor,* [See Rules of Order, � 2.] when he says, "The committee appointed to draft resolutions, are prepared to report." The chairman tells him that the assembly will now hear the report, which is then read by the chairman of the committee, and handed to the presiding officer, upon which the committee is dissolved without any action of the assembly.

A member then moves the "adoption" or

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"acceptance" of the report, or that "the resolutions be agreed to," which motions have the same effect if carried, namely, to make the resolutions the resolutions of the assembly just as if the committee had had nothing to do with them.* [A very common error is, after a report has been read, to move that it be received whereas, the fact that it has been read, shows that it has been already received by the assembly. Another mistake, less common but dangerous, is to vote that the report be accepted (which is equivalent to adopting it), when the intention is only to have the report up for consideration and afterwards move its adoption.]

When one of these motions is made, the chairman acts as stated above when the resolutions were offered by a member. If it is not desired to immediately adopt the resolutions, they can be debated, modified, their consideration postponed, etc., as explained in �� 55-63.

When through with the business for which the assembly were convened, or when from any other cause it is desirable to close the meeting, some one moves "to adjourn;" if the motion is carried and no other time for meeting has been appointed, the chairman says, "The motion is carried; this assembly stands adjourned without day." [Another method by which the meeting may be conducted is shown in � 48.]

(d) Additional Officers. If more officers are

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required than a chairman and secretary, they can be appointed before introducing the resolutions, in the manner described for those officers; or the assembly can first form a temporary organization in the manner already described, only adding "pro tem." to the title of the officers, thus: "chairman pro tem." In this latter case, as soon as the secretary pro tem. is elected, a committee is appointed to nominate the permanent officers, as in the case of a convention [� 47]. Frequently the presiding officer is called the President, and sometimes there is a large number of Vice Presidents appointed for mere complimentary purposes. The Vice Presidents in large formal meetings, sit on the platform beside the President, and in his absence, or when he vacates the chair, the first on the list that is present should take the chair.

Meeting of a Convention or Assembly of Delegates. If the members of the assembly have been elected or appointed as members, it becomes necessary to know who are properly members of the assembly and entitled to vote, before the permanent organization is effected. In this case a temporary organization is made, as already described, by the election of a chairman

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and secretary "pro tem.," when the chairman announces, "The next business in order is the appointment of a committee on credentials." A motion may then be made covering the entire case, thus: "I move that a committee of three on the credentials of members be appointed by the Chair, and that the committee report as soon as practicable;" or they may include only one of these details, thus: "I move that a committee be appointed on the credentials of members." In either case the Chair proceeds as already described in the cases of committees on resolutions [� 46, (c)].

On the motion to accept the report of the committee, none can vote except those reported by the committee as having proper credentials. The committee, beside reporting a list of members with proper credentials, may report doubtful or contested cases, with recommendations, which the assembly may adopt, or reject, or postpone, etc. Only members whose right to their seats is undisputed, can vote.

The chairman, after the question of credentials is disposed of, at least for the time, announces that "The next business in order is the election of permanent officers of the assembly." Some one then moves the appointment of a

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committee to nominate the officers, in a form similar to this: "I move that a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to nominate the permanent officers of this convention." This motion is treated as already explained. When the committee make their report, some one moves "That the report of the committee be accepted and that the officers nominated be declared the officers of this convention.* [Where there is any competition for the offices, it is better that they be elected by ballot. In this case, when the nominating committee report, a motion can be made as follows: "I move that the convention now proceed to ballot for its permanent officers;" or "I move that we now proceed to the election, by ballot, of the permanent officers of this convention." [See Rules of Order � 38, for balloting, and other methods of voting.] The constitutions of permanent societies usually provide that the officers shall be elected by ballot.] This motion being carried, the chairman declares the officers elected, and instantly calls the new presiding officer to the chair, and the temporary secretary is at the same time replaced. The convention is now organized for work.

A Permanent Society. (a) First Meeting. When it is desired to form a permanent society, those interested in it should see that only the proper persons are invited to be present, at a certain time and place. It is not usual in mass meetings, or meetings called to organize a society, to commence until

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fifteen or thirty minutes after the appointed time, when some one steps forward and says, "The meeting will please come to order; I move that Mr. A. act as chairman of this meeting;" some one "seconds the motion," when the one who made the motion puts it to vote (or, as it is called, "puts the question"), as already described, under an "occasional meeting" [� 46, (a)]; and, as in that case, when the chairman is elected, he announces as the first business in order the election of a secretary.

After the secretary is elected, the chairman calls on some member who is most interested in getting up the society, to state the object of the meeting. When this member rises he says, "Mr. Chairman;" the chairman then announces his name, when the member proceeds to state the object of the meeting. Having finished his remarks, the chairman may call on other members to give their opinions upon the subject, and sometimes a particular speaker is called out by members who wish to hear him. The chairman should observe the wishes of the assembly, and while being careful not to be too strict, he must not permit any one to occupy too much time and weary the meeting.

When a sufficient time has been spent in this

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informal way, some one should offer a resolution, so that definite action can be taken. Those interested in getting up the meeting, if it is to be a large one, should have previously agreed upon what is to be done, and be prepared at the proper time to offer a suitable resolution, which may be in a form similar to this: "Resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting that a society for [state the object of the society] should now be formed in this city." This resolution, when seconded, and stated by the chairman, would be open to debate and be treated as already described [� 46, (b)]. This preliminary motion could have been offered at the commencement of the meeting, and if the meeting is a very large one, this would probably be better than to have the informal discussion.

After this preliminary motion has been voted on, or even without waiting for such motion, one like this can be offered: "I move that a committee of five be appointed by the Chair, to draft a Constitution and By-Laws for a society for [here state the object], and that they report at an adjourned meeting of this assembly." This motion can be amended [� 56] by striking out and adding words, etc., and it is debatable.

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When this committee is appointed, the chairman may inquire, "Is there any other business to be attended to?" or, "What is the further pleasure of the meeting?" When all business is finished, a motion can be made to adjourn to meet at a certain place and time, which, when seconded, and stated by the Chair, is open to debate and amendment. It is usually better to fix the time of the next meeting [see � 63] at an earlier stage of the meeting, and then,