Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-07-28
pITRJJC PRIN I'M.


Al The rcouest Of friend, We republish Tue
remarks Of MIR Houston Of Alabama, on The
retrospective resolution reducing Inc couPensd-
lion OF the Public Printers. In connection win
Ibis subject, We deem il proper 10 lay before .le
readers OF The Enquirer The article OF me onio"
on the night OF The passage Of SAID ieso'u''on
MIR. George 5. Houston askeu " u 49,. Ss.,
from voing on the Joint resolution RON 'ne oen
ate proposing u regulate ana rsu'ce ~ -
the pubic printing, and wished 10 give ms iea-
sons Tor il. ......
Mr.. H. said when the present printers were
elected, lie law fixed their conpehs '9' siin'
ING: and he regarded their election !" ana acoeP-
,ance o! The office Of pubic printers a Fosn,se
contract with them that they shou'a receive 'oi
their labor the price established By law uhtii Lon
eress should think proper 10 change II; na'
contract then. applied 10 and con'foiled the price
of The work which they had performed uhuef "
and he considered il population IN rs mus ou'uus
form for Us now 10 refuse payment Du' lol ai,'s
he would be glad 10 vote Tor Inc leso'u'on' ano
had il been SO amended as 10 nave gwen y q
prospective operation and abolish Us 's"oae.se
character, he would have sustained ana support
ed /, cordially Mr. II. said he resaTd.d pubic as
w.ll a. nriva,e lairh as sacred; and 50 lar as II
had tee, pledged in this case, he lei bound 10 re-
deem The obligation. Til. was neutrality-suspicious.
he viii al one oil The partis>-a positive contract
and he couid MOI Give il his sanction. Under
these circumstances il was difficult Tor him 10
vote on tie resolution Without placing himself IN
a false position and giving iohh false impress
sion a 10 his real sentiments II he voted Tor ~
he would seem 10 le unininului OF int pup,
lie faith, solemnly piishled, which ne did
moi feel willing To do. II he voted against IL
he would seem 10 I've averse 10 proper reduction
in The Price OF The public priaing, which was lar
from his inclination. For, a before remarked, he
would willingly vote Tor The rrsotuiion il made 10
operale uron work YET 10 be dcnc We had an
unGouh,ed right 10 do that II We should reduce
il 100 low The public printers couii resign
abandon he sonf,Gc-aLd 10 one word he 10
blame. il. however, wc reduced The prize Il nat
which had been done they had no TetTtss lett
Them. We may noi only take fem them all u
their profits upon pas labor! bu. We may q: this
principle be cuFrec;.l take from hem their entire
COMPENSATION ard receive their labor and maeii-
ais absolutely Tor nothing.
MIR. II said they aad not the power 10 aba ndon
the contract as far as past work is concerned -
The contract as 10 that mas been executed, and we
now have The same light 10 make il extend back
10 another Congress as 10 The first Of This Con-
cress; nor had we The power 10 reinsate them
and put them where they were before they per-
formed any part Of the printing He, therefore,
respectfully asked d The House 10 be excused
from voting lie did moi make This request with
a view 10 practice as is Too often The CASEY a
fraud upon The House or any OF is rules He
said he never had been guilty Of such conduct,
and never would be He made The motion IN
good lailh. AMI after las he thought ne had tonc)
giving IL the House good Irasohs, ne hOPed ~ ne
excused.
Tb. E,usa re;us,d IN excuse him
From liz Union Of Tuesday Night
II would be idle for us 10 affect Indifference 10
The proceedings Of tie House Of Representatives
10 day. But we do not mean@to minge our own
humble matters win The great questions which
are now before Congress Pass the reforms
which The adlninisrat has recommended in
The name of The people: The Tariff Bill which, in
despite 81! the Democratic Senator OF CoGncctl-
cut is sill he great question oil The day, and the
efca, question, too, OF The coualry-pasS The
Constitutional Treasury Bill according 10 The
pleG pes oi The Baltimore Convenlion-adopt tie
Maiehousing and he Graduation system and
whn yill not agree win II thaiihis is one =: tie
most brilliant sessions which Congress has ever
Witnessed? VIVA. il We have suffered 10 day
suffered in The retrospective operation a the
POINT resolution. I've complain Of nothing else in
what has been done;) YET lei The great work OF he
country be accomplished, and we shall he the first
10 honor the passing Congress. That these re.
forms may 60 on as they have begun, we waive the
discussion OF our own case until more season.
a BILE opportunity shall arrive. We had the pos
sible result OF this days proceedings fully in our
"mind's eye when on the second OF this month
we said in this paper:
"Wna, sacrifices 81 personal confer, what
cares. what labor. waal exer;ions We have made
~ ptrla ~ no lir1 N
marry and The rights THE country: and win ir79t
soleif,Ge ire hare spnaH In Lc.p fits ercat party
untfrd. il i not for a. to We have not
plea led every man. We have offended some with
oul intending il. We nave sought every fair and
honorable means u bind the pariy ro-eher.-
But ics hare fatlca n prap3iaiing some po,judiees
ctere mc tn MT hesitate 10 say Should hare se
ceeded"
"Have We not, then, the RICH, Of expressing our
opinions freely on the tariff. without reproach or
personal anilnadvefsion from any representative
oflhe people, although We are printers 10 Con-
gress2 They may sacrifice us, if they please
They NAV cut al our Office, il the" desire il. Il,
is their right, il is their duty TO regulate is pay
or The manner 81 executing The public work
We have no right 10 complain; but We pray Mr..
Brinkerhnfi and other memfers,o leave Us al least
our independence ant onr principles"
No vote oi Congress can affect that iniepen-
ience and those principles. We are sill free
men, and we mean 10 remain 50.
In accordance with public notice in the pa
pers OF the city, meeting Of The citizens of The
city Of Richmond was convened in The Concert
Room Of The Exchange Hotel, on Saturday eve
ming, 25lh inst.
On motion, Gen. Bernard Peyton was APP
pointed Chairman, and Col. Thomas B. Bigger,
Secretary The Chairman stated The Object for
which the meclng vas called. Messrs WIN. G..
Darlington and VIM. II. Macfarland then s-ve-
rally addressed ihe mrclirg after which Mr..
Darlington offered The following resolutions,
which. On motion were unanimously ajop,od:
Isl. Ee,n'rcl, That the citizens Of Richmond
here assembled, have seen with srea! pleasure
the announcement, that Convention IS 10 be
held II Charlotte Court House, on the i!!i day
Of August next, 10 consider the expedicncy Of es
labshng an improved line Of communication
between Eastern markets and the counties Of
Virginia lying on The upper Roanoke and lis
branches
End. Resolved, That inasmuch as The country
proposed 10 be especially benz fitted by The pro-
posed improvement is the great tobacco region
Of Virginia, and as Richmond has already be-
come The mnsr imHorlan, tobacco market Of the
STATE " sn0Hlu y l!!e oiJrCt W tHc 'cHsS ~ Tue
scheme 10 adopt Ia MODE improvement; which
will afori the creates; facility Tor Inc transpcr.
,atinn of tobacco ~ Richmond.
81. Restrict, That railioaG from Richmond
,o,he counties lying on he upper waters 81 the
Roanoke j. the mos practicable, economical and
efficient plan for The proposed Improvement
4lh. Resoircd, That as Richmond is almost
equally interested with he Roanoke country in
the construction Of such railroad, lis citizens
cordially respond 10 The invitation Of The Con-
ven,ion held al Farmville, on he 18th May, and
appon, the following gentlemen 10 represent the
city in The Charlotte Convention viz: VIM. G.
Darlington, VIM H. Nlacia rland, Chas F. Os-
borne R. B. Haxall H. l.. Kent, James Lyons,
John A. Lancaster, Joseph Mayo, Lewis Webb,
John s Caskic, J. r. Anderson. VIM S. Trip
leu, Ed. G. Darlington, Henry & Cabcil, A. +.
H. Clifford, James III Wckham, Thomas IL.
Ellis, Thomas J. Deaoe, Henry l.. Brooke, as.
Bosher, Wood Bouldin poiliauz Robinson, n.
NJ. Martin. Bernard Peyion, Thomas 3. Bigger,
Richard O Haskins.
The meeting then adjourned.
BERNARD PEYTON, Chairman.
TRoaAs 3. BIGGER, Secretary.