The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-01-27
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Al t..u.ss ~ Ik4h

itself into Commttes OF the Whols on tho state oil
the Union for tho purpose OF considering 'he oil'
for establishing the Territorial Covefu"'h' Vi vi
ogon.
Several gentlemen asked him 10 withdraw ms mo
tioo that he morning hour might DO devoted 10 uhe
reception Of reports from committees Out
Mr. BROWN, having great desire 10 dispose OIL
the measure indicated, did not aequieece'
The question was tsken-syts %, noes ~
No quorum having voted call OF the House !" as
moved but waived.
And the yeas and nays were taken, when tcsu'ou
yeas li3, nays 40.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES or BOOKS.
. The House resolved itself into Comm,tlse oil the
Whole on the state OF the Union (Mr' WELLER !"
the chair
The bill 10 reduce and graduate the price OF the
public lands In favor Of settlers and cutivatofs, Dc
ing IN order was laid aside; when
Mr.. A. v. BROWN moved that the bill TO orEs-
nize lhe Territorial Government Of Oregon aud ior
other purposes, be taken up but the COMMITTEES hst
proceeded TO the consideration OF the JOINT resolution
heretofore submitted, authorizing the Secretary
Of State 10 purchase 1900 copies oil Oreeho~'
history Of Oregon, California, and other territory 10
the Northwest not To exceed two dollars per copy,
and sppropratng three thousand dollars for the Puf
pose-the books to be distributed among The moo'-
bers Of Congress, libraries, etc.
Mr.. CAVE JOHNSON sad that this book-Duying
business bad been before Congress annually Tor Tue
last ton years. IL the work OF MIR. Greenhow were
put into market he would purchase a copy but DC
unequyoeally condemned the pridcpe Of aPProPris-
lions by Congress for this purpo1t tie had i'st oil
the books purchased, and the amount which they Sc
versly cost which he intended to have published Tor
public Information.
Nh ANDREW JOHNSON submitted amend
ment, substitute for tho whole Understanding
order given June last Tor the purchase oil vol
umes Of tho Register Of Debates, Congressional
Globe etc, costing s7775 and considering the pr'n-
cple as morally and politically wrong oil members
purchasing books with the public money for them
selves. lie presumed that no members would vote
for increasing their pay from $500 to $1,000 each IN
the shape OF books ana pat their upon the re-
cord yet, at the last session, member who had re-
ceiyed books to the value Of $500 sold them FOR $50
This was not an individual case bucks, for which
the Government paid high price, were often dis
posed Of privately and IN the course Of time these
very books were purchased again by the Govern
msnt, and distributed among members. Nearly a
million OF dollars had been squandered in this way
Mr. DOUGLASS, although he was not in favor OF
the wholesale purchase Of useless books, conceived
thai of Mr. Greenhow necessary TO inform the minds
OF members during the Discussion Of the bill for the
organization Of Oreg,n. There matter in II not
found in any other publication, sppertaining TO this
subject and he believed that Il established title 10
the country far fifty flour degrees and forty min
ues
Mr. THOMPSON would Join the gentleman from
Tennessee Mr.. A JohnsoD) in correcting abuses
chase Of books in relation to the past history Of
country; but as We now wanted information a to
Oregon, be viewed The proposition before them n-
volVlng nothing wrong on the contrary MIR. Green
how's work was highly valuable, and should be pro
cured to facilitate the action of members on subject
OF the deepest importance.
Mr.. A. V. BROWN in substance, condemned the
principle Of members voting appropriations for books
for their private use. If the resolution should be
amended, TO furnish suitable number for the Libra
~, where members could have access 10 them, he
would vote for 1t, but not Otherwise
Mr.. c. J. INGEkSOLL was understood to saw
this book would not find many purchas amoi <
private cizens, and that 10 throw II into the market
would not remunerate the author
Messrs. SChENCk and WINTHROP submit ed
a few remarks, and
Mr.. DROMGOOLE offered an amendu.eut-that
one hundred, instead Of fifteen hundred copies of
Mr.. Greenhows work be purchased for the Lib airy.
MIR. SlMONS proposed modifca tion-that two
dollars be appropriated out Of the Treasury Tor zach
member, to enable him TO purchase Of the books
The principle OF Congress purchasing books and dis
trlbuting them to members, and members purchasing
books with money voted TO them Tor That express
purpose, was the same In effect For himself howey-
err he did not wish to take money from the Treasury
Tor this PurPose-he would purchase book out of his
own pocket.
Mr. BLACK, OF Georgia, opposed the amendment
of Mr. Dromgoole-but did not notice that OF Mr. ST.
mons, believing that 1t offered more in lest thar
IN earnest He believed that there we're not twenty
members who were acquainted with the minutia Of
the information which this book would impart He
hoped, therefore, that the resolution would pass and
likewise the bill for the sei,emen, of Oieaon and
every man who the friend of Texas which was
the great concurrent measure with this he trusted
would not hesitate to give to it his he ,riy assent
Mr.. WENTWORTH proceeded to speak Of our
CLAIM to Oregon AS We had annexed Texas, ia &C.
cordance with what he believed 10 be the will OF the
American to nj end of In, "a
upon the committee TO annex Oregon 10 the other
And he called upon those who had spoken and com
planned OF the balance of power being destroyed by
that ac', to add Oregon, and thus restore the eou
bnum. tie advocated the BILL it designed to make
Oregon actually what it was by right, ours Al
though he believed Oregon belonged TO us, II would
not be long before the power of our fee pripcipl,s
would extend over all North America Shortly we
would hear member who shall arise to speak on thi.
floor recognised "the gentleman from Texas
and the time was not far distant when we
would hear from the Speaker, "the gentleman
from Montreal or "the gentleman from Que
bee" and, at some distant period, the gen.
tleman from Patagonia" He believed that our
Tree principles would eventually extend not only over
South America, but over the world itself
Mr.. HOLMES submitted few remarks in favor
OF the purchase of the books when the question
was taken on the amendment Of Mr. Simons; but II
was lost.
An amendment was offered directing the Sergeant.
at Arms 10 purchase copy OF Greenhow's work for
each member, and that he retain the sum necessary
ior the same out Of the per diem; and rejected.
Several other amendments we're offered and dis
agreed to and after two or three verbal modifica
tons the resolution laid aside to be reported TO
the House
The Committee then took up the bill for organizing
the
TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT OF OREGON
The first section having been read motion was
made that the Committee rise; which prevailed
The SPEAKER having resumed the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN reported that The Committee Of
the whole had had the resolution for the purchase of
Greenhow's work on Oregon under consideration |
and that he was directed to report the same TO the
House eith sundry amendments |
Mr.. DOUGLASS, as il was important the book |
should be IN the hands of members early as prac
ucaele would move the previous question-which |
cut of debate.