•  
  •  

Home > Journals > Michigan Law Review > MLR > Volume 5 > Issue 3 (1907)

 

Abstract

June 22, 1874, President Grant put his signature to a great quarto volume which we know as the United States Revised Statutes. This has since been amended, and many additions have been made to the general laws of the United States which have not been incorporated in the Revised Statutes. These are scattered through the Statutes at Large, mingled with many temporary provisions. To convert this chaos into order, Congress in 1897 created a Commission to revise the Criminal and Penal Laws of the United States. In 1899 the duties of this Commission were extended to a revision of the Judiciary Acts, and in 1901 it was authorized to revise and codify "all the laws of the United States of a permanent and general character." The Commission was authorized to "propose and embody in such revision changes in the substantive existing law." The Commission charged with this important and difficult task, now consists of David K. Watson, William D. Bynum and John L. Lott. They have reported to Congress a Penal Code known as House Bill 17984, which was reported favorably from the Committee on Revision of the Laws, April 12, 1906. The Commission has also recommended to Congress a Judiciary Act known as House Bill 14971. This was introduced February 15, 1906, and has been referred to a joint Committee of the two Houses, of which Mr. Fulton of Oregon is Chairman on the part of the Senate, and Mr. R. 0. Moon of Philadelphia is Chairman on the part of the House. When it is remembered that the entire federal criminal law is statutory, the importance of this Penal Code can be realized. It deals with offences against the federal government in all its varied functions, with offences on the high seas and in navigable waters, and contains the whole body of criminal law applicable to the territories, colonies, the District of Columbia, and the various forts and reservations within the jurisdiction of the United States. It is carefully prepared and well considered, and yet there is one curious omission. In Section 356 the words "vessels of the United States" is defined to mean "vessels owned in whole or in part by the United States or any citizens thereof, or any corporation created under the laws of any of the states thereof." The words "or chartered" should be inserted after the word "owned." It does not appear to be generally known that commerce of an extensive and profitable character is carried on by citizens of the United States in vessels flying a foreign flag, but chartered by our citizens. In all the discussions about ship subsidies this fact appears to be entirely overlooked.

Download

Share

COinS