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Adjournments and Recesses
An adjournment is the closing of a session for the day to be resumed on another day; on which day the regular routine of business is commenced anew, except when superseded by a special order. A recess is a suspension of business from one hour of a day to another hour of the same day; at which hour business is taken up at the point where it was left, unless a special order takes its place. A motion to adjourn cannot be amended, by adding the day and hour. It must be put simply that this body do now adjourn; and, if carried in the affirmative, it is adjourned to the next sitting day, or without day, as the case may be. But any special time of adjournment may be fixed by a previous resolution. If a question be put for adjournment it is no adjournment till so pronounced by the chair. And it is a breach of courtesy for a member to leave his place until the chair has pronounced on the question of adjournment.