Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-02-19

thousand would fnrnsho every az many copies
as he could send 10 constituents who would road them
Mr.. Briggs said, il the gentleman from, New York
(Nlr, NANNY intended TO insnuae that Mr. b. had any
snchm IN view, By his proposition, that patron
ss tns pubic printer, the gentleman widely mis-
taken Mr. Is had made the proposition from deep con-
yicton That the Importance Of the subject and tie ry
pectatons OF the people demanded IT, Nor was he Ia he
deferred from pcrsevcrng in it by the gentleman ring
ing INC OF party by saying that The intention is to
Paronisc public printer MIR b. though, the number
ne l,ad indicated few enough f
word in reply 10 the gentleman from Alainc-'Tbe
gentleman went into cool, deliberate and
ejaculation, TO show how much per document the print
ing would amount to- that would cost each of his aud
my constituents the enormous amount of nearly fnr
mills head Another argument of the gentleman he
thanked him for and if it was in MIR. b. $ power he
would tell 1t to the gentleman constituents lie hoped
however the reporters would do it, The gentleman said
he people OF this country could look through the win
vows ana see the expenses of every Department in the
government, they would be excited. The gentleman
sad this ia the sincerity of his heart he thanked him
tor IT, Mr.. b made some further remarks, and concluded
oy hoping the House would adopt his proposition
Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, remarked that in his opi
mon the gentleman from Maine Mr. Smitl) was mistn
ken ia saying that nothing than legislation was ne
cessary Mr.; Us opinion was, that abuses existed
throughout the department, from the time the present
neao came INTO ohce No complaints heard of the
former administration of this Department. but IL was
then ably and economically admnistcred The abuses
arose out of the present administration Of the Post OF
hcc, and the public would not be satisfied nor would The
ABUSES be removed by act of Congress- hot by the re
moVal OF the head OF the Post Office Department. MIR
:. considered the present Postmaster General total
whether the abuses from ignorance or in
capacity the effect the same the abuses could
DE removed by the removal of incompetent officers
ne was IN iivor OF dtusng the information widely as
possible, that the people might sec how the thousands
had been wasted for, il not, - - Iolise passed am
act without giving the people of ,,oking
into the matter, they might think t a5iIscs snrunr n
OF some detect OF the existing laws instead OF from the
nai-ad ninstraton of the Postmaster General He he
heVcd tat as long that officer and his present assistants
cohhucu In ohce no matter what laws were passed the
abuses would continue to exist
WITH regard to the reports fthe Committee of Inves
he was IN favor OF the largest number IL was
document that ought to.e distributed
pa OF the United States every ongrcssona district
ana IN every county; and published in every VILLAGE
newspaper IN the country.
Dir Boon said that he wished say very few words for
bnnkum lie said that gentlemen this floor had stated
IN her places that the subject under consideration WINS one
OF great interestat il had created much excitement
among the people of the country Grant it, MIR Speaker
saiu MIR D. and prt to honorable gentlemen to say
whether the mere pang of the report by the Post
Once Committee, will remedy the evils which are COM
planned Of SIR represent this floor an egcnt peo-
pie who VIII look to Congress for correction of those
abuses which are much complained Of should they be
found TO exist rather than the printing of repor,
having reference to the past The gentleman from Mass
r Briggs has told this House how vastly Important
Is that the People should have information ON this
SUBJECT Mr. Speaker, am myself cmphatically .Pco<
PIES m~willing at all times that sI1u ba We ali
necessary information ON all subjects in which they may
have an interest But sir the habit of reera
ing the fact, either here elsewhere lest might sub
eet myself To the charge OF being political denapo0ne
II gentlemen are sincere in their professions on the sub
lect of giving information the people generally let
Inem authorize the printing of sufficient number of
inc report and accompanying documents to have copy
put INTO the hands of each and every freeman in tie
Omted States Any thing short of this would be par
tlai IN ITS operation am willing, Mr. Speaker that
reasonable number of the report and documents togo
ther should be printed, and among the people of
the country But am not willing to for the print
ing OF great number has been proposed nor sir
am willing to vote for the printing of greater number
OF the report than that of the wing documents
While free TO declare that have the most mil
n The
Once Committee, without any regard to political dis
JUNCTION, cannot consent to vote for the printing and
sending abroad greater number of the report than of
ProJ upon which 1T is predicated; believing, do
that 1t would be act of injustice on my part towards
the much-abused head Of the Post Office Department
pr Jackson OF Connecticut, considered tat if there
was any one department than another upon which
the People wished be Illuminated it was that OF the
Post Office -Deparimenk AdmiIsas Coz ..e slIa of r
gupieIfts that much cxtrayagant expenditure had9
manifested in printing documents by that House fhe
objection could not, he conceived apply TO the u
der consideration because Its object apply re-
mcdy to almost universally admitted existing abuses
and II question which the People felt peculiar
interest II was highly necessary that the People should
understand what were the grounds of the complaints
against the Department lffounded upon mal-adinis-
atlon or corruption, to the officers it, the
contrary the abuses arise the peculiar
of the Department was important that the fact should
be brought to light In every point of view therefore
he conceived, the House could not stand justified in
sng the proposition of the honorable gentleman from
Massachusetts, and deeming it reasonable he should
therefore, give it his cordial support
MI fanderpoel SAID he opposed tie printing of AN
raordnary number of these documents waste of tile
pubic funds He would be the last TO oppose the pro-
mitigation of important information TO the peope-but
1t 80 or 10000 thousand of these booksthese large vo
uiii6s were printed how many would reach the great
mass OF the People by such means? lie for curta-
ing the enormous expenses Of the government, and he
called on the friends of the Administration economy
ndo retrenchment TO with him in that curtament
MIR. Sladc expressed his surprise at the opposition
which had been manifested to printing the report
committee, organized and appointed by the friends of the
Administration
Mr.. Conner said, the committee had been appointed
by the House, and not by party. lie believed they
had also discharged their duy without reference 10 par
ty political feeling.
MIR. Slade still believed the majority Of the committee
were the friends of the present Administrations and Of
the Department whose conduct they appointed to
investigate He spoke ALSO of the expense of the pub
lcaton OF the documents, which he conceived TO be a
minor consideration when compared with their import
ance.
Mr. Poarce also advocated the printing of large mum.
Der Of copies Of the reports and documents lie depre-
Gated the illusions which had been made the profits
which might be supposed the public printer would ac-
quirc by the publication. He spoke at length
the importance of the dissemination of these reports
among the people, who certainly demanded it.
Mr.. Smith of Maine, again addressed the House ia ex-
PLANTATION of his former remarks and in reply to those Of
Mcssrs Mercer, Briggs, and Burgess.
Mr. Deardsey felt called upon as a member of The com
mtec and especially after what had fallen from the gen
tleman from Ohio mir. Whttesey) TO say fc words
That gentleman and HIMSELF he thought could not diff
&cr essentially the fact referred to and nc presumed
ere some little msapprchenson the part OF the
- norable member from Maine, (Slr. Smib) far as
lated to increased expense the part of the Post
*igH of tlc mails by public documents IL appeared
the committee that extra allowance Of $40 OOO