general consent), and then they are all voted upon together, except
where more nominations are made than the number of the committee, when
they shall be voted upon singly.

Where a committee is one for action (a committee of arrangements for
holding a public meeting, for example), it should generally be small, and
no one placed upon it who is not favorable to the proposed action; and
if any such should be appointed he should ask to be excused. But when
the committee is for deliberation or investigation, it is of the utmost
importance that all parties be represented on it, so that in committee
the fullest discussion may take place, and thus diminish the chances of
unpleasant debates in the assembly.

In ordinary assemblies, by judicious appointment of committees, debates
upon delicate and troublesome questions can be mostly confined to the
committees, which will contain the representative members of all
parties. [See Reports of Committees, § 29.]

23. To Amend. This motion takes precedence of nothing but the question
which it proposed to amend, and yields to any Privileged

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[§ 9], Incidental [§ 8] or Subsidiary [§ 7] Question, except to
Indefinitely Postpone. It can be amended itself, but this "amendment of an
amendment" cannot be amended. An Amendment may be inconsistent with one
already adopted, or may directly conflict with the spirit of the
original motion, but it must have a direct bearing upon the subject of
that motion. To illustrate: a motion for a vote of thanks could be
amended by substituting for "thanks" the word "censure;" or one condemning