The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-02

tavagant as the gentleman seemed to suppose.
Certainly Il could not be in the estimation Of the
friends ofihe gentleman, who acted with him on that
occasion. ~
J From these facts, they were bound 10 come to
one or two conclusions, either that, after the reduce
lion of the Is per cent the compensation was mad
equate, or another conclusion, which was not
very charitable, and one which he did not choose 10
make, VIZ; that this was afterwards given 10
Them as a gratmty, as parilsans. As 10 much the
gentleman had said about divorcing the public press
from the patronage of the government, he entirely
concurred with him; and whenever il should be in
his power, without Inconvenience to the House OIL
Representatives, and ciihoui Attaining political o6iec
in the seeming effort TO apoid Acknowledgements he
could go directly to the point, whenever he could
fairly, without attempting political object of any
sor-brng about an entire divorce between the gov
eminent and the press, no one would 60 further
than he would TO do it. But in doing this, he did
not mean TO act with view to the success Of any
one establishment this city or in any other.
Mr.. b., on referring to the public documents on
this matter said he found he was not so much GU,
OF the way when he had attributed to the distn-
gushed gentleman from Kentucky newborn zeal
tor economy, as the gentleman seemed 10 suppose.
He had adverted to the circumstances under which
the Is per cent had been restored 10 the National
lntelgencer in ls42, and he found from the journal
that The gentleman from Kentucky himself had abb
solutely voted for the restoration. He had the
journal before him to establish the fact. The gen.
lleman had told them Of the enormous profits made
In the printing of the census and the compendium
OF the census, and that seventy odd thousand dol
lars might have been saved in thar instancs by the
plan which he now proposed. II that job was 90
profitable why was il found necessary to add Is per
cent to the compensation of the printers of the
House, as established by law'
The gentleman had said il was in vain to expect inn
partality and candor from the public press long
as they were under the patronage of the govern
ment. Mr.. b. hoped the press of this country was
not as corrupt as the gentleman seemed to suppose
He believed the gentlemen in this country usually
connected with the press were intellectual, and in
his humble opinion, honest, as other politicians;
and ne did not see in the public press Of the country
evidence OF that corruption which the gentleman had
attributed TO It. How had the genie come to |
that conclnsioni he knew Of but two presses now
in existence which had been extensively connected
with the public printing, One of these was the
National lntelligencer. He believed that establlsh-
ment had enjoyed the public patronage for 90 years.
and he asked the gentleman if he had come his con-
clusion Of the corrupng influence of the public pa-
tronage from the course ofthat press. He knew that
press was conducted with ability very great ability
and he believed with much fairness
most of the political presses of the country. As to
the other press 10 which he had alluded, he should |
say nothing. He would leave that to be passed
upon by Others not biased by political pariiality,
an he admitted he was He should say nothing !
of the ch ,racter If the individuals for whom il
might perhaps be known it was his intention to |
vote But, said Mr.. B., can speak of one of them
with the confidence derived from intimate personal
knowledge Of him from nay youth; and can say, |
this government has not patronage enough to cor
rupt his political integrity The connexion of the
public printing with the press is calculated, admit
in corrupt times and in corrupt nations warp It's
course. But in this country | have not seen that
this has been Its effect heretofore; if the gentleman
has seen It upon that one which has long enjoyed
the Government DatrOnapa / Leave far him IN
declare. |
Mr.. B. further argued that, under this plan, i'll
adopted at the present Iime there could not be fair
competitions they could not allow all the printing
of Congress to be delayed until the matter was made
known in Boston, New York, and elsewhere. At |
executed the public printing favorable to the POI
litica majority in this House, that majority did re-
duce the rate of compensation; but they did not fol-
low the example set by their predecessors, in first
making reduction, and afterwards restoring t--as,
according to the gentleman's own argument, there
was no necessity whatever for restoring il except M
a gratuity to political favorites. He hoped the |
House would vote down the proposition of the gen.
teman from Kentucky, and that they would go on
and make the necessary arrangements for the i'm
mediate execution of the work which was pressing |
on them. If this House were prepared to take the
necessary steps towards letting out the printing by
passing law, by advertising through their proper
officer for proposals, by giving sufficient notice, and
opening fair COM etion he not prepared TO say
he would not 60 with them but he did not think
this House required for the sake Of the paltry
pecuniary advantage which the gentleman argued il
would effect to suffer the Inconvenience and detri-
ment to the public interest of the delay which
would be inevitable, were this proposition to be
adopted.
Mr.. b having concluded
Mr.. DAVIS called for the reading of the reso-
luton and amendment; which were read accord
ngly. m& |
lie also sent up, to be read at the clerks table,
pamphlet, purporng to be an offer, the part of
some individual individuals, to execute the print
ing of Congress at rs or 33s per cent reduction
from the present rates.
Some moments were occupied in the reading; and |
il not being concluded
Mr.. THOMPSON, of Mississippi objected to |
the further reading, all the members of the
House, he presumed, had had it laid upon their
desks. 49,
Mr.. DAVIS insisted upon its reading; and that
the genteman's objection, in order TO be eHectual,
should have been made before the reading COM
mcnccd.
Mr.. THOMPSON then moved to suspend the
reading OF the paper.
Mr.. DAVIS withdrew the paper, and proposed
TO make a few further remarks. M, ,.r-,
MIR. DAVIS proceeded to say, that the gentleman
from Virginia was politician of the strctest sect of
the school to which he belonged He would put
this question to him. Did he want press establish
ed as an appendage to the government Under
what law Of the constitution, which Of the reso-
lutions Of 80, would we find press established
Now, TO believe the gentleman, he has adopted his
political principles in good faith, and he (Mr D.
believed that in the main he would wish to carry
out his principles honestly. But he asked him i'll
the government having press--
Mr.. MCDOWELL here intimated that the joint
appointed TO wait on the President hav-
ing discharged the duties assigned them, asked to be
discharged Forthwith.
Mr.. DAVIS said, such being the case, he would,
for the present, give way. .e
Mr., HOPKINS suggested 10 the gentleman from
kentucky that, as il might be come time before tn,
private secretary of the President made his appear
ance, It would be as well for him to proceed with
his remarks
Mr.. DAVIS continued. Referring the gentleman
from Virginia to his political principles and course
of aciion, he asked him to reconcile them with his
sense Of proprety Of action in this House. in relation
to the establishment of government paperl His
predecessor was the leader in the object he (Mr. d