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

from Georgia, was introduced by his colleague,
Mr.. Cooper, was qualified and took his seat
Mr. Fillmore then offered resolution chang
ing the hour at which the House should meet on
Monday and thereafter from IL to IL O'Clock.
The ayes and noes were demanded, and 1873
voted in the affirmative and % in the negative.
Mr. Tahaferro gave notice that he would move
the next day reconsideration of the vote just
taken. If he did not succeed in obtaining a re-
session of the resolution, he conceived that the
committees should be discharged from the per-
Torrance of the duties intrusted to them. The
time now allowed for labor in the committee
rooms is already sufficiently contracted
Mr. Gentry endeavored to obtain the consent
of the House to go into Committee of the
Whole to take up private bill, but he was I'M
successful.
The orders of the day were called up-being
the report of the Committee of Expenditures.
The portion under consideration, was the resou-
ton diminishing the number of Messengers in
the Clerks office to three. Mr. Briggs proposed
an amendment making the number four. The
amendment was lost and the resolution was car
ried in its form.
A resolution was then offered abolishing the
office of draughtsman of the House. Mr.. J. G.
Floyd added an amendment abolishing the Of
fee of Postmaster, and Mr.. Hopkins offered
another embracing all the Offices connected with
that establishment. A long debate arose on
these amendments. The Post Office Of the
House it was contended is unnecessary and
even inconvenient to the members. The letters
of the members, it was said would be obtained
at an earlier hour each day if they were dstribut
ed at the City Post Office than they can be under
the present arrangement, and at the same time
the expense Of the salaries of the Postmaster
and his assistants would be saved. On the
other side it was maintained that the work of
distribution must be performed somewhere; if
not done in the Post Office Of the House, tmust
be done in the City Post Of6ce-and an equi-
valent increase in the number of clerks in the
latter establishment would be required. No
saving therefore would result from the passage
of the resolution. After protracted debate
Mr. Morgan moved the previous question.
The Speaker laid before the House the COM
munications and Senate bills on his table. One
of these was from Thomas Allen in relation to
the resolution of the House directing him and
the proprietors of the Globe to proceed no
farther with the printing ofthe Census Compen-
dunn. Mr.. Davis moved to refer this commu-
nication to Select Committee. After some
remarks from Mr.. Gushing, who was ire
uuently interrupted by Mr.. Davis, it was refer
red to the Committee ON Claims, which has I'M
der consideration the memorial of Blair and
Rives. communication from the Secretary Of
State in relation to the JOB printing, &C., done
for his Office was, on motion Of Mr. Adams, re-
ferred to the same Committee
The House, on the motion Of Mr.. Fillmore,
went into Committee Of the Whole, and Mr.
Briggs took the Chair. Mr. Anterior continued
the unfinished debate of the preceding day, and
argued against the decision of the Chair. The
debate was continued by Messrs. Merrwether
and Davis. Mr.. Gushing proposed that the
Chair should state its decision and the ques-
ton be taken at once ON the appeal. Al
ter an elaborate exposition from the Char
of the reasons on which the decision
was based, the vote was taken by tel
lers, when Sc voted in the affirmative and
67 in the negative The decision of the Chair
was therefore reversed; and the question then
was the adoption of the amendment of Mr.. Da-
Wis. Mr. McKeon objected to the portion
which selected the papers which have the great
est number of subscribers for printing the laws
In many parts of the country, there are journals
which have few or no subscribers, while their
circulation is the most extensive. The ostensl-
Bile object Of the amendment would not there
fore be obtained Mr.. Davis was understood
to be opposed to an alteration in conformity
with the views put by MIR. McKeon Mr..
Everett thought the papers chosen for the pub
LEGATION of the State laws, should be selected for
the printing Of the General Government.
Mr.. Smith, of Virginia, was opposed to the
amendment Of Mr.. Davis as unjust to private
interests. At all times there has been an organ
of the Executive, in part supported by the pa
tronage in the gift of that branch of the Govern
ment Anticipating this support, the proprietor
of the Madisonan had no doubt made large
outlay to provide materials necessary for the
performance of the work, on which he might
very nationally expect to be engaged. 10 de-
prve him of it now would inflct an injury on
him. After the preparations made by the In
telligencer for doing the work of the Honse, it
would be obviously unjust to deprive it of the
printing required. For the like reason it would
be unjust to take the printing of the laws, &C.,
at this time from the Madsonian.
Mr.. Profit said that the tendency of the pro-
posed law went directly to defeat its ostensible
purpose Itrequired the Secretary of State to give
the printing to those papers having the larges
nn,,,hor of e,bscr;borc The result in many