COMMITTEE (Fr. cornite), a portion, generally consisting of not less than three mem bers, selected from a more numerous body, to whom some special act to be performed. or investigation to be Made, is committed. But though a C. usually consists of several members of the body by which it is appointed, it may consist of one member, or, what is more frequent, of the whole members acting in a different capacity from that which usually belongs to them. This latter form of C. is known in parliament as a C. of the whole house. In order to mark the distinction between the house itself and the same body when thus resolved into C., the speaker in the commons, and the chancellor in the lords, as soon as the C. is formed, leave the chair, which is occupied by the chairman of C., a paid official, who is appointed at the commencement of every parliament. In the commons, moreover, the mace, which usually lies on the table, is put under it when the house goes into committee. Of committees of the whole house, the most familiar
examples are committees of supply (q.v.) and of ways and means (q.v.). The vote of a C. is of no force till it has been reported to and received by the house. In the case of every public bill, moreover, a C. of the whole house is constituted after the second, and before the third reading, in order that the details of the measure may be more carefully adjusted. In private bills, analogous functions are performed by select committees. Occasional matters requiring special investigation are also remitted to select committees. These, for the most part, conduct their investigations in public; but there are instances also in which the public safety seems to require secrecy, in which they deliberate with closed doors, and they are then called secret committees.