[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 105th Congress]
[105th Congress]
[House Document 104-272]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Page 163]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

                   sec. xvi.--order respecting papers.



Sec. 352. Safekeeping of papers and integrity of 
bills.

  The  Clerk is to let no journals, records, accounts, or papers be 
taken from the table or out of his custody. 2 Hats., 193, 194.


  Mr. Prynne, having at a Committee of the Whole amended a mistake in a 
bill without order or knowledge of the committee, was reprimanded. 1 
Chand., 77.

  A bill being missing, the House resolved that a protestation should be 
made and subscribed by the members ``before Almighty God, and this 
honorable House, that neither myself, nor any other to my knowledge, 
have taken away, or do at this present conceal a bill entitled,'' &c. 5 
Grey, 202.


  After a bill is engrossed, it is put into the Speaker's hands, and he 
is not to let any one have it to look into. Town, col. 209.


  In the House of Representatives an alleged improper alteration of a 
bill was presented as a question of privilege and examined by a select 
committee. It being ascertained that the alteration was made to correct 
a clerical error, the committee reported that it was ``highly censurable 
in any Member or officer of the House to make any change, even the most 
unimportant, in any bill or resolution which has received the sanction 
of this body'' (III, 2598). Engrossed bills do not go into the Speaker's 
hands. Enrolled bills go to him for signature.