2550 Pamphlet, "By-Laws of the Town of Lexington," 1888

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24 NOTES. NOTES. 25 fix the hour for the commencement of their daily session, so that with them a motion to NOTES. adjourn is simply to take a recess till the next meeting. In a Town Meeting, where no [Reprinted from Edition of By-Laws published in 1873.] time for a future session is fixed, a motion to Though Town Meetings as well as legisla- adjourn is a misnomer, being in fact a motion tive assemblies require rules for their gov to dissolve the meeting and one that cannot ernment, it is manifest that 'many of the be pt}t till all pending motions are disposed of. rules of the latter bodies cannot apply to the Nothing, perhaps, gives rise to more fre- former. A legislative body consists of two quent debate in our primary assemblies than branches, occupying separate halls, continu- the precedence of certain co-existing or pend- ing in session from day to day, and originat ing motions. And though there may be no ing its own business at pleasure; while a absolute principle by which to decide all Town Meeting is a collection of citizens con- these questions, there is one fundamental vened in one room to act on specified sub- consideration which will dispose of some of jects, and generally continuing in session them and cast light upon all. The motions but a few hours: It is obvious, therefore, to which we refer, and which,may all be that many provisions in the code of Parlia- pending at the same time, are "to lay on the mentary Law, a code designed expressly for table," "to amend," "to commit," "to post- a legislative assembly, are not applicable to pone to a day certain," "to postpone to the a primary meeting in our little municipals next meeting," or which is the same thing, ties. '.'to postpone indefinitely." The considera- Among the rules or motions of frequent tion which should have great weight in de- application in the one, and of rare use in the ciding the precedence of these motions is other, is that of adjournrzertt. In a parlsa this: the meeting is designed to transact mentary assembly one of their first acts is to business, and a motion to facilitate business