The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-12

ws would suner mere partisan 70 be- chosen, and
thrown us, for whom We were going 70 provide the
means Of support. We undertook 70 show II the
time that there right 10 elect In this manner
They would do IT, when they had but hse or sr days
10 remain Ia power. We gave them iu warning ,nas
we should dislniss their officers who hold their once
al will II was an exercise of mere poHer, ana we
should submit no longer than we were compelled 10. -
Il was an abuse Of power. Was II 10 execute the
current work Of the day that he was appnintedI ny
the terms OF that resolution was prospective APP
poin,ment--it undertaking to give them pnntef,
Tor the eth Congressio anticipate this matter, ana
40 for two years come, should be compelled IN
To support a mere partisan editor; paper that nad
been extremely wanlon ia its course dealing 10 lou
.oecies OF deraciion both 10 individuals and cha
raciers and members Of the party
Il was an abuse OF power on their part anu the
party now in power would il IN correcting this at
least so far as his vote went.
Mr. BENTON offered the following amendment
TO the resolution
Resoirsd, That Blair s. Rives having been duly
elected printers the Senate during the late session
OF Congress, under the JOINT resolution OF he TWO
Houses providing the election oil printers in Con-
prcss and the Senate having acted with open doors
aud In It's legislative character in making the election,
il il not competent for the Senate acting alone Ia
lis executive character, To annul the election and
thereby divcst the rights which Blair q Rives may
have acquired from election and the contract re-
sung from II.
BUCHANAN would say few words in re-
ply 10 the Senator from Delaware. The Senator said
that the printers were officers. He should not
enter into thai argument; he thought he had shown
conciusively, thai the printer was not an officer lie
said he just like the Collector of CUSTOMS in New
York the Secretary ot the Senite here, He asked
the senator from Delaware simple question: has
not the Senate If they please, night 10 make CON
tract with mechanic, be he officer not c1feer To
endure for two years And ii they have right TO
az. ~.
nudity it, by declaring that the officer shall continue
no longer in office :
Mr.. BAYARD said Unquestionably, the Senate
might enter INTO contracts but all the tertis OF the
contract must be considered. Part Of the terms OF
tins contract was that II was dcieasible IN Its own ma
ture But il The office I've held WILL the ingredient
ncurporal, into the contract itself aud therefore
it was deieasibe at any time.
Mr.. BUCHANAN continued. This was just as
he understood from the Senator. THIS Senate had
a night enter into Contract TO do the necessary
work Tor the Senate for Two years And although
they did it solemnly, and promised that they would
employ for two Years, they had right 10 dew
tou the contract the next day, because the office
uas d. feasible.
Tha, was the position; and il any Senator, how
ingenious he might be, could define such a con-
tract, he would give him praise Tor his SKILL In reason
ing. The terms Ut the joint resolution were as pre-
csey fixed as II each member of the Senate had en-
tered into contract with this printer You shall do
the work for two years; and if you do not do the
work according to contract we give to our Secretary
power TO have The work done by some other person,
and charge you the difference between the contract
price, and the price paid for doing the work"
The English language could mol make more binii-
ing contract than that The resolution pas sed in
1919, and ii it he the same with an officer OF
the body attending To enploynens in this chamber, or
the Sergcantat arms Tor the purpose Ut keeping Or
der in this Hall he was quite at loss TO understand
It's nature and character--a resolution directing the
manner in which the printing of Congress shall be
executed, and fixing the prices, the precise items, and
the pay. The concluding clause was F" Each House
shall proceed to ballot for printer to du
ties OF ali officer? No. The word "otfcer" not
ieork !; and how longl "Durng the next Congress I
The printer then, was employed to execute the duties
Of the 9th Congressman the duties of any office
whatever And that was the very reason Of the adop-
ton of the resolution; II not for this man
could be elected printer for either House except
Gales & Staton, or Blair & Rives 1t absolutely
necessary in order 10 prevent monopoly--to enable
the mechanic To have his materials here. And let the
printer now, bring him from New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, or Richmond, let him set up esta-
bishmcnt for the purpose and the first day of
the after, dsmrs him. Say, as the Sena-
tor from Delaware does you took this contract
under the implied condition that We could turn you
mote competition between an 1lfnRefaf order to pro-
re ,eluon Was passed; and an absolute contract was
to be made for two years VIII CHI the Senate has no
right To violate it did not refer office at all but
placed the thing its proper ground, and the party
having the greatest number of votes is elected and
shall give bond for the prompt accurate and
cution Of the work: and in any unustifable de-
lay should be experienced the Secretary is authorized
to employ another, and take the extra charge paid
from the salary of the printer Would the printer
casually employed be an officer
Throwing aside all the ingenuity Of the arguments
used on the other side, was not this the very case
have entered into contract with man to build me
house, provided that it be done in years take
bond and security in proper for its perform
ance And IT he does not do It properly may employ
another, and charge him the difference and am 10
pay him certain stipulated price, when completed "
then turn about and say reserved, in my mind
the power Of annung this contract and above law
annul this contract, and you shall not any
thing from me for it,
They had neither the moral nor the constitutional
right to violate this contract, and if done, Blair &
Rves, some day or other, before tribunal would
recover full indemnity for all losses sustained
MIR. CLAY of Kentucky, said, when the appoint
ment Of Blair and Rives took place, about ten or
twelve days ago his side OF the House they consi-
dered it of the most extraordinary instances OF
the exercise If high-handed power which they had
witnessed from the other side during the present
sion of Congress.
Il was admitted then--avowed then to be an act Of
po1er--puie, naked, unqualified power. On that c.
cason they had given notice togentemen on the other
side Of the House--to the world, and TO tie Printers,
that IT they did 20 into an election, under the exist
ing circumstances, they should, at the earliest period
possible, endeavor to correct the procedure by dsms-
sion of them from Office And on The 4 h March the
ye, Of our Lord lS4l-the very day when these
printers contract commenced operation, his friend
(Mf. MANeuM) who him offered the resulu.
tion according to the form of " ich these men were
10 be dismissed from Office, iii was carried.
He considered II OF the most extraordinary in
stances II tic erercise II highhaaded poteer. What
was donel An attempt by defeated party to con-
tlnue their power and appointments beyond the Off
cal term OF existence of their An Ia
throw their cast-of clothes on And what of
sollod clothes were theyl Such that if his servant
Charles had come into his presence with them he
would have driven and expelled him for that indit-