Quarter sessions

“ If it is desired to have a smaller quorum than a majority for a board or standing committee it must be provided for in the by-laws of the parent body. It is impracticable for a majority of the members of an ordinary society to be present at many of the meetings, so it has been found best to authorize a smaller quorum. In large societies the quorum is often less than 10 per cent, of the membership.
Session and Meeting. Each regular or special meeting of a society, together with its adjourned meetings, constitutes a session. ”

“ Two thirds of the managers shall form a quorum to act at the semi-annual meetings, and any number of the seven, the committee of the managers, with the Treasurer and Secretary, or either of them, may form a quorum to transact business at the weekly meetings ”

“ When an assembly has meetings for several days consecutively, they all constitute one session. Each session of a society is independent of the other sessions, excepting as expressly provided in their Constitution, By-Laws, or Rules of Order, and excepting that resolutions adopted by one session are in force during succeeding sessions until rescinded by a majority vote [see note to § 49] . ”

“ In the case of a permanent society holding regular meetings at stated times, as weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly, each meeting should be regarded as a separate session unless the adjournment be to a fixed time before the next regular session. ”

“ Nevertheless at the quarterly meeting in Fifth month, 1827, this committee, for presumed gospel labor, reported that the large Green Street Monthly Meeting should be laid down, and its members attached to the Northern District Monthly Meeting. It is not necessary to enter into any argument as to the right of a quarterly meeting, under our system, to lay down an active monthly meeting, without that meeting's consent. The laying down of Green Street Monthly Meeting followed, the "separation" in the yearly meeting. ”

“ There will be no occasion for postponing class exercises in order to attend to the business affairs of the quorum, since half an hour of any regular session of the quorum will be sufficient for the transaction of any business it may have to do if prompt and business-like methods are employed. ”

“ Nor does any one deny that each House has the power to provide expressly that a majority of the entire membership of any of its Committees shall constitute a quorum for certain purposes and that, for other purposes, a different number shall be sufficient. For example, either House may provide expressly that, for the purpose of convening a session of a Committee or of approving a report, a majority of the Committee's entire membership shall be necessary and that, for the purpose of taking sworn testimony, one or more Committee members shall be sufficient to constitute a quorum. ”

“ No select committee can proceed to business in the absence of any of its members, unless a quorum has been fixed, and if I had desired, as had been shamefully alleged, to thwart the Government I had only to hold my tongue, and all the committees appointed would be paralysed until a complete attendance was obtained, but I crossed the floor, and mentioned the difficulty and its remedy to the leader of the House, and to no other person whatever. ”

“ During the session, certain days of each week are set apart for the introduction and debate of bills brought in by private members, who, at the opening of the session, draw lots to decide the precedence of their bills or motions on the orders of the day. If many draw, those who get last choice of time find the session near its end, and private members' days being absorbed by belated government measures, before their opportunity has come, and must content themselves with hoping for better fortune next year ”

“ So whenever during the meeting there is found not to be a quorum present, the only thing to be done is to adjourn; though, if no question is raised about it, the debate can be continued, but no vote taken, except to adjourn.
In committee of the whole the quorum is the same as in the assembly; in any other committee the majority is a quorum, unless the assembly order otherwise, and it must wait for a quorum before proceeding to business. If the number afterwards should be reduced below a quorum, business is not interrupted, unless a member calls attention to the fact ”

“ Myself and the majority of my colleagues differ from the majority of the Conference. That difference is an honest difference of opinion. It is based upon principle. If we consulted policy only, it would give us pleasure to yield to the wishes of the majority. But our first duty is to our constituents, and we must represent their opinions here. We should do it because our opinions coincide with theirs; and it was because we entertained these opinions that we were selected to represent New York in this body. When we are called upon to vote, we shall vote to carry out those opinions ”

“ Our friend spends the first half an hour at his correspondence, fixes a day for a special audit of the accounts of the suspected branch, drops a hasty line to the General Secretary informing him of his whereabouts for the next few days, and writes to the Branch Secretary strongly objecting to the proposed mass meeting to vote on a strike on the ground that " an aggregate meeting is an aggravated meeting," and appointing, instead, a day for a small conference of representatives from the different branches. ”

“ Business in Meetings Designed for Other Purposes. In many societies there is practically no business transacted except at the annual meeting when the reports for the year are received and acted upon, officers are elected, and committees appointed, etc. Other societies find it convenient also to have regular business meetings quarterly, or even monthly, these meetings frequently being in connection with, and at the close of, the regular literary, musical, scientific, social, or religious meeting. These business meetings are under the rules of deliberative assemblies. ”

“ A Session of an assembly is a meeting which, though it may last for days, is virtually one meeting, as a session of a convention; or even months, as a session of Congress; it terminates by an "adjournment sine die (without day) ." The intermediate adjournments from day to day, or the recesses taken during the day, do not destroy the continuity of the meetings, which in reality constitute one session. ”

“ A session cannot last for more than ninety days. However, the House of Representatives can prolong its session in order to vote final approval of the draft budget. (3) Either House may meet in extraordinary sessions when so requested by the President or one-third of the representatives or senators. When extraordinary sessions are convened by the President, the President will set the agenda. Article 48. (1) Each House will meet in open session except when more than half the members present in the House request a closed session. ”

“ If not called up previously this effect ceases at the end of the next session in ordinary societies having regular meetings as often as quarterly. In other organizations, such as convections, if not called up previously its effect ends with the session. ”

“ The crowd controls the meeting, practically the only functions of the speaker being to keep order by ringing a little bell, and to recognise speakers. Almost all the real work of the session is done in caucuses of the different groups and political factions, which almost always cast their votes in a body and are represented by floor-leaders. The result is, however, that at every important new point, or vote, the session takes a recess to enable the different groups and political factions to hold a caucus. ”

“ Again the solemn inquiry.
“Move to amend Article Three Section One of the constitution, relating to duration of office,” announced Allison, passing the written motion to the secretary. “On a call from the majority of stock, the stockholders of the L. and C. Railroad have a right to demand a special meeting, on one week’s notice, for the purpose of re-organisation and re-election.” ”

“ Where the regular meetings are not separated by too great a time, the minutes are read at the next meeting.
The clerk should, previous to each meeting, for the use of the Chairman, make out an order of business [§ 44] , showing in their exact order what is necessarily to come before the assembly. He should also have, at each meeting, a list of all standing committees, and such select committees as are in existence at the time. When a committee is appointed, he should hand the names of the committee, and all papers referred to it, to the chairman, or some other of its members. ”

“ Can you expect a member of Congress to do more than reflect the will of his constituents, the will of his people? Would you have him do any thing different? There were forty or fifty different propositions before the Congressional Committee of Thirty-three. There are many here. There are many difficulties attending the solution of this question in every respect. But we may as well speak plainly. I cannot go for the majority report of the committee, and among other reasons, for this reason: Their proposition makes all territory we may hereafter acquire slave territory. ”

“ Mr. GUTHRIE:—That committee has given earnest and careful consideration to the subjects and propositions which have from time to time been presented to it. It has held numerous and protracted sessions, and the differences of opinion naturally existing between the members have been discussed in a spirit of candor and conciliation. ”

“ Sometimes the meetings are held annually, in other districts the usual rule is semiannual meetings, in the second and eighth moons. In societies where the rate of interest is fixed, the only thing to be decided by lot, or by throwing dice, will be the order in which the members draw out the common fund. ”

“ The local circle keeps warm and vigorous through the year the spirit of the summer assemblies. Indeed, to the local circles we believe we are indebted for much of the enthusiasm of the summer meetings. Their students garner rich harvests of thought and feeling in the long months of study, and the assemblies are but the meeting places to compare work, rest weary brains, gather fresh zeal and plan new undertakings. They are becoming necessary elements in the work. Students are feeling we must have an assembly. ”

“ When it closes a session in an assembly which has more than one regular session each year, then the unfinished business shall be taken up at the next succeeding session previous to new business, and treated the same as if there had been no adjournment [see § 44 for its place in the order of business] . Provided that, in a body elected for a definite time (as a board of directors elected for one year) , unfinished business shall fall to the ground with the expiration of the term for which the board or any portion of them were elected. ”

“ We provide for an annual meeting to be held in the month of January in each year, the day and place to be determined by the Society in general meeting, or by the Executive Council in case the Society fails to do so. Special meetings of the Society may be called at any time by the Executive Council. A quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the Society is fixed at thirty-five, instead of ten, as at present. ”

“ In Congress, a member entitled to the floor cannot be interrupted by a call for the orders of the day. In an ordinary assembly, the most common case where orders of the day are decided upon is where it is necessary to make a programme for the session. ”

“ They say that if the Conference should agree on any thing, it would have a demoralizing effect upon the people, and upon the two Houses of Congress. In one word, it will have the effect to make a rupture in the Republican party, which, in the estimation of the Senators, is higher, holier, and better, it seems, than the Union. ”

“ This system we expect will, in three or four days, be referred to a small committee, to be properly dressed; and if we like it when clothed and equipped, we shall submit it to Congress; and advise them to recommend it to the hospitable reception of the States. I expect that some time in September we may put the last hand to this work. And as Congress can have nothing to do with it but put the question—pass or not pass,—I am in hopes that the subject may be matured in such time as to be laid before our Assembly at its next session. ... ”

“ Resolved, That the President of this Convention is requested to send a copy of the foregoing preamble and resolutions to the Governor of each of the States, with the request that the same be communicated to the Legislature thereof.
Mr. RANDOLPH:—I must now insist upon having my resolution, offered yesterday, considered. Congress is about adjourning, and, if we do not close our labors to-day, we cannot have our propositions acted upon under the rules of the Senate and House of Representatives. They can be kept out on the objection of any member. ”

“ The truth is that the old employes never had a leader, from the 27th of February until the present day; they have been under the orders and at the beck and call of this committee and that committee, and have trusted to this chairman and that chief until they were bewildered, and finally lost. ”

“ These selections are usually made in the same manner as the chairman, except that after the chairman has been elected he has the power of recognition in deciding who has the floor; therefore, when a member desires to make a nomination, motion, or to offer any business he must first obtain the floor. (See section 23.)
In most cases this temporary organization is all that is necessary, and after it is effected the business for which the meeting has been called should be introduced by a resolution, or motion made by some member of the assembly. ”

“ I shall vote to take up the resolution of the House, because we can act upon it immediately. I am an advocate of the resolutions from the Peace Conference. I have shown it; I have expressed it, and my determination to vote for them, and so I will; but I confess that I feel somewhat as the gentleman from Illinois does—surprised at the great zeal with which gentlemen want to keep up these propositions merely to strike a blow at others, claiming a precedence for a thing they mean to trample and spit upon. ”