Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-18
CONTINGENT EXPENSES OF CONGR ESS.
HoUsH or REPRnsENTATIvEs
APPROPRIATION BILL.
WEDNESDAY. FEB. 10, 1880.

| HOUSE, OF REPRnsENrArIvEs
| APPROPRIATION Bull.
"WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10, 1890.
| The House proceeded TO the nsidrr alton of the
amendments adopted in the Committee. The question
being OH concur ring with them. the amendment cf Mr.
Polk TO the amendment submitted by Mr.. Wickfs a.
con .dered
Mr.. WickliGs objected to the amendment reported
from the Committee. respecting the vote for the con.
tingent expenses Of Congress because it left to casu.
al majority OF the Members, who might happen TO he
present in either House, the power to direct he app
cation Of portion o! the joint fund any separate
nose He further objected TO il, the ground of il.
d-vclvng the tax of the selection upon an individual
Mr.. Dravton thought the amendment liable an oh.
lection from the want Of precision in il. terms. lie wa.
not Of the difficulty Of specifying such rarti
cudrs as were desirable TO be included within
provisions; but AZ the same time, although ha was no,
disposed 10 sacrifice the substance Of beneficial mea
sure 10 points Of verbal criticism hypercriticim; vet
he saw no reason for departing from the Limits strict
grammatical accuracy. After some further remarks
he observed, that hi. obie con to the amendmc n,
OF the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr Pok) arose
| in part, from lite not being adequate TO The pur-
noses in view II was too indefinite. and the same
time too generals il provided that part of this IN.
preparation shall be applied pay for any printing no,
| connected with the proceedings Of either House Of
Congress. and executed by the public printer unless
the same he authorized by joint resolution, law
providing for the
II did not, Mr.. Drsyion observed, designate the de-
scrp'ion Of printing meant az apperainng the pro.
ceedngs Of Congress All matters connected with IN.
legislative history Of the country since the formation
the Constitution, and the documents rropo.c AL IN
he printed by Messrs Gales Seaon of the first ,bir
teen Congresses, embracing period of twenty..ix
years, from the organization Of the general govern
ment, might he construed to he included in H. The
insertion Of few words would obvate the difficulty in
which the adoption of the amendment would place the
House; such addition 10 il Of the following du
ring the time the House in session." or du-
rirg ihe existing Session Of Congress-" He disagreed
with tn, gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr Eve
ret) 10 specific arpropria inns for contingent, expen.
| q nj inc IiCt in
appear him. (Mr Drayton to be a, all ab.ruse
With respect 10 the vote Of Of money To meet
pense', the amount OF which could not he Anticipated
| the item might ia either for incidental or CONTINGENT
charges. il might be cassed under The head of
traordinsrv expenses, in centradsncon from the tyo
former. With this explanation OF his views respec,irr
the inefficenry Of the amendment reported from.,he
committee in reference TO s phraseology he should
conclude with moving the following amendment:
To strike out all after tie word d" applied" in tho
proviso and insert Of This appropriation TO any prn,
ing other than o snch documents papers are CON
neced with the ordinary proceedings of either of the
sah Houses during its session, and executed by the
public printers agreeably to their contracts unless autho
riz"d bv an act or joint resolution"
Mr. Barrnger said that he preferred the anne ndme nt
just read to that Of the gentleman from Tennessee (Nr
Polk the terms Of which left to the discretion Of 81
thPr House to direct the public printer to execute pnt
ing TO any amount during the recess of Congress
Mr.. Polk assented TO the modification of bis amend
r.ent proposed by the member from South Carolina.
(Mr Drayton.)
Upon the question Of passing the amenimert as
mended, Mr.. Coulter addresse the House; and ,fer
observing that it desirable that further time shouId
he allowed for the condp ration Of the subject in mr.
der that gentlemen might their way more cesrIv
moved 70 defer the further considerable of it unit, the
next dav; which agreed TO.
Mr. Coulter asked if it would be in order to move to
amend the bill by striking out part of section.
The Speaker replied that it would be in order if the
gentleman did not move TO strike out any amendment
which had heretofore been made to the bill.
Mr. -..I 4.
Cd without including in his motion part of the amend
lnent offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr
Drayton0 Had he been aware OF this rule of the
House, he would not have detained it with his propo
sition. FrO
The Speaker suggested that the gentlemans object
could be attained by moving re consideration.
Mr. Coulter then proceeded to give his reasons WHY
the House should reject the amendment. TIL. law as
IL now stands said he deprives the House of the mower
10 control ITS own affairs. Formerly if the printing was
not done 10 the satisfaction of the House il was compc-
,eht or inc CLERK to employ another individual TO do it,
lie did not suppose it the intention of the gentle
man to repeal this provision, but his amendment virtual
ly does So Itleaves the House IN the singular diem
ma OF having so tied up its own WILL that it could
not procure its printing 10 be done without pojnq
and Knocking at the door of the Senate TO obtain the
permission OF that body This, he sad could not have
been the intention Of the gentleman who offered the
aHenhnent and this objection appeared TO him TO be
sufficient 10 ensure its rejection by the House Mr.
u said there were various other objections TO the amend
ment lie thought there should be bounds TO the dis
creuonary powers given TO the officers of the House or
hey would be empowered TO the whole length of the
conungentlund The amendment spoke Of the ordinary
business oi the Congress which implied that there was
some extraordinary business. He would ask Whist the
mover intended to designate the ordinary business If
the House He then spoke OF other expressions in the
amendment, which clothed the Clerk with discretionary
powers; hut he objected most emphaically TO the sec
ton on the ground that il did not allow the House 10
control the appointment Of its own printer.
Mr. Drayton said, he would offer a few words in ex.
panation to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (NIr
Coulter) The great objection Of that gentleman 10 the
amendment appears TO be. that there was no provision
male Tor the exigency OF the public printers not faithful
~ performing his duty. No such provision was made
aud none was intended. n the public printer did not
do his duty the House would discharge him II would
he Of those extraordinary cases nstfyne the direct
interference OF the House Ivy special act The print
ing OF vounnous deficient documents from the origin
oil the government 10 the present time was also an ex
raordnary case, and called for a separate act of the Ma
tiona Legislature. II these specific cases were viewed
by the Hou in this light, the objections of the gentle
man were answered.
| Mr. ID. said while he up, nc would make re-
mark upon subject which seemed 10 require xpIana
ton as II appeared 10 have much weight with oentle
men who had spoken The last person Who would cues
ton the purity Of that house. he said would natraIlv
be member Of ii, which he had the honor 10 be- IL
was Tar from him TO dstrust the purity Of the House,
but he could not forget that they were human BEINGS
and as such were liable 10 the infrmies incidental IN
human nature. Like all ether bodies Of men, tbev
could be warped by prejudice and misIed by error IL
Is objected that the amendment places the House under
certain restrictions But do we not act uoder rrsric
tons rs II Isl said Mr.. d. Arc not our proceedings H.
miied by the Consution And in subject more than in
relation to the expenditure Of money In all countries
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