The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-29


The question recurring on the motion 10 commit
to the Committee on Accounts, was taken, and de-
cided in the negative; ayes SO, noes 81
The question recurring on the motion OF Mr.
GRovER to postpone indefinitely the consideration
Mr.. GROVER demanded the yeas and nays ;
which were not ordered
Mr.. Mckay was of opinion tina, it would be
better to refer the subject TO select committee
One simple observation he thought, ought to be suf
hcient to induce the House refer the subject and
Lhat was that it would be likely to increase ex-
penseS. Another matter demanded their serious
| consideration. He had in his possession letter
from the Postmaster General, in which he stated
that by fair construction Of the 9Th section of the
new postage law on every document on every copy
OF the Presidents message, on every speech OF men,
bers printed by the House, letter postage was col
lected. On the four millions and odd documents for
warded by post, postage collected, and letter
postage too. That he thought wrong; and some
thing ought TO be done TO correct tsomething that
would enable them TO act in conformity with the
provisions of the law. He was sure that no men,
Der of that House would say that documents ema-
mating from 1t ought to be charged with letter post
age He thought they ought to be charged at the
same rate as newspapers. With this view, he was
for reference of the whole subject that proper steps
| might be taken to remedy the defect
| Mr.. HOPKINS regarded it as strange that any
diversity of opinion existed among members as to
The different portions of the resolution. What did
1t propose to do' To give to the House the appoint
ment Of two officers now selected by the door-keeper
That was all il proposed to do, he understood it.
And how it was possible that such simple propo-
sition as that could be far misunderstood as to
suggest to some gentlemen the probability of in
crease in the expenses of the House Of 5000 or
5000 dollars, was to him perfectly incomprehensi
BILE. The resolution only proposed tho election of
similar officers, who are to get the same salary. 1t
did not propose to discharge the pages already en-
ployed, or the men in the foding-room; and nothing
but monstrous construction could give il that
meaning. What the patronage of the door-keeper
was, or how 1t was dispensed, he could not say
He not disposed to attach blame to the present
officer, as some gentlemen had done. If there was
any blame nerited, it ought to fall on members on
that floor; all that could be said of the doofkeeper
was, that he allowed his integrity to yield to mpro-
per influence there. IL members wished to elect Off
GERS themselves, let them do it free from all undue
| influence.
| MIR. G. S. HOUSTON wished to ask one aues-
ton. The gentleman seemed to think that members
had been ampering with the door-keeper, from which
imputaton he really thought something ought TO be
done to clear the character of that House. He
would now ask the gentleman if he knew any men,
Der who had been guilty of such an action as he had
spoken Of
Mr.. HOPKINS was understood to say that he
brought no individual charges but epoke in gene
ralsense of abuses which he believed existed
Mr.. G. s. HOUSTON Then, sir | call for the
Mr.. HOPKINS was ready to do so too, that
full inquiry might be instituted He believed pre-
JUDGES had beeh raised against the door-kceper, and
he was unwilling to see him made the sole butt.
But he had no connexion with him, had no cores
pondence with him in reference to the subject
What the gentleman had said relative to the postage
on documents of that House quite true, but he
hardly thought their action in reference the door
keeper could remedy that. He hoped the PROPOSE.
ton of the gentleman from North Carolina would
al L..
ed, that the whole subject might be gone into, and
some plan adopted in relation to these appoint
ments.
Mr.. G.. S. HOUSTON arose and said i. was
with some reluctance that he would occupy the
House at all on this subject; but as the gentleman
from Virginia had made some strong illusions to
members of that body, he felt it to be his duty to say
that, on no occasion had Ne spoken with the door
keeper, but In one single instance, and with that
solitary exception he never signed any papers for
him. He had constantly refused to interfere with
the appointment Of officers of the House by the
door-keeper. He had refused to interfere with the
duties of that officer because he believed him respon-
sible to the House; and that if he refused to do his
duty then it was for the House to take the matter
in hand. He was willing to investigate charges of
improper conduct against the door-keeper, or any
officer of that House, but he thought the motion Of
the gentleman was wrong that the blending of the
two propositions contained in the resolution was
wrong, and that there ought to be reference To
two committees. That portion which related to the
postage documents from that House. he thought
ought not TO 60 the special committee whose duty
would be to look into the question Of the patronage
Of the door-kceper but to- the Committee the Post
Office.
Mr.. Mckay made few remarks in explanation.
He was understood to object to a reference to the
Committee on the Post Office, because it might re-
port adversely. The subject had already been laid
before them the law operated as he had stated and
he believed the House ought to make some change,
so that the present postage on documents would be
reduced from letter. postage, which was all wrong
when the gentleman from North Carolina first spoke
it was his object to modify the law or that he was
IN favor of a construction Of ii by the Postmaster
General in favor Of that House. For his part, he
was opposed to the patronage ofthe door keeper or
of any other officer, and in favor of reduction as
far as it could be DONE But lie was unwilling to go
for resolution that contained no regulaton--no
mode Of disposing of the matter. He believed the
gentleman from Tennessee did not know whether it
would increase the expenses not. For his part,
he was willing to leave the appointments with the
door-keeper but desired that committee should in
yestigate the subject and inform the House relative
to an increase in expenditure. One gentleman said
it would not increase the officers of the House. and
said he could not imagine how new officers must be
appointed, according to the resolution Others pre-
tended to say il would create officers Now, in
his view, it certainly did create two new officers
without taking from the door-keeper the appoint
ment of those which he was then authorized to APP
point. But suppose they were to remedy that And
yet, he must say that question not, far he
could perceive, then before the House at all As it
regarded the duties at present performed he had OBJ
served that in the mornings, from nine o'clock until
the opening Of the House, and in the evening after
the adjournment, the pages and officers were in at
tendance in the folding-room, great part of the
business of which was performed by them. Now
what would be the result of change in regard to
an increase in expenses The door-kcepcr would
at once say to the superintendent that he had no fur
Their need of his services. If the folding depart
ment were to be separately organized, they ought
to make the necessary increase in it's expenses, and
correspondent reduction in the patronage of the
door-kceper. He therefore desired that special
committee should take charge of the whole subject,
go into it in all its bearings, and report the result TO
the House.
Mr.. RATHBUN wished to suggest one thing to
the gentleman from Alabama, which was, that in
addition 10 the duties of the select committee, il
should report 10 the House what undue influence