service of the House unless he have leave, or be sick and unable to attend. 51. Upon the call of the House, the names of the members shall be called over by the clerk, and the absentees noted; after which the names of the absentees shall again be called over, the doors shall then be shut, and those for whom no excuse, or insufficient excuses are made, may, by order of those present, if fifteen in number, be taken into custody as they appear, or may be sent for and taken into custody, wherever to be found, by special messengers to be appointed for that purpose. 52. When a member shall be discharged from custody, and admitted to his seat, the House shall determine whether such discharge shall be with or without paying fees; and, in like manner, whether a delinquent member, taken into custody by a special messenger, shall, or shall not, be liable to defray the expense of such special messenger. 53. A sergeant-at-arms shall be appointed, to hold his office during the pleasure of the House, whose duty it shall be to attend the House during its sitting; to execute the commands of the House from time to time, together with all such process, issued by authority thereof, as shall be directed to him by the Speaker. 54. The fees of the sergeant-at-arms shall be, for every arrest, the sum of two dollars; for each day's custody and releasement, one dollar; and for travelling expenses for himself or special messenger, going and returning, one-tenth of a dollar per mile. 55. Twenty-three standing committees shall be appointed at the commencement of each session, viz. A Committee of Elections, A Committee of Ways and Means, A Committee of Commerce, A Committee on the Public Lands, A Committee on the Post Office and A Committee for the District of Co- A Committee on the Judiciary, A Committee on Invalid Pensions, A Committee of Revisal and Unfinish. A Committee of Accounts, To consist of seven members each. To consist of three members each. 56. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Elections to examine and report upon the certificates of election, or other credentials, of the members returned to serve in this House, and to take into their consideration all such petitions, and other matters touching elections and returns, as shall or may be presented, or come into question, and be referred to them by the House. 57. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Ways and Means to take into consideration all such reports of the Treasury Department, and all such propositions relative to the revenue, as may be referred to them by the House; to inquire into the state of the public debt or the revenue, and of the expenditure; and to report, from time to time, their opinion thereon; to examine into the state of the several public Departments, and particularly into the laws making appropriations of moneys; and to report whether the moneys have been disbursed conformably with such laws; and, also, to report, from time to time, such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to add to the economy of the Departments, and the accountability of their officers. In preparing bills of appropriation for other objects, the Committee of Ways and Means shall not include appropriations for carrying into effect treaties made by the United States; and, where an appropriation bill shall be referred to them, for their consideration, which contains appropriations for carrying a treaty into effect, and for other objects, they shall propose such amendments as shall prevent appropriations for carrying a treaty into effect being included in the same bill with the appropriations for other objects. 58. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Claims to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching claims and demands on the United States, as shall be presented, or shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions for relief therein, as to them shall seem expedient. 59. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Commerce to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching the commerce of the United States, as shall be presented, or shall or may come into question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report, from time to time, their opinion thereon. 60. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Public Lands to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things respecting the lands of the United States, as shall be presented, or shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions for relief thereof as to them shall seem expedient. 61. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching the Post Office and Post Roads, as shall be presented, or may come in question, and be M referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient. 62. It shall be the duty of the Committee for the District of Columbia to take into consideration all such petitions, matters, or things, touching the said District, as shall be presented, or shall come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient. 63. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Judiciary to take into consideration such petitions and matters or things, touching judicial proceedings, as shall be presented, or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto, as to them shall seem expedient. 64. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things, touching claims and demands originating in the revolutionary war, or arising therefrom, as shall be presented, or shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions for relief therein, as to them shall seem expedient. 65. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Public Expenditures to examine into the state |