[SENATE SPEAKER]: Legate Verginius, consult the first record I linked to. Shortly before it, you will see young Sextus Antio crying out -somewhat out of character - then, as you do now:

Quote Originally Posted by Sextus Antio
You can't make Motion 1 stand just because it was proposed first.
You will then see that my restriction was explicitly designed to say that you [i]can[/b] make a motion stand just because it was proposed first.

Senator Swordsmaster proposed that existing leglislation that precedence over contradictory motions unless the latter explicitly stated they invalidated what came earlier.

When adopting that proposal in my restriction, I deliberately extended it to include giving precedence to motions proposed earlier in the same session. That was done quite deliberately, in order to avoid the arguments that then raged between Sextus Antio and others on the matter of the Carthaginian islands.

Please consult the record and then do not anger me my reviving an argument that Senate conventions have evolved to avoid.

First Consul Aemilius, I have no power to tell you what to do or not to do. As I stated to you when you were faced with contradictory motions in the mid-term of your period as First Consul:

Quote Originally Posted by Senate Speaker
The interpretation and execution of motions is at the discretion of the First Consul, although the Senate will no doubt take a view on whether the interpretations are reasonable and may take action accordingly in the next session.
I merely explain the conventions we have developed to decide what is the will of the Senate in the event of contradictory motions being passed. I do not think it necessary to have a vote on vote. Our conventions are clear and I am glad that you, at least initially, accepted them as I have laid them out. The will of the Senate is that Byzantium be taken.

You must now act as your conscience dictates, just as Consul Verginius did when faced with unpalatable results from contradictory motions at his mid-term session of Senate.

As for the Senate, it needs to take more care in legislating and should not think that it can simply start again if the wording is sloppy or the voting inconsistent.

I would now like to draw a line under this affair and propose we leave it to the Consuls to get on with their term of office. I will call a new session of Senate for the purpose of discussing the events that unfold. Personally, I am afraid I must now withdraw to attend to other business and will not be able to reply to any other interventions for a while.