Page:Robert's Parliamentary Practice.djvu/21

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INTRODUCTION
xv
to this privilege and which are therefore called privileged questions.

Every member of a society should be familiar with these simple rules and customs of deliberative assemblies. Any one wishing to exert a real influence in an assembly, however, must possess a knowledge far beyond this. He must know the various motions, their purpose, when they can be made, which are debatable, and which can be amended. He must have sufficient knowledge of committees to enable him, without embarrassment, to serve as chairman of one. He must thoroughly understand the subject of amendments, which is the most important, and, perhaps, the most difficult part of parliamentary law.