The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-11
CORNER MISS ING
THE UNION.

debate in Committee OF the Whole the state of the
Union the bill for the admission OF the State of Wis
consin shall be terminated at O'Clock, p. m, of this
day, if the committee shall not a conclusion pre-
vious to that time.
PROPOSALS FOR BINDING
Mr.. MCKAY rose 10 his privilege motion (Which was
filed last week. tor the reconsideration OF the vote by
which the House adopted the resolution from the Com
mee Accounts authorizing the Clerk TO receive pro-
posals for binding the report of the Commissioner Of
Patents.
The resolution was then read by the Clerk
Mr. HENLEY said the resolution proposed what IN
his judgment not in the power OF the House 10 do
This he intended TO show, and also to submit remarks
on the utility OF the contract SYSTEM as applied now
to the public printing lie would show that there had
been vast saving in the expenses for public printing
The SPEAKER arrested the remarks on the subject Of
the printing of the House. and reminded the gentleman
from Indiana that it related TO binding only
Mr.. HENLEY said he was replying to The remark In
this debate, that nothing had been gained BY the late con
The SPEAKER said the gentleman might reply 10 an
assertion by way of assertions but any debate upon the
q%e HENnFE YOU'D en 'ea that hs price Of the
printing done by the present contractors, according
Ia the rates heretofore paid to Ritchie Hess, would
have amounted to one hundred and nlnety-hye thousand
dollars; and that. according to the rates paid to Gales
Seaon the amount would have been three hundred and
sixty thousand dollars But now, under the contract
with Wendell Van Benthuysen, the work will be done
for one hundred and hiryhve thousand doars-operat
ing to effect saving upon the work by Richie n
Heiss of one hundred and sXty-hve thousand dollars
upon work by Gales ~ OF TWO hundred
and twenty five thousand dollars. These precisely
the amounts that have been saved IN dollars and cents,
upon the amount of work which will probably be called
! for BY the present Congress.
| The SPEAKER now nterposed and said the gentle
mans remarks were out OF order.
| MIR. HENLEY replied that we were pronouncing upon
resolution which to take from the printers part OF
their contract and he should regret very much be pre-
vented from his course OF remark by which he might
vndicate the printers from the charge that their work,
their paper and type were evy way inerior-and dis
1proy he ass WOud not
the contract These assertions had been made, and
he hoped gentlemen would not persist in denying the
Mr. GREGORY would ask the gentleman from In
DIANA whether he had looked the for printing,
to see whether il includes the binding
| Mr. HENLEY. have.
Mr. GREGORY have too and say the binding is
no part of the contract
Mr. HENLEY. Well, assert that it is part Of the
contract and the Speaker would not distinguish between
assertion and argument, would proceed to the proof
After pause, Mr. H. proceeded to ask il the usage oil
the House, for series OF years. based upon the report OF
committee of the House. was not as binding in practice
as any law of The land could be? He then read from the
report of of the House committees, made the 18th
Of February, 1871, recommending that the binding for
Congress should continue to be executed by the printer
and stating that such had then been the usage OF Con-
gress for twelve years This report, he said,
CURED in by the House; and he considered that the
binding became to the public printer as a vested right
which could not be taken from him but by positive law
Mr. ii. continued and said this practice had been con
Cured in now for nineteen years Il was also told tt
|
fore the bids made, that the binding an Incl
dent the contract; and he read from sundry papers
establish this assertion Where did these officers ge
their authority to give the instructions 1t was obtained
from the law, the usage OF the House and of the Senate
How, them possible to take away from the printers
any part of their contract without their consent
Mr. H then desired permission oil the House to pro
coed with reference to the manner IN which the printing
II The SPEAKER said the gentleman could not proceed
MT STEPHENS objected,
| Mr. STEPHENS insisted
| Mr. HENLEY 1t was strange that the rules had al
at become so stringent that he could not be allowed
to reply to an assertion made IN the course OF this de
the paper used by the printers, instead of being in
feror, had been asserted really superior in quail
ity, and Of higher price, than that used heretofore
| Mr. STEPHENS again rose to order
Mr. HENLEY then gave way, hoping, he said, tha
the subject might be again referred as to allow tn.
fullest opportunity Tor examination.
the Committee Accounts to report this resolution il
the first place. showing that matters STOOL the House
had to pay double profits on the binding He objected no
to the contract sysem-he had been in favor OF it
but if we act upon the system, it is proper that we should
make it available for the purposes of economy for which
Mr. STArRKWEATHER denied that the binding wa.
an incident to the printing contract
| Mr. COBB, of Georgia, (Mr. 5. giving wayD inquired
of the gentleman whether had not been the nvarabt
practice to allow the printers to contract for the binding
and whether at the time they entered into the contract they
were not expected to abide by the practice of the House
and whether they had not right to understand that il
carried along with it the binding OF Congress He would
ask further whether the printers had not already made
their arrangements for the binding and whether, if these
arrangements be nfringed upon Congress will not be
bound to pay the damages' whether we shall not incur
much greater expense by pursuing such course thar
the amount of the saving proposed?
| Mr.. STARkWEATHER resumed He had said here
tofore that he believed there might be effected saving Of
S. 900 year by taking the binding into hands
He had said, ALSO that it was not the purpose OF the CON-
if they would work cheap and well others. II
the printers have not already contracted for this binding
he submitted whether it not competent for the
House to apply the contract system to the binding
they have contracted the House ought to sustain them
in it.
Mr.. STEPHENS demanded the previous question,
which sustained; and under It's force the resolution
was reconsldered.
Mr. MCKAY moved to refer the resolution again to the
Committee Accounts with instructions to inquire
whether any understanding implied contract had been
entered into for binding by the printers He read from
letter from the Clerk of the House to the printers rea
ton to binding of certain documents; but
| The SPEAKER arrested the reading, not in order.
Mr.. CONGER desired to amend the instructions by
further instrucng the committee to report the resolutions
which he sent up; and which were read, as follows:
Resolved, That the Committee Printing be- and they
hereby authorized and instructed enter into
with Messrs. Wendell Il Van Benthuysen, public printers
for the execution OF all binding which has been ordered
ma hereafter be ordered by this House which contract
shall remain force for and during the continuance OF the
under which the said printers executing
the public printing provided such be entered
with said Wendell d Van Benthuysen favorable
terms offered by any other individuals.
Resolved, That the Committee Printing IN pursuance
OF the contained in the foregoing resolution, do
report this House, the earliest practicable day their