60TH CONGRESS, 1st Session.

SENATE.

(REPORT 10, Part 1.

REVISION AND CODIFICATION OF LAWS, ETC.

JANUARY 7, 1908.-Ordered to be printed.

Mr. HEYBURN, from the Special Joint Committee on the Revision of the Laws, submitted the following

REPORT, PART 1.

[To accompany S. 2982.]

The Senate members of the Special Joint Committee on the Revision of the Laws, appointed under Public Resolution No. 19, Fiftyninth Congress, second session, to examine, consider, and submit to Congress recommendations upon the revision and codification of laws prepared by the statutory revision commission, having had under consideration the title " Crimes," reported by that commission, and deeming it both necessary and expedient to make certain changes, additions, and omissions, report in lieu thereof the accompanying bill and submit the following report thereon:

The Commission to revise and codify the laws was provided for by the act of June 4, 1897 (30 Stat. L., 58), but its authority under that act was expressly limited to the work of revising and codifying the criminal and penal laws of the United States.

The language of the act, so far as it relates to such Commission, is— That the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint three Commissioners whose duty it shall be, under the direction of the Attorney-General, to revise and codify the criminal and penal laws of the United

States.

That they shall proceed with their work as rapidly as may be consistent with thoroughness, and shall report the result of their labors to the Attorney-General when completed, to be by him laid before Congress, and shall make such other reports during the progress of their work, as they shall see fit, to the Attorney-General, to be laid before Congress at his discretion.

That their report shall be so made as to indicate any proposed change in the substance of existing law, and shall be accompanied by notes which shall briefly and clearly state the reasons for any proposed change.

By the act of March 3, 1899, it was made the duty of the Commission to also revise and codify the judiciary act and the acts in amendment thereof, the provision imposing such additional duty being as follows:

It shall be the duty of the Commission appointed to revise and codify the criminal and penal laws of the United States, to revise and codify the laws