Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-06-13

Messrs Gales and Seaion, however contend that
the Government has gained as largely by the i'm
proved a.a economical mode in which thew have
brought out the table work which your con,n;ttpo
10 not feel competent TO decide or the default
IN the close printing, they feel convinced even
rom the examination Of the witnesses of Messrs
GALES and Seaton whilst they are ignorant hoyv
far the U. States have been indemnified Inv the r
Die work; or whether the manuscript documents
now sent by the Departments do not coercc the,
altered mode OF printing them, whether Messrs.
Saes and Seaton were not bound 10 briny them out
In the precise and economical form in which thev
contend they are printed. It'is due to these gen
eInen TO state that the dirninution of the printed
page was made not by their suggestion; and that
they were ignorant OF il, until informed bv their
foreman that he had effected an ARRANGEMENT for
such reduction i'll he size of The page with the
Secretary OF the Senate, and Clerk OF the House OF
Representatives.
Your Committee DESTROYS ;l,at JUSTICE should bo
done to Messrs. Gales s. Seaion as well az TO the
Ciiited STATES, Will hereafter offer resolution Tor
the appointment OF three intelligent and disinter-
ested printers, to examine the whole of the docu-
ihcnts printed by Gales y Seaon, and TO report tt,
the House, at the next session. the precise variance
between the amount OF the work actually done by
Nessrs Gales and Scaton, and the terms of there
solution.
Your committee subjoin statement from The
DOCKS OF the treasury, OF the total amount re ceycd
ny Messrs. Tales and Seaton, as printers to. Con
gress TO 1927, inclusive.
For the Senate $50. 67s-25
fo' me III. Oh representatives lS2, POS l.
1927, sss 81
This does not include the printing of the present
session, winch VIII make the total received and
receiY2ble, by them, on LIST July, at least S325 600
ihey receiyedl last year upwards of s372 000-a sum
exceeding, by $1,000, the total expense of print
ing ana stationery, of all the branches Of the Gov
eInsent' asestimaed by committee OF this House
IN ioi9, which was computed at S65 900.
among uoSe savings the CONTINGENT eyp
OF the House, which may be called minute, but
are valuable on the score OF example, your COM
iniuee would recommend that the practice of fold
ing any other documents, in the public stationery
except those printed by order of the House. he
prohihed; Tor on enquiry they find, that for doc,-
i1eh'S,speeches newspapers pamphlets, Sc. about
9oI reams, at a cost OF about $500, have been al
ready used the present session. And further that
the privilege gwen to each member, TO subscribe
during the session of Congress, for 3 daily papers
at The public expcnse,he abrogated. independently
OF .is abuse, atiording an evil example TO the 9th
er branches OF the Government, the indulgence
must produce an abstraction OF the attention oil the
member from the business of the House.
FINALLY, on the subject of retrcnching our o,Srs
expenditures, your committee would recommend
na'tile practice, too oen induigedin by the House
OF voting TO themselves copies Of books in cases
where extra editions have been ordered, be discon-
tnued; and that all The contingent expenses &c
Vigorously and iniieSibiy confined to such objects
as may he indispensaby necessary to the transac--
ton OF the public business not to the luxury ease
or convenience OF the members.
And Tor this purpose, they propose, hereafter,re-
porting sundry resolutions
Ind further, that then inq,tire ,cbether a,,,j
modification n the sinking ftad act can be maui
aolta a plGto q producing a mors speedy erfiys-
punishment Of the public debt"
The views which your committee would have
pFesented,and the measure which they would have.
recommended for the accomplishment of this mo-.
desirable object have been anticipated by the bill
reported, since the commencement of their LAHORE,
py "e committee oil Ways and Means, for carry
ing certain balances at once 10 the credit Of tie
sinking fund, without permitting them to accurn,,
lake IN the Bank Of the United States, producing no
Interestingly having nothing toad to this branch
o' 'he enquiry than to suggest for The considera-
ton oi the Committee OF Ways and Means the.
pTop'iety OF directing early exchange of the six
per cent. stock, now redeemabe, and hereafter re-
deema0ie at the pleasure OF the Government for
on bean dnInc.es. of four and half per cen
tum. About half the public debt consists of 81 4
per cents most OF which will not probably be re-
deemed Tor al lea,t few years rs generairuIe
the committee would abstain from any interference
Win the pube funds, or the circulation Of tho
country; but Il measure OF economy NAV be adopt>
cd IN relation to the six per CENTS actually redeer.
aDle, ana Tor the redemption of which, the means
OF the treasury are not now adequate, withoutira
any manner, disturbing the currency of the couIi-
try. The actual Government rate OF interest iy
now only per cent; and there is no substantial
. reason, why we should continue 10 paw annually
SIS per cent oil stock, which we may redeem at
any moment we please. Ii the present holders
are unwllInGto convert their stocks into others
bearing an interest Of IL per cent which is.-.
bove the current rate, your committee woull re-
commend, than they be paid Off thro a temporary
loan, Tedeemable at the pleasure of Government
II OrneF measures OF tiiis character, before these
stocks were actually redeeInable, were attended
with some difficulty in their execution; hut po,y
tnat ,hey may be redeemed not, the option os
me government, II is Tor say whether tye:
VIII pay, from one and half 20 two per cent ex-
cess OF interest, annually, on some twenty millions
/ Of our debt ny such q measure, there would be
an annual reduction OF the interest on the publ.,.
uebt Oh about ;s30O,0OO--a measure of economy
not unworthy the attention OF Congress-
In closing 'his report, in which the inultinIic,y
/ oi The subjects, confded to your committee hss
b"fhed eve,y effort 60 compress it within such lin
/ us as Wo"ld have been acceptable 10 themselves
and not taiguins 10 The House, they have suppos-
| ca that statistical table would be satisfactory
showing The gradual increase Of the income and
expenditures OF this Government, from 1889 q,
I 1871, inclusive, which they have prepared from
d0cuincnis obtained from the Treasury. and have
| appended 10 this report, marked No TO- Ifvif
DC seen, by reference to this document a. al Under
cen asiIlngions Administration, the expenses
OF the Federal Government averaged from 1892 20
lI96, inclusive, S2,7gl, 22l 81 annually; exclud-
count oi the pubic debt. For the four years Ad-
rninisrdtion Of the elder Mr. Adams Sd, Js7, 0s7
| ~ In the eight years under Mr.. Jefferson, So
! i3I,09S OIL. In 1909, 40 and II, under Me
MadisOns, before the war. S6.IO61Jg 76 Ira
! 1922, %, and ~, under EIr. Monroe CATER The
expenses Of the and its arrcarages were pattI
S9,9SD,6l7 90; excluding, fpr obvious reasons In,
Ave millions which were paid, in 1924, ON accoun,
OF the purchase OF Florida. Under the present Ad-