Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-20
THE EVENING STAR.
DOUBLE SHEET.
SATURDAY.... December 20, 1873.
The Proposed New House Rules.

The select committee OF the House of Repre-
sentatives consisting of the Speaker Mr. Ste
phens, OF Georgia, Mr. Blackburn, OF Kentucky
MI. Sarneld, OF Ohio, and Mr.. Frye. OF Maine,
who have been considering the subject OF the
revision OF the rules OF the House for some time
ana ad nave AVE. mad numerous sessions, yesterday
nve In number. and are abridged to tn last de-
gree. In very simple and direct manner they
deine the respective duties OF the members CT
the House and OF Its particular officers how
they are TO be elected, and how their authority
Is to be enforced. The privileges and the re-
striction OF members are also very exactly de-
fined, and SO likewise Is the order OF proceed
1ngS
which were nine In number. have been reduced
TO one, with seven clauses, all placed. together.
The rules relating TO the clerk and other offi-
GERS have been reduced to four. under the heads
OF Election Of Officers" duties CT the Clerk"
duties OF the Sergeant-at.A Arms and duties
OF Other Officers" Among the changes made il
that the election of chaplain, which has been
matter OF custom Is crystalized into a rule, and
the words which make the appointees OF tho
doorkeeper and postmaster subject TO the ap-
prevail OF the Speaker have been stricken out,
because the rule has become entirely obsolete.
The rmie giving the Sergeant-at-armS fees has
been dropped, because he is by law not allowed
10 receive any. Another rule is amended so as
to increase the bond OF the sergeant-at-arms
from $4,000 to $4,000; making him and his
bonGSmen responsible for moneys received by
him for disbursement OF expenses OF select CON-
mittees, and providing that no member OF Con-
greSS shall be accepted as a D0ndSman. There
is a requirement inserted making the postmas-
ter responsible for the safe delivery Of mail to
members and others. An additional rule has
been made requiring the chaplain to be present
daily to open the sessions with prayer.
Under the rules relating to members the
principal changes made are: First, that there
shall be a second call OF the roll when the names
OF those not voting on the first are again called
over, and after that is completed no member
shall be allowed TO vote; second, lSirs are 10 be
announced at the desk; and third, no member
standing outside of the railing behind the seats
is to be counted. These changes will facilitate
the roll call, which now takes half an hour.
All the rules numbering AZ relating to COM
mitteeS have been consolidated into two. The
arrangement of the call Of committees is slightly
changed, the present order being arranged with
reference to the Importance and business OF
the committee. There is to be daily call OF all
the committees, and all business reported, ex-
cept that to which there is no objection Is to be
referred to the calendar or TO the committee OF
the whole. Among other important changes Is
one which requires the commerce committee to
prepare river and harbor bill, which Is to be-
referred to the committee on commerce, and by
| them reported and each clause must be acted on
| separately. This Will prevent the log-rolling
| for appropriations. The committee on public
| expenditures is dropped, because all its duties
! can be performed by the committee on depart
| ment expenditures