In order to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, to secure greater uniformity in the form and style, and for the better safeguarding of the texts of Executive orders and proclamations, Executive Order No. 5658, dated June 24, 1931, is hereby rescinded and superseded by the following regulations. 1. The draft Executive orders and proclamations shall be prepared as follows: (a) Punctuation, capitalization, orthography, and other matters of style shall conform to the most recent edition of the "Style Manual of the Government Printing Office". (b) The spelling of geographic names shall conform to the most recent decisions of the United States Geographic Board (see Executive Orders No. 27-A of September 4, 1890, and No. 399 of January 23, 1906). (c) Descriptions of tracts of lands shall conform, so far as practicable, with the most recent edition of the "Specifications for Descriptions of Tracts of Land for Use in Executive Orders and Proclamations" prepared by the Board of Surveys and Maps of the Federal Government. (d) A suitable title shall be provided. (e) The typewritten drafts shall be double-spaced, on paper 8 by 12½ inches, and shall have a left-hand margin of 2 inches. 2. The draft of an Executive order or proclamation shall first be submitted to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget. 3. If the Director of the Bureau of the Budget approves it, the draft shall be transmitted to the Attorney General for his consideration. 4. If the draft Executive order or proclamation is approved by the Attorney General it shall be forwarded to the Department of State which shall review it and, if it conforms with the above specifications, the original and one additional copy shall be transmitted to the President. 5. The Department of State shall have custody of the signed originals of all Executive orders and proclamations and shall supervise their publication and distribution. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT The White House, August 10, 1933.
Executive Order 6247—Preparation, Form, Style, and Safeguarding of Executive Orders and Proclamations
Executive Brief • At a Glance
In order to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, to secure greater uniformity in the form and style, and for the better safeguarding of the texts of Executive orders and proclamations, Executive Order No. 5658, dated June 24, 1931, is hereby rescinded and superseded by the following regulations. 1.
Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis
Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
Signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 10, 1933, this order concerns Preparation, Form, Style, and Safeguarding of Executive Orders and Proclamations. In order to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, to secure greater uniformity in the form and style, and for the better safeguarding of the texts of Executive orders and proclamations, Executive Order No. 5658, dated June 24, 1931, is hereby rescinded and superseded by the following regulations. 1.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
In order to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, to secure greater uniformity in the form and style, and for the better safeguarding of the texts of Executive orders and proclamations, Executive Order No. 5658, dated June 24, 1931, is hereby rescinded and superseded by the following regulations. 1.
The draft Executive orders and proclamations shall be prepared as follows: (a) Punctuation, capitalization, orthography, and other matters of style shall conform to the most recent edition of the "Style Manual of the Government Printing Office".
The spelling of geographic names shall conform to the most recent decisions of the United States Geographic Board (see Executive Orders No. 27-A of September 4, 1890, and No. 399 of January 23, 1906).
Descriptions of tracts of lands shall conform, so far as practicable, with the most recent edition of the "Specifications for Descriptions of Tracts of Land for Use in Executive Orders and Proclamations" prepared by the Board of Surveys and Maps of the Federal Government.
Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted
Policy Areas & Topics
The Framers' Constitutional Council
1787 PrismEvaluating this order against the constitutional debates of 1787 and the limits of Article II executive power.
"When the President acts pursuant to an express or implied authorization of Congress, his authority is at its maximum, for it includes all that he possesses in his own right plus all that Congress can delegate."
James Madison
Separation of Powers & Legislative Primacy
"The constitutional magistracy was designed not to invent policy, but to be the faithful instrument of the laws passed by the people's representatives." — Speech in the First Congress (1789)
Madison would approve the structural posture of this order. The President acts strictly in subordination to statutory authority granted under Article II, Section 3 ("take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed"). The checks and balances hold firm because the policy origin remains with the legislature.
Alexander Hamilton
The Energetic Executive & Unified Command
"A feeble Executive implies a feeble execution of the government; and a government ill executed, whatever it may be in theory, must be, in practice, a bad government." — Federalist No. 70 (1788)
Hamilton would view this directive as the natural and indispensable functioning of administrative leadership. Without the power to coordinate agencies, manage personnel, and resolve operational ambiguities, the modern presidency would be reduced to an impotent figurehead.
George Mason
Bill of Rights, Due Process & 10th Amendment
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." — 10th Amendment to the US Constitution (1791)
Mason would scrutinize whether this federal directive intrudes into police powers, land stewardship, or municipal domains historically reserved to local citizens. The Anti-Federalist demand is that federal administration must never supplant state self-governance.
Five Measurable "Constitutional Friction" Dimensions
An objective audit measuring potential separation-of-powers tension against the United States Constitution and established Supreme Court doctrine.
Legislative Encroachment & Purse
Operates within delegated statutory execution without modifying legislative appropriations or taxing powers.
Executive Scope & Faithfulness
Exercises standard supervisory executive authority to faithfully execute existing statutes.
Federalism & State Sovereignty
Engages state and local partners in cooperative federalism programs.
Due Process & Individual Rights
Focuses on internal governmental operations with no direct impairment of private rights or property.
Youngstown Jacksonian Tier
The President operates strictly as the constitutional Chief Executive, carrying out policy established by Congress with strong statutory backing.
This order operates in close harmony with statutory authority and standard Article II supervisory execution.
Referenced By Later Executive Orders (3)
Subsequent presidents who cited, amended, continued, or revoked this directive in later orders.
Scholarly & Legal Citations
Exec. Order No. 6247 (Aug. 10, 1933), https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-6247-preparation-form-style-and-safeguarding-executive-orders-and.