Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-05-08

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Mr. THOMPSON, OF South Caroiiha eehs-'' -
course OF the Secretary of the Treasury Tor hn' RECON-
non3i, ,ho ,n,unt necessary 10 ply the workmen Tor
the labor already p-rforaed TIN, building, ana lot
continnips the construction OF inc Du1inSs' ne al,
voca,ed the appropriation OF such an ain"uht rs "oua
.o,,nne the employ nent the workncn, and TO the
comnlc,ion OF these buildings. lie would not send
,hen, off now when labor could be procured else.
where nor would he wish to the plighed faith OF
the Government violated by withholding the amount
dine these workmen the labor already performed 10!
the Government He was also opposed to saddns any
future Administration with deb, incurred by INC pre-
sent. =
In the course Of his remarks, MIR. /. adverea 10
censure lie had passed some time ago on inc u
the Globe He said he felt lis duty 10 ad'l '"" nc
had done The Reporters injustice the OCCASION as ne
,;d ~, haeve they would Intentionally, msrepresent
him, a. ;,a,,r,rcs
Mr. PETRIKIN said, he would ask me ,hangsnce
of the committee for few minutes, whist ne Pa'a is
respects 10 the gentleman from South Iaf"iha, thr
rrbo,,,son who had lust spoken. The gentleman
fs,a lIr has according to ms usual practice, gwen
ns speech one half of il on things ne KNOWS ho'h'hs
onont and the other half about matters having no re-
,ey,ncv 10 the subject before The COMMITTEES something
like fish roe thrown into hot pan, jumping abou',
swapping and cracking, and finally leaving neitner
form nor substance. The gentleman from South "a.
rolna had asserted that 'every patriot IN te country
was an xious to change the rulers oil the country.
This assertion or rather denunciaton, he (Mr r. DE-
MED and considered Of piece with many OF the gen.
ten,ans assertions and the pretensions OF many OF
his party to exclusive "patriotlsm, decency, &c
Mr. P thought if the gentleman PATRIOTISM was IKE
some other matters he talked often about ana ne Ma
10 be the standard by which others were to be judged
there were but few patriots in the country, ana .e
sooner such patriots left the country, the better MI
p believed however, that there were out te" men III
the u s. who not patriots at heaf', no mater
what poltica! party they belonged to- As TO the amend
nent now under considerations it was approved OF by
a committee four of whom were Democrats, ana one
Wing without dissent It was prepared without re-
gard to any mans previous opinions, ana sent 70 'S
fIouse He (Mr p was one Of them, and offered lhe
amendment This committee acted as men OF primer
ple-never suffered political pre- JUDGES TO interfere Win
their duty as men, in that committee rooin when no
party principles involved, but JndseG oi '"nss
submitted to them according to the iacts hay's oue
REGARD TO doing Justice the Government ana 10 IN
aiyidnals He MIR ~ accuses the friends OF the
Administration in this House OF sacr'iic.ns their mo-
rails al the shrine of party II comes Win paa grace
from the gentleman his party TO lecture tins House
on morality. review OF their actions as legislators
generally, would prove tins clearly.
The discre pancv between the estimate othe amount
inserted in the present bill necessary to complete
those public buildings, and the sum found now 10 oe
necessary is easily accounted for. The estimate IN
the bill was made in December last, before the work
vas done The amendment now offered IS predica,ed
on estimates Of work principally done. Mr. I did not
consider the President 10 blame in this matter ne
had neither time inclination to attend TO matters OF
this kind nor Mr. P prepared to blame the Secre
I.ry of the Treasury He had TO depend on the very
uncertain information furnished by the architect, ana
every one knew how uncertain such data generally
was The gentleman had expressed hiilse as hofroT-
stricken that the President had given directions to re-
duce the hours of work at the public buildings 20 ten
hours He has asserted that the rresdeht had orec'
ed this to be done b. proclamation
How did that gentleman ascertain this: Mr.. T.
would like to know his authority 1t was the duty OF
The Commissioner Of Public Buildings to make this
matter public and in discharge ot his duty he dd pun
A.
terested in knowledge of it. Was this criminal
matter in the President IL he had not done 1t, ne
would have been very properly denounced in this
House.
Mr. p said he would inform the gentleman from
South Carolina that it was common thing IN fennsyl-
yana for those employing white men, TO specify the
hours for work When this not done to the salts
faction Of the workmen, they called on their employers
and stated their grievances Mr.. T. would INFORM me
gentleman from S"u,h Carolina, that the labor OF the
Northern and Middle States WAS generally done BY
freemen. who knew their rights and not afraid 10
assert them II often happened that when those work
men suppose they aggrered they turn OUT and as
thev cali H. and working until they are satisfied
They consider themselves at liberty TO work, or lei II
alone. .
The gentleman affects great deal of sympathy for
The starving condition of the mechanics and laborlng
classes Of society throughout the country generally.
lie would (sad Mr. P0 take the liberty OF informing
10 ,,s- Th - AZ one of those classes sui
terng starving, that would work. or lad health. u
was a fact that around the large manufacturing DIS
tricts there suffering, caused by the gross
dishonest conduct Of the gentleman friends. Tue
banks but the Of the laborng class lar tr"
being in suffering state. All who would work could
get employment and fair wages. MIR. T. could speak
knowingly on this subject He in tn" habit OF en-
blowing large number Of workmen. year ago he
paid aborcrs from ST 2i to 81 % per day, when they
had 10 pay for beef from 70 10 cents per pound;
for bacon from 10 to 10 cents per pound: and for
-four from to 10 dollars per barrel. Now laborcrs
were paid s7i cents per day. They bought their brt
for from TO cents per pound; bacon from TO /:
cent, per pound; and flour =, per barrel Now, said
Mr.. P, can the gentleman from south Carolina TELL By
cyphernr, which set of prices IS IN" best for the labor
ing mem Mr.. regretted 7" hear gentlemen dragging
every subrct that before liz" House into the arena
az politics no matter how the subject 1t did not
cav much for the morali,, 81 h"-.. doing Mr.. P.
vent on urge the adoption :" the amendment as a
oenr, the public, by preserving the buildings, and
rendcr.n" The records now IN It safe
The House again resolved itself into committee and
resumed ia" consideration Of the bill.
In" question being the adoption of the amend
fa.nt of Mr. Petrikin count was taken by tcl!ers,
l,icssrs Briggs and Chapman of Alabama acting as
auch,) who rcportcd-ayes 90, noes !" othe amend,
Ment Vas agreed to-
The clause approprating Sil i,nd lar continuing the
construction of the Paten, oiicr building having
been read,
Mr.. PETRIklN moved to strike out $4,000, and To
insert 10 complete inc
ing for entire occupancy, and Tor the portlco.
2lr 2. said that this amount in conformity with
he estimates of the Commissioner Of Public Buildings.
The building would be damaged and ruined il the
amount proposed not appropriated.
,ft.r few remarks from Mr.. SrANLi, the coEl-
,.ir,, was divided The adoption Of tn. amendment
i, Mr. Pcrikn and there beins-ayes -, noes 3 IA"
..Iorum voting,
The committee rose and the chairman reported that
fact to the House.
Mr. LINCOLN moved . call Of the House; and
hIcssrs Griffith and Profit having been appointed tell
ascertain whether there should be CALL rep"r'"
that there were-ayes 90, noes 81
A call was ordered, hut there being quorum pre-
~cnt, by universal consent, all further proceeding IN
the cali was dispensed with, and
Slr LINCOLN mo, cd 1" amend the amendment by
striking out $40 00o and inserting after the word
..jnllars, the words -. "p:nr"ic the sad building
i'r entire occupancy, i',iirr "sth The porhco IN
.ln!rg nrrrara.cs II : ;...a" due In the workmen.
Mr. rETEikiN a,'-ri,G ,!'' above as modification
80 H.