The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-21

a M
On motion Of Mr. DRoMGooLE the eommit.,
rose and reported the resolution TO the House with
out amendment. =
And the question being on ordering the resolution
| 10 third reading
Mr., DRoMGooLE demanded the previous quss.
ton.
There a second, The main question was Or
dered and being taken, was decided la the affirmative
The bill was read third time,
And the question being on It's passage,
Mr. BRlNKERHoFF demanded the previous
| question.
There was a second. And the main question was
| ordered 10 be now taken.
| Mr.. BAYLY said that an this was the FIRST law
which had been passed having retrospective op-
Grafton, he would ask the yeas and nays, which
were ordered
Mr.. GEORGE S. HOUSTON asked to be .,.
cused from voting on the joint resolution from the
Senate proposing regulate and reduce the price OF
the public printing and wished to give his reasons
for il.
Mr. IL. said, when the present printers were
elected the law fixed their compens alton for print
Dg; and he regarded their election and acceptance
Of the Office Of public printers positive contract
with them that they should receive for their labor
the price established by law until Congress should
think proper TO change it, That contract then, ap-
Piled 10 and controlled the price OF the work which
| they had performed under IT; and he considered il
repudiai0a in its most odious form for us now 10
refuse payment But for this he would be glad to
vote for the resoutoni and had IL been so amended
TO have given IL prospective operation and abol-
shed its retroactive character, lac would have sus
tanned and supported it cordially. Mr.. III. said he
regarded public as well private faith as sacred.
and far Il had been pledged in this case he fe
bound TO redeem the obligation. This was viola
ting-aganst the will Of one Of the paries-a posi-
tive contract, and he could not give IL his sanction
Under these circumstances IL was difficult for him TO
vote on the resolution without placing himself in a
false position, and giving forth false Impression az
to his real sentiments. 1.-The voted for Il he would
seem to be unmndful Of the public faith, soemnly
plighted, which he did not feel willing 10 do
| IL he voted against Il, he would seem TO be
ayerse TO a proper reduction in the price of
the public printing, which was far from Ms incl-
nation. For, as before remarked, he would willing.
ly vote for the resolution IL made to operate upon
work yet TO be done. We had undoubted right 70
do that II we should reduce il too low, the public
printers could resgn--abandOn the eoniraet-and no
one would be to blame. IT. however, we reduced
the price Of that which had been done they had no
redress len them. We may not only take from
them all Of their profits upon past labor, but we
may (f this principle be corect) take from them
their entire compensation and receive their labor
and materials absolutely for nothing.
Mr.. III. said they had not the power to abandon
the contract as far as past work is onserned. The
contract as 10 that has been executed, and we now
have the same right to make il extend back to an
other Congress TO the first Of this Congress nor
had we the power to reinstate them and put them
where they were before they performed any part Of
the printing. He, therefore, respectfully asked Of
the House to be excused from voting. He did not
make this request with view TO practice las is too
often the CASEY fraud upon the House or any Of
its rules. He said he never had been guilty Of such
conduct, and never would be. He made the motion
in good faith, and after las he thought he had done)
giving TO the House good reasons, he hoped to be
excused.
The House refused to accuse him.
MIR. MCDOWELL, Of Ohio, asked to be excused
from voting, on the ground that the resolution was
unconstitutional.
Mr.. Med. having assigned his reasons, withdrew
his motion.
pass" was then taken and resulted as follows
YEAs-Messn Abbott John Quincy Adams, Adm.
son Bell Benton Bisgs. James Black blanchard, Boyd
Brinksrhea. Milton Brown, Bonng,On william W. Camp
Clarke, Collin, cranston. CroIier Cullom Cummin.
Garrett Davis, De Mott, Dillingham;. Dixon Dobbin Dock
Foot Gentry Goodyear Gordon. Graham, Grider Grin
s s,il Grover Hamlin Hampton Harper Henlsy Hog.
bard, Hudson, Hungerord James Hunt Jenkins Jsmss
X Johnson; Andrew Johnson. George w. Jones, Dan.
MccleaSd sR MScn. Mssss sscS.
Henry Meilysins MsK.y Marsh, Miller: Morris. Moss
Ritter, Roberts. Julius Rockwell. John A Roekwsi
s sank sIwysr seaman Severance. Simpson, Truman
asson, Benjamin Thompson, James Thompson. JACOB,
Thompson, Thurman, Til5en Trumbo, Vance. vinlon,
wse Sa White Wick, wilnO' Wood. Wright Young
NAYs-Messrs. stephen Adams, Ashnup Bsyiy, Bed
Brown, Burt, Augustus A. Chapman, Chapman. Cobb
Cunningham. Douglass. Dunlap Fsran, Fickiin. Fres
Houston Ednpna @ a ass Hunter e SsSs:
lngersoll, Joseph r. lngerso Kaufman La serr Levin
Barclay Martin Morse Norris Pheip. Piaburx Rs
sswtelle soammon, seldom Alexander d sims Leonsri
Wentworth, Williams. Woodruff woodward and wood
worth-Sa - 0
So the resolution passed in the following
form, to wit:
Rs'siSra ~ tie snat. and Hoa. Of Representative. Of "a.
United STATES Of fzeea in Csasrets asse.bied That from
two houses Of Congress shall be subject to the following
communicated both houses Of Congress shah =. order
ed TO be printed BY the Senate the Secretary ascertain
ed by the House OF Representares ana n so the cpns,
Ordered s the senate shall be Supplied the printer tohs
ior composition: and any such message report or
e. hs ito 2 e printed b the HOUSE
printed BY the senate and So the copies ordered bs the
charge for . g. a1s.s sAs and
should an additional number OF eopes OF any such doeu
by the printer the house which first ordered The printing
The document and for which compensation Tor com
the purpose Of despatch any other cause II shaI be- ne
eessay to fulfil any order for printing Of either house Of
any document which had been previously ordered TO be
the on contingent expenses Of the house
making such order may direct that such be AMIN
composed or put into type; in which case composition
shall be charged and allowed And from the Commence
ment Of the present session Of Congress all printing order
rd either house OF Congress- where the number Of COP
les do not exceed Ave thousand shall be paid for al re
compensation not exceeding twenty per ceutm less
than the ies fixed and established by joint resolution
eighteen hundred and ninsteen and when the number
Of copies shall exceed FIVE thousand the oempenation
shan not exceed and onehrd per cenum less
sal fe;ul
een bundled and nineteen And when the committed on
contingent expenses OF either house shall direct second
composition to execute order for printing the printing
shall be done by the printer house making ueh or
GER and when any order for printing requires maps or
quarts me same shah be obtained under direction Of the
commRtee on contingent expenses Of the house making
SUCH orer end al expenses FOR priatne shall be pa from
ne contingent fund Of the two houses each payng
ior the printing ordered by IL except the expense al com
portion which shah be paid by the house whch hrst or
the document or PsPer 20 Re printed and il there
shan be second eonposiion. Il sha be paid for br The
whose eoniiiee on contingent expenses shall su
thorte and direct the and whea extra uon;e of sny
document shall be epera hy hsA hoases ~ The ssms
are executed by the Srfssrr tie COMES shs h. 5clr
"A ha,ax So