The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-08
CONGRESS-.

In the House, on Monday, Mr.. Everett sent
10 the clerks table an amendment to the Appor-
tonment bill, which he moved should be laid on
the table, and be printed. The amendment
was accompanied by certain tables, which ne
wished also to be printed The amendment
of Mr. Everett fixes the ratio at 50,39l. Mr.
Gilmer made report, in part, from the Re-
trenchment committee. The report read,
and Mr. Gilmer moved that it should be printed,
together with a correspondence with the Secre-
tary of War, by which it was accompanied
He also moved that the committee be permitted
TO sit during the sessions of the House, and that
it have power to send for persons and papers.
Both motions prevailed. Mr. Shields presented
a memorial in relation to plan for preventing
the bursting of steamboiers which was referred
to the select committee on steam navigation.
The business in order, under suspension of
the rules, was the report from the Committee
on Expenditures. The following resolution,
with an amendment by Mr.. Arnold, being the
pending question:
RESOLVED, That henceforth it be standing rule of
the House that, at the commencement of each session
of Congress, the Speaker appoint a committee, con-
ssting Of three members, to be denominaed the Com
mittee Printing whose duty it shall be to exam
inc all papers and documents, of every description
whatever, which it may be proposed to have printed,
except messages reports and statements from the va
rious Offices and Departments of the Government re-
quired by law or usage to be furnished to the House,
reports from Committees of the House, and bills and
resolutions and to report whether, in their opinion,
the public interest requires that such paper, docu
ment or other matter, should be printed for the
of the House the country and, for that purpose,
every such paper, document, or other matter, when
presented to the House, if asked to be printed shall
be considered referred to said committee, without
any specific motion of reference; and no order to
print such matter shall be made by the House, unless,
an examination thereof, aforesaid, shall have been
previously made
After two slight amendments by Mr.. Sum-
mers, Mr.. Arnold subjoined the following
"That no box or trunk or chest, or any other like
receptacle for books shall be hereafter furnished to
the members of Congress at the public expense"
Mr.. Andrews, Of Kentucky, moved to lay the
resolution and amendment on the table The
vote, taken by the yeas and nays, resulted in 35
voting in the affirmative and 1877 in the mega
tive. Mr.. Arnold modified his amendment by ad
ding that persons employed in preparing these
articles should be discharged from the service OF
of ia to 76. The question then required on
the resolution as amended. Mr.. Cooper, of
Georgia moved to lay it on the table. The ayes
and nays were ordered, and the motion was ne
gatived, as was also subsequently the resolution
itself.
The next resolution from the committee pro.
hibited the granting hereafter Of extra allow
ances TO the clerks, messengers, &C., OF the
House. Several efforts were made to append
amendments to this resolution, but without sue
cess-and, finally, on the motion of Mr.. Fill
more, was laid on the table.
Mr.. Mckay urged the consideration of re-
solution previously offered by him, and subse-
quently withdrawn which provides for another
method Of restricting the amount of printing
done by the House.
In the Senate, yesterday, after the presentation
of petitions, the District Bank bill was taken up,
and discussed; and the consideration of the
Exchequer Bill was postponed until the 2lst in
slant, in consequence of other subjects having
Dracedanco