Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-08
PUBLISHERS OF THE LAWS.

" Resoired, That the Secretary of State com
. nunicate to this House list of such of the news
papers in each of The States. in bich the laws G
congress were directed to be published in the year
1879 and 1926 Also list OF such in whirh tn
laws are d;I ecied 10 be published in 1927 designa
ting the changes which have been made, and ,h
reason for each CHANGE
/ MIR. Sarnders laid he wished 10 modify ~
resolution lie had offered in single particular H
did II. not because he was of opinion that an,
great weight attached to the remarks of thu
gentleman from Ohio, (Mr. Wr;ght,) who has
spoken yesterday; but it had been sigge-,- ed b,
some Of his friends. He wished therefore in III,
phrase. :" anil the for each CHANGE te
siiike ont the word reasons, and inser, the " ORD
is' causes"
The resolution having been thus modified,
MIR. Witklise said he did no, ii,e to ninois i,
the debate upon the merits Of The resolution
! Nor should he have ohirutled any remark upon
tie House, If il had not have been for the obserya
lions OF he gen le.nan from Ohio, MIR. WrivhtN
on yesterday, In reference TO the particular chnre
| in the publishers of the laws, which had been
made in the State OF Kentucky. That gentleman
had bean pleased to volunteer (wha he has as.
simed. presume, 10 be) the cause which il.
fiusnced the Secretary Of State in the change of
Public Printer, recently made in Kentucky lie
stated, that the Legislature of that Stale had pre-
viously renewed The Editor of .he Argus ard an.
pointed the Editor of the Commentator, P.hlIc
q
10 infer that as the why he cha re had
en- made by the Secretary Of State Mr Speaker.
the opinion or the &C, of the Legislature OF Ken :
lucky in this instance could not nave Influenced
the act of the Secretary oil State To me, Sir in
dividuaiiy, il Is matter OF teal indifference who
shall be authorized TO print The Laws of the Uni
ted States. Whether The change in the State of
Kentucky has been from paper of old ard long
standing. and extensive circulation, TO one O!
comparatively limited circulation i'll OF stop to
inquire. My purpose is 20 place the facts before
the House, that they may be satisfied ha, the ca
son assigned By the gentleman from Ohio is any
her but the true The Argus If Western
America, printed at the Seat of Government of
Kentucky. was authorized 10 print the Laws of
the State, and If the United States, as early pro-
bsby, "a iS0G Z, and continued the pubi:ca-
tion ct the Public Ac's Of the two Goyernnen,s
with unduinished confidence, and with incIea.etl
fidelity, far as I have information upon the
subject, from that pc iod until The changes hich
have been recently made. At the session of The
Legislature OF Kentucky. in 1s23, tie Legislature
assigned portion of the Public Printing oil the
Sta e TO Mr.. tioieulan, the then Editor Of the
Commentator, WORTHY ourg man, who had with
great fidelity soldier I'D his counIy DARN
the late In he year 1921, the local question cl
X cef and Anti Relief, which has unhappiIy dis
irac ed and divided The State ever since, took its
rise; aud the succeeding Legislature, composed OF
IN jorty OF members entertaining the same
opinions upon the local question which had been
advocated by the Argus, assigned to that paper
The whole cf the Public Printing. At tie ensu-
ing election the Anti Relief party had the ma
jority, and tie Legislature, which commenced lis
session in November, 1928, gave 10 MIR. Hole
man, one OF ,hc Editors of the Commentator, - no
had advocated the principles OF the AniisRelie
party, he whole OF the Public Printing Hole
mqn is still i- Public Printer Of the State though,
he is not now the Editor oii!e Commentator, who
has recently been appointed PIinier Of tic Laws
oil TIE United States So far as The Oh .n.es have
been made by The iespeciv legislatures they have
been the result of political preference, and no;
produced by any failure faithfully TO discharge the
duties of Public Printer. With knowledge of
the change which was made ty the Legislature of
the State. in 1925 The Secretary OF Stare con
tinuej The Editor of The Argus Piiales cl the Laws
Of the United States. II there exists any cause
for the change, il must certainly be traced 10 some
other than the assigned by the gent cman
from Ohio. am persuaded The Secretary of State
will not assign the one given by The gentle man
have saij thus much in justice @ an indy it.uai
who has, $50 far as have any knowledge or in
formauon) Discharged .he public duties coiEded
to him, with fidelity and dispatch.
Mr.. Letcher of KY, rose II was no par, of
his purpose, he said, 10 give, for the amusement
and edihcaiion OF the House, history ofihe news
papers and newspaper Controversies in the State
Of Kentucky; nor would he, iD what he had to
say; make any reference TO the unfortunate poliii
cal controversy in that Slate, whic: he believed,
by-ibe-by, was now happily adjusted. These " ere
things which did call Tor Dves gation by the
House; and ne would pass ihein by, and proceed
to the question actually before the House
With regard TO this resolution, calliag for facts.
and the cause of those facts in relation 10 the ss
lection OF publishers OF the Laws, (ssl Mr. l. }
II IS, according to my apprehension, premature,
this time, discuss the propriety Of the conduct
Of the Secretary Of State removing or not re
moving particular printer from the trust of pub
fishing the laws cannot think j, proper TO ask
for the Of ~ riicular conduct on the rart
OF the Secretary Of State, and, at the same time,
PREJUDICE the CASE, respecting y Lish ask for In.
formation should suppose thar, when have
called for facts, aid fSF the OF those facts,
should wait for both, before we undertake 10
condemn particular act Of public officer, which
those facts and seasons are intended TO illustrate
and explain. To ask Fur facts presupposes that
we are uniformed Of them. But, sir, lhe gems
tlepsn who moved this resolution, seems to have
a knowledge of The facts and tells US TOO of the
causes and reasons which operated upon the Sc
cretary OF Sac, 10 make The chsnges which have
been made in the prints selected 10 publish the
laws. He has told US that the causes Of the
changes political, and that the motives OF them
are bvtb personal and political. Sir, this is NOS
extraordinary course. II the reasons of these
changes be already known, there s surely no ne
cessiiy demand them; If they are known, an,
il there is any poprieiy in asking for them, tbei
IL there propfety in undertaking 10 prejudice th
case, before the merits OF IL ae disclosed by tb
! answer to the call.
2 The first instance OF change Of publishers, L
J which the gentleman has alluded, taken iron
this Disnict--being the case in which the priniin
: OF the l,ws taken from the National Inclli
y gencer, and given 10 the National Journal shsl