time; together with all such process, issued by autho rity thereof, as shall be directed to him by the Speaker. 64. The fees of the sergeant-at-arms shall be, for every arrest, the sum of two dollars; for each day's custody and releasement, one dollar; and for travelling expenses for himself or a special messenger, going and returning, one-tenth of a dollar per mile. 65. It shall be the duty of the sergeant-at-arms to keep the accounts for pay and mileage of members, to prepare checks, and, if required to do so, to draw the money on such checks for the members, (the same being previously signed by the Speaker, and endorsed by the member,) and pay over the same to the member entitled thereto. (April 4, 1838.) 66. The sergeant-at-arms shall give bond, with surety, to the United States, in a sum not less than five, nor more than ten thousand dollars; at the discretion of the Speaker, and with such surety as the Speaker may approve, faithfully to account for the money coming into his hands for the pay of members. (April 4, 1838.) 67. The sergeant-at-arms shall be sworn to keep the secrets of the House. 68. A doorkeeper and an assistant doorkeeper shall be appointed for the service of the House. (April 2, 1789.) 69. The doorkeeper and assistant doorkeeper shall be sworn to keep the secrets of the House. 70. The postmaster to superintend the Post-Office, kept in the Capitol for the accommodation of the members, shall hereafter be appointed by the House.* (April 4, 1838.) * Immediately after the organization of the government under the present constitution, a room was set apart in the Capitol for the recep tion and distribution of letters and packets to and from members of the House, without an order for that purpose, and was called the Post Office It was superintended by the doorkeeper and his assistants. O 71. Twenty-seven standing committees shall be appointed at the commencement of each session, viz: A Committee of Elections, A Committee of Ways and Means, A Committee of Claims, A Committee on Commerce, A Committee on the Public Lands, A Committee on the Post Office and Post A Committee for the District of Columbia, A Committee on Revolutionary Claims, A Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, A Committee on Patents, A Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, A Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business, A Committee of Accounts, A Committee on Mileage, Το consist of nine mem bers each. То consist of five mem bers each. the 9th of April, 1814, a special allowance was made to the doorkeeper to meet the expenses of this office, and he was authorized to appoint a postmaster. The office continued on this footing till April 4, 1838, when an order was passed, as above, for the appointment of the pust master by the House itself. 7 72. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Elec tions to examine and report upon the certificates of election, or other credentials, of the members returned to serve in this House; and to take into their consideration all such petitions, and other matters touching elections and returns, as shall or may be presented, or come into question, and be referred to them by the House. 73. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Ways and Means to take into consideration all such reports of the Treasury Department, and all such propositions relative to the revenue, as may be referred to them by the House; to inquire into the state of the public debt or the revenue, and of the expenditure; and to report, from time to time, their opinion thereon; [to examine into the state of the several public Departments, and particularly into the laws making appropriations of moneys, and to report whether the moneys have been disbursed conformably with such laws; and also to report, from time to time, such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to add to the economy of the Departments, and the accountability of their officers.]*. In preparing bills of appropriations for other objects, the Committee of Ways and Means shall not include appropriations for carrying into effect treaties made by the United States; and where an appropriation bill shall be referred to them for their consideration, which *That portion of the duty of the Committee of Ways and Means, which is printed within brackets, was, originally, adopted on the 7th of January, 1802. On the 26th February, 181 4, the Committee on Public Expenditures was created, and added to the list of Standing Com mittees; the duties of this latter committee are exactly those contained in that portion of the duties of the Committee of Ways and Means which are referred to in this note as within brackets; (see rule 84.) The words ought to be stricken from the specification of the duties of the Committee of Ways and Means contains appropriations for carrying a treaty into effect, and for other objects, they shall propose such amendments as shall prevent appropriations for carrying a treaty into effect being included in the same bill with appropriations for other objects. 74. It shall also be the duty of the Committee of Ways and Means, within thirty days after their appointment, at every session of Congress, commencing on the first Monday of December, to report the genecal appropriation bills for the civil and diplomatic expenses of Government; for the army; for the navy; and for the Indian Department and Indian annuities; or, in failure thereof, the reasons of such failure. 75. General appropriation bills shall be in order in preference to any other bills of a public nature, unless otherwise ordered by a majority of th House. 76. No appropriation shall be reported in such general appropriation bills, or be in order as an amendment thereto, for any expenditure not previously authorized by law, (September 14, 1837,) unless in continuation of appropriations for such public works and objects as are already in progress, and for the contingencies for carrying on the several departments of the Government; [May 13, 1838.] 77. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Claims to take into consideration all such petitions, and matters or things touching claims and demands on the United States, as shall be presented, or shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions for relief therein as to them shall seem expedient. 78. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Com merce to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching the commerce of the United States, as shall be presented, or shall or may come into question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report, from time to time, their optnion thereon. 79. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Public Lands to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things respecting the Lands of the United States, as shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions for relief therein as to them shall seem expedient. 80. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Post-Office and Post Roads to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching the Post-Office and Post Roads, as shall be presented, or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient. 81. It shall be the duty of the Committee for the District of Columbia to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching the said District as shall be presented, or shall come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient. 82. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Judiciary to take into consideration such petitions and matters or things touching judicial proceedings as shall be pre-ented, or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto, as to them shall seem expedient. 83. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching claims and demands originating in the revolutionary war, or arising therefrom, as shall be presented, or shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; |