Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-02-20
CONGRESS.
IN sENATE-MoxpAr, FEpsuAAs is.

up the resolution appointing uay io' '"s 10.
ton of Public Printer.
Mr.. Chambers then modified the reso!uuon'
SO as to read Tuesday,"
Mr. Grundy moved to strike out Tuesday, ana
insert Thursday. which motion was neganved-
Yeas IL, Nays not counted.
Mr.Ben,on then made an explanation OF the rea'
sons which had induced him to to Introduce tue
Joint resolution on this subject. lie hau zone
this with view to vindlcatp the right OF every
Congress to elect its own officers, not only IN re-
ference to Speaker, and other officers OF tne
House. but also as regards public printers. lie
stated that for Tie first thirty years this Govern
ment there had been no public printer known;
but that the public printing was executed by con,
tract made with the Secretary of the Senate and
Clerk of the House In the year 1919 the FIRST
election of public printer was made. and thus
the present system was introduced. This change
was made for the convenience OF the new Con
gress, and was subsequently acqniesced in. SO
long as this arrangement has suited the convent
ence of Congress, and there has arisen no evil In
consequence of an opposition in political feeling,
il Was not ,nterfered with But now that poIlt,-
cal parties had risen to such height, and that
the Office of Public Printer has grown So consider.
ably in importance, he thought that change
shOu id again take place The Public Printer re-
ceived large SUMS from The public Treasury,
and was confidential officer; and it was not
to BIZ justified that Public Printer should be
elected who welded a press intended to put
down the existing Administration. Assuming
that the character of the next Congress would
harmonize with that Of the Administration, he
thought that the election of printer now would
be for the ANNOYANCE, instead of the CovenIe nee,
Of the next Congress. II in providing tuel Tor
the next Congress, the officers of the House
should provide rotten pine, he would not touch
it. II they provide cartridge paper to write on.
which would not bear ink, he would not touch
it. So, when Public Printer was elected, his
voice should be raised up against him lie
thought, the efore, that the election of Public
Printer ought to be postponed until the next
session.
Mr.. Chambers observed that the printer they
should elect might happen to be good Admin
istration man-might be very acceptable to the
Senate, Or the reverse. But all he had To say
was, that the law of the land obliged them now
to proceed to the election of printer, and this
had been the uniform practice Of both Houses.
Mr. Foo, referred to the Journals to show that
there was an Inconsistency between the former
course of the Senator from Missouri and the pre-.
sent.
Mr. Hnlmes thought it was Of little impor-
lance whether the opinion of the Printer were
IN favor of the Admins faion against it: for it
was difficult to understand what is the Admins.
tratiun If the principle contended for was to
be adopted, and the next Congress should be
against the Administration, another change OF
Printers would be rendered necessary The
House being in favor Of the Administration. and
having chosen their Printer. had OF course cho-
sen Printer favorable to the Administration.
and now it was proposed to undo what the House
had done. He thought 1t very likely that tile
Senate would have some difficulty in persuading
the House that the election by that body was not
in accordance with law, and ought to be rescind-
ed.
Mr.. Benton said the joint resolution which he
had offered was not new before the Senate, and
he could not have an opportunity to go fully in.
to his views. In the instance quoted by the Sc.
nator from Connecticut, he had acted on the
same principle on which he now acted, and that
was, to elect Printer favorable to the views of
the Administration.
| MIR. Sprague thought that instead of suffering
party feelings to obtain extended influence, their
weight ought 10 b. dismissed In this body; and
the Senate should not openly countenance the
doctrine that party character ought TO be given
to all their elections and measures lie thought
the reason given bv the Senator from Missouri
for altering the rule. the strongest against
its alteration. 1t wasa rule adopted in better
times, when there was less of party feeling and
party excitement. He hoped that the usual
course would not be departed from.
Mr.. Ewing saw no great weight in the reason
urged that Public Printer must be elected for
the purpose of Iauding the Administration. He
thought it ould be about as proper to make con-
tracts for fuel with reference TO the political
and party feelings of the cartman who carries
the wood The Senate night as well exact pc.
lItics test from every man 18th whom contract
is made.
Mr.. Benton said he was not one of those by
pocrtes who pretend to act without reference to
political party. H. made n" sermons, no homi
lies. against party action, When the gentleman
from Ohio expressed regret that he MIR b.
should have put this question on party foot
ing he (Mr. 81 hoped that the gentleman would
reserve HI, regrets for those who needed them.
They were out OF place when addressed TO him.