Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

THIRTIETH CONGRESS—FIRST SESSION.
H. R. 151.
(No Report.)
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
January 31, 1848.
Mr. Howell Cobb, on leave, introduced the following bill, which was read twice, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
June 14, 1848.
Mr. Joseph R. Ingersoll, from the said committee, reported the same back without amendment, when it was committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
A BILL
To regulate and equalize the compensation of district attorneys of the United States.

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11 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That in lieu of all fees and emoluments here-
tofore allowed to district attorneys of the United States,
each of said attorneys, for suits commenced and prose-
cuted in the courts of the United States, or in State courts,
when therein employed by competent authority on behalf
of the United States, and for other services performed
by him, from and after the passage of this act, shall re-
ceive and be allowed the following fees and emoluments
only:

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36 For every declaration, or statement in the nature of
a declaration, prepared and filed by him in a suit of a civil
nature at common law, five dollars.
For all other services rendered by him in every suit
instituted, ten dollars.
For drawing and exhibiting a libel of information in
admiralty, six dollars.
For preparing interrogatories, five dollars.
For all other services rendered by him in obtaining a
final decision in said proceeding, six dollars.
For preparing and exhibiting every information on
the exchequer side of the court, six dollars.
For all other services rendered by him in obtaining a
final decision in said proceeding, six dollars.
For the preliminary examination in every criminal
case, five dollars.
For advice to the grand jury, and assisting to conduct
the examination of the testimony before the grand jury, in
each criminal case, three dollars.
For drawing and exhibiting the indictment or com-
plaint in each criminal case, five dollars.
For all other services, (if a bill be found “true” by a
grand jury,) rendered by him therein, ten dollars.
For all services rendered by him in a suit in equity
wherein a final decree shall be made, twenty-five dollars

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61 For copies of all papers and proceedings, which are
required by the rules or orders of the court to be made by
the said attorney, he shall be allowed five cents for every
hundred words contained therein; but said allowance
shall not exceed ten dollars in any one cause.
For each day that said attorney shall necessarily
attend court on business of the United States, during the
session of any district or circuit court, five dollars.
For travelling from the place of his abode to the
place wherein the said court is holden, and back again,
once each way, at every term he shall attend on behalf of
the United States, at the rates of five cents a mile.
For compensation in every criminal and civil cause,
or cause in equity of extraordinary importance, requiring
great labor on the part of the district attorney, such extra
allowance may be made, on the authority of the Solicitor
of the Treasury, as shall be reasonable and proper, on a
full statement of the facts in a certificate of the judge of
the court, and such other evidence as shall be required to
satisfy the solicitor that the same is reasonable and
proper, and not higher than the lowest usual charge for
similar services in the supreme court of the State.
For making a full report to the Solicitor of the
Treasury, and the Auditor of the Treasury for the Post
Office Department at the close of each term of the court,

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70 showing the situation of each cause, civil and criminal,
then depending or disposed of, and the deposition made
thereof, and the situation of each unsatisfied judgement,
under the direction of said solicitor and auditor, the sum
of five dollars.
For the full compensation for all extra services required
of, and performed by him, in virtue of his office, he shall
be allowed and paid annually by the United States, the
sum of two hundred dollars.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in lieu of all fees and emoluments here- tofore allowed to district attorneys of the United States, each of said attorneys, for suits commenced and prose- cuted in the courts of the United States, or in State courts, when therein employed by competent authority on behalf of the United States, and for other services performed by him, from and after the passage of this act, shall re- ceive and be allowed the following fees and emoluments only:
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12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36	For every declaration, or statement in the nature of a declaration, prepared and filed by him in a suit of a civil nature at common law, five dollars. For all other services rendered by him in every suit instituted, ten dollars. For drawing and exhibiting a libel of information in admiralty, six dollars. For preparing interrogatories, five dollars. For all other services rendered by him in obtaining a final decision in said proceeding, six dollars. For preparing and exhibiting every information on the exchequer side of the court, six dollars. For all other services rendered by him in obtaining a final decision in said proceeding, six dollars. For the preliminary examination in every criminal case, five dollars. For advice to the grand jury, and assisting to conduct the examination of the testimony before the grand jury, in each criminal case, three dollars. For drawing and exhibiting the indictment or com- plaint in each criminal case, five dollars. For all other services, (if a bill be found “true” by a grand jury,) rendered by him therein, ten dollars. For all services rendered by him in a suit in equity wherein a final decree shall be made, twenty-five dollars
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37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61	For copies of all papers and proceedings, which are required by the rules or orders of the court to be made by the said attorney, he shall be allowed five cents for every hundred words contained therein; but said allowance shall not exceed ten dollars in any one cause. For each day that said attorney shall necessarily attend court on business of the United States, during the session of any district or circuit court, five dollars. For travelling from the place of his abode to the place wherein the said court is holden, and back again, once each way, at every term he shall attend on behalf of the United States, at the rates of five cents a mile. For compensation in every criminal and civil cause, or cause in equity of extraordinary importance, requiring great labor on the part of the district attorney, such extra allowance may be made, on the authority of the Solicitor of the Treasury, as shall be reasonable and proper, on a full statement of the facts in a certificate of the judge of the court, and such other evidence as shall be required to satisfy the solicitor that the same is reasonable and proper, and not higher than the lowest usual charge for similar services in the supreme court of the State. For making a full report to the Solicitor of the Treasury, and the Auditor of the Treasury for the Post Office Department at the close of each term of the court,
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62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70	showing the situation of each cause, civil and criminal, then depending or disposed of, and the deposition made thereof, and the situation of each unsatisfied judgement, under the direction of said solicitor and auditor, the sum of five dollars. For the full compensation for all extra services required of, and performed by him, in virtue of his office, he shall be allowed and paid annually by the United States, the sum of two hundred dollars.