MANUAL OF PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE.                         
         55

  1. When a proposition is moved which it is useless or inexpedient now to
express or dis-
cuss, the previous question has been introduced for suppressing for that
time the motion
and its discussion. 3 Hats., 188, 189.
  2. But as the previous question gets rid of it only for that day, and the
same proposition
may recur the next day, if they wish to suppress it for the whole of that
session, they post-
pone it indefinitely. 3 Hats., 183. This quashes the proposition for that
session, as an
indefinite adjournment is a dissolution, or the continuance of a suit sine
die is a discontin-
uance of it.
  3. When a motion is made which it will be proper to act on, but information
is wanted, or
something more pressing claims the present time, the question or debate is
adjourned to
such day within the session as will answer the views of the House. 2 Hats.,
81. And those
who have spoken before may not speak again when the adjourned debate is resumed.
2
Hats., 73. Sometimes, however, this has been abusedly used by adjourning
it to a day
beyond the session, to get rid of it altogether, as would be done by an indefinite
postpone-
ment.
  4. When the House has something else which claims its present attention,
but would be
willing to reserve in their power to take up a proposition whenever it shall
suit them, they
order it to lie on the table. It may then be called for at any time.
  5. If the proposition will want more amendment and digestion than the formalities
of the
House will conveniently admit, they refer it to a committee.
  6. But if the proposition be well digested, and may need but few and simple
amendments,
and especially if these be of leading consequence, they then proceed to consider
and amend
it themselves.
  The Senate, in their practice, vary from this regular gradation of forms.
Their practice,
comparatively with that of Parliament, stands thus:
      FOR THE PARLIAMENT:                           THE SENATE USES:
 Postponement indefinite,                    Postponement to a day beyond
the session,
 Adjournment,                                Postponement to a day within
the session,
                                            j Postponement indefinite,
 Lying on the table.                         Lying on the table.

 In their eighth rule, therefore, which declares that while the question
is before the Senate,
 no motion shall be received, unless it be for the previous question, or
to postpone, commit,
 or amend the main question, the term postponement must be understood according
to their
 broad use of it and not in the parliamentary sense. Their rule then establishes
as pihivileged
 questions, the previous questions, postponement, commitment and amendment.
   But it may be asked, Have these questions any privileges among themselves?
or are they
 so equal that the common principle of the "first moved first put,"
takes the place among
 them? This will need explanation. Their competitions may be as follows:

   1. Previous question and postpone ...............................  In
the first, second and
                          commit ................................  third
classes, and the
                          amend ............................... first member
of the
   2. Postpone and previous question ..............................  fourth
class, the rule,
                          commit ................................  "first
moved first put"
                          amend  ...................  ............ J  takes
place.
   8. Commit and previous question ...............................1
                           postpone ..............................
                           amend.....................
   4. Amend and previous question ...............................
                           postpone ..............................
                           com m it ...............................

   In the first class, where the previous question is first moved, the effect
is peculiar; for it not
 only prevents the after motion to postpone or commit from being put to question
bef6re it,
 but also from being put after it; for if the previous question be decided
affirmatively,
 to wit, that the main question shall now be put, it would of course be against
the decision
 to postpone or commit; and if it be decided negatively, to wit, that the
main question shall
 not now be put, this puts the House out of possession of the main question,
and conse-
 quently there is nothing before them to postpone or commit. So that neither
voting for nor
 against the previous question will enable the advocates for postponing or
committing to get
 at their object. Whether it may be amended shall be examined hereafter.
   Second class. If postponement be decided affirmatively, the proposition
is removed from
 before the House, and consequently there is no ground for the previous question,
commit