42. The only punishments, which can be inflicted upon its members by a deliberative assembly of the kind now under consideration, consist of reprimanding,—exclusion from the assembly,—a prohibition to speak or vote, for a specified time,—and expulsion; to which are to be added such other forms of punishment, as by apology, begging pardon, etc., as the assembly may see fit to impose, and to require the offender to submit to, on pain of expulsion.
43. The proceedings of a deliberative assembly, in reference to any particular subject, are ordinarily set in motion, in the first instance, by some one of the members either presenting a communication from persons not members, or himself submitting a proposition to the assembly.
44. Communications made to the assembly are of two kinds, namely, those which are merely for its information in matters of fact, and those which contain a request for some action on the part of the assembly, either of a general nature, or for the benefit of an individual. The latter only, as they alone constitute a foundation for future proceedings, require to be noticed.
45. Propositions made by members are drawn up and introduced, by motion, in the form which they are intended by the mover to bear, as orders, resolutions, or votes, if they should be adopted by the assembly. These propositions, of whatever nature they may be, are usually denominated motions, until they are adopted; they then take the name which properly belongs to them.
46. When a member has occasion to make any communication whatever to the assembly,—whether to present a petition or other paper, or to make or second a motion of any kind, or merely to make a verbal statement,—as well as when one desires to address the assembly in debate, he must in the first place, as the expression is, “obtain the floor” for the purpose he has in view. In order to do this, he must rise in his place,[6] and, standing uncovered, address himself to the presiding officer, by his title; the latter, on hearing himself thus addressed, calls to the member by his name; and the member may then, but not before, proceed with his business.
47. If two or more members rise and address themselves to the presiding officer, at the same time, or nearly so, he should give the floor to the member, whose voice he first heard. If his decision should not be satisfactory, any member may call it in question, saying that in his opinion such a member (not the one named) was first up, and have the sense of the assembly taken thereon, as to which of the members should be heard. In this case, the question should be first taken upon the name of the member announced by the presiding officer; and, if this question should be decided in the negative, then upon the name of the member for whom the floor was claimed in opposition to him.