Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

THIRTIETH CONGRESS—FIRST SESSION.
H. R. 535.
(Report No. )
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
June 14, 1848.
Read twice, and committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
state of the Union.
Mr. Joseph R. Ingersoll, from the Committee on the Judiciary,
reported the following bill:
A BILL
For revising the laws of the United States.

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14 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That
be, and they hereby are, authorized to collate and revise
all the public acts of Congress of the United States,
and carefully to collect and reduce into one act the dif-
ferent acts, and parts of acts, of which the subjects are
similar, distributing such consolidated acts under proper
titles, divisions, and sections, and rendering them, as far
as practicable, perspicuous and plainly intelligible; and
they shall, from time to time, communicate to Congress
such portions of the work as, being in themselves com-
plete, may advantageously be made the subject of legis-
lation.

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9 Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, in making
such communications as aforesaid to Congress, the revisers
shall point out any omissions, defects, errors, and incon-
sistencies that may exist in the acts so revised, and the
manner in which they may best be supplied, amended,
corrected, and reconciled; and they shall also designate
such acts, or parts of acts, as ought to be repealed, and
report such new acts, or parts of acts, as may appear to
be useful or necessary, giving in each case the reasons
which may have influenced their respective suggestions.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the commu-
nications, which may be made to Congress as aforesaid of
consolidated acts, shall be accompanied by marginal notes
and references; and when the work is finished, the revisers
shall prepare, and communicate to Congress, a full and
complete index of the whole.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, for the
expenses of the work of revision during its progress, the
Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to pay the
drafts of the revisers which may be drawn upon him; and
the revisers shall receive, at the completion of their duties,
the sum of $each, in remuneration of their labors;
and appropriation is hereby made for said compensation
and expenses, out of any money in the treasury not other-
wise provided for.

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8 Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the said re-
visers shall have the term offor completing the
duties hereby assigned to them, and in the execution of
those duties they shall have free access to any public
records or papers of the United States, and shall be per-
mitted to examine the same without fee or reward, and
shall have all needful and reasonable assistance and infor-
mation from the departments and bureaux of the govern-
ment.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That in case the
persons before name, or any of them, shall decline or
omit to act in the premises, or shall die or resign before
the completion of the duties assigned to them, the Presi-
dent of the United States is authorized to appoint others
or another in their or his stead, who shall have like powers,
and be entitled to a compensation proportioned to that
allowed by this act for the persons herein named.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That be, and they hereby are, authorized to collate and revise all the public acts of Congress of the United States, and carefully to collect and reduce into one act the dif- ferent acts, and parts of acts, of which the subjects are similar, distributing such consolidated acts under proper titles, divisions, and sections, and rendering them, as far as practicable, perspicuous and plainly intelligible; and they shall, from time to time, communicate to Congress such portions of the work as, being in themselves com- plete, may advantageously be made the subject of legis- lation.
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9	Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, in making such communications as aforesaid to Congress, the revisers shall point out any omissions, defects, errors, and incon- sistencies that may exist in the acts so revised, and the manner in which they may best be supplied, amended, corrected, and reconciled; and they shall also designate such acts, or parts of acts, as ought to be repealed, and report such new acts, or parts of acts, as may appear to be useful or necessary, giving in each case the reasons which may have influenced their respective suggestions. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the commu- nications, which may be made to Congress as aforesaid of consolidated acts, shall be accompanied by marginal notes and references; and when the work is finished, the revisers shall prepare, and communicate to Congress, a full and complete index of the whole. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, for the expenses of the work of revision during its progress, the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to pay the drafts of the revisers which may be drawn upon him; and the revisers shall receive, at the completion of their duties, the sum of $each, in remuneration of their labors; and appropriation is hereby made for said compensation and expenses, out of any money in the treasury not other- wise provided for.
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8	Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the said re- visers shall have the term offor completing the duties hereby assigned to them, and in the execution of those duties they shall have free access to any public records or papers of the United States, and shall be per- mitted to examine the same without fee or reward, and shall have all needful and reasonable assistance and infor- mation from the departments and bureaux of the govern- ment. Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That in case the persons before name, or any of them, shall decline or omit to act in the premises, or shall die or resign before the completion of the duties assigned to them, the Presi- dent of the United States is authorized to appoint others or another in their or his stead, who shall have like powers, and be entitled to a compensation proportioned to that allowed by this act for the persons herein named.