The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-07


10 O00 with the accompan ordered
to be printed for the use Of the Senate.
And the Senate adjourned.
House OF Repre- scntatIves.
TUESDAY, December 8, 1SiS.
The members OF the House, having drawn seats yes
terdsy, this nor ming before the hour of meeting
engaged in clearing out the rubbish from the desks
Subsequently, they sat down to read the morning
papers. Occasionally, honorable gentlemen would
show their faces for the rst time this session and OF
course they were welcomed with rie ha TO hos
ptable seats. When the roll called yesterday
Delaware bad no representative. but now the dele
cation was present in body in the person of Mr..
few persons in the galleries.
The SPEAKER took the chair at ~ O'Clock, and called
the House to order wtsn
The Clerk read the journal OF Monday.
THE PRESIDENTS RESPONSE.
Mr.. WENTWORTH, from the joint committee ap-
pointed for the purpose reported that they had waited
upon the Preside of the Uuted States informed
him that Congress had assembled, and were prepared
to receive any cor munication which he mirbt b,
pleased TO make and that he had requested them to
return for answer, that he win transmit message
day, at IL o'clock.
On motion Of MIR. THOMPSON, of Pen nsyvapia a
resolution was adopted, that the Clerk furnish the
members such newspapers as they may order, not to
exceed at the rate Of thirty dollars per annum
LAND WARRANTS.
MIR. SAWYER gave notice Of his intention to intro
duce bill relative to land warrants and for other
purposes.
POSTAGE.
Mr.. GoGeIN gave notice of his intention to intro
duce bill TO reduce the rates of postage newspa-
letters and to regulate and the abuse
OF the franking privilege.
Letters, ) alf ounce less. Ave cents uniformly;
double for every additional half ounce. Newspapers
1900 square inches half cent any distance 500
square inches, fourth of a cent
On motion Of MIR. HESLY, it resolved that the
standing committees be appointed Accord g to the
orders OF the House.
J.. KNOX WALLER, Esq, the private secretary of the
President of the United States, appeared at the
door with package under his arm. Towards him
all eyes were now directed.
LAND Observation-Disclosures.
Mr.. GREELEY gave notice Of his intention to intro
ducs a bill to discourage specuations in the public
lands and to encourage the attainment OF homesteads
by actual settlers.
MESSAGE.
Mt HOMER, the door keeper, announced message
from the President Of the United States. Then
Mr. WALKER, the secretary bowed, and said:
have been directed by the President of the United
States to deliver to the House of Represe utatves
and, having reached the Speaker delivered the pack,
age into his hands. The seal was broken.
There cries all the hall, Read" Read,n
Read,
The sArAxrR at eight minutes past twelve O'Clock,
laid the message before The House.
Pages gathered all the extra chairs, and placed them
In the AREA on which members sat to listen to the
reading by the Clerk He had not proceeded far before
there was sudden desertion of nearly all the seats
and gentlemen sprapg towards a dozen of the pages
Who held in their haudz copies of the messsge-the
Union Eaba. The grab game was briskly carried
for few seconds much to the annoyance of the less
anxious representatives. The clerk meantime, con-
MIR. TALLMApGE arose" Stop a moment, Mr. Clerk;
stop moment!n evidently desiring to restore order
The SPEAKER raped repeatedly with his hammer
MIR. TALLMspGE-I would ask that the pages hard
copies Of the message to members while they remain in
their seats e. Agreed Agreed" here, boy, give q
copy" give me one quick" &c)
MIR srErHrNs.I move that the further reading of
the message be dispensed with. G. No, no. 40, air."
go op," read "Iead,n" read 1T ~
The SrEaKER-The reading can be dispen sed with by
unanimous consent. e. Go on" "rsad,n ready
Members will come to order and take their seats Crap,
rapD
Gentlemen having all supplied themselves with copie.
Of the message respectively resumed their places, and
the Clerk proceeded to read He interrupted by
Mr.. HASKELL, who midas every member has copy
in his hands, ind the reading will consume the en-
tire day move that the further readn be dispensed
with (Ihat is, the reading of eleven of the twelve
columns)
The SprAKER-T If there be no objection the reading
viii be dspented with. f. Go op," go on,'' read"
ready
MIR viSroN remarked that he believed the reading
81 The Presidents message had never been dispensed
with any eccasion and that If it should nov be |
etonei would be considered dsrespectfu e. Go on"
The CLERK cleared bis throat and after a aboriou,
vocal exercise Of two hours and ten minutes, COM
pleted the reading of the message.
Mr. BAoDHEAp offered a resoutou-That the mes
sage OF the President be referred to the COMMITTEES of
the Whole on the state of the Union snd that fifteen
thousa copies Of the same he printed for the USE
OF the House He said that this was the usual mum.
ber printed at the last session. and that he had not
provided for printing the message without the docu-
ments as 1t would he presented to the publ through
Inc newspaper press (Cries Of Question: ques- |
ten thousand copies. Even this would be much |
larger number than was necessary as every one knew
many copies would as heretofore, be wasted.
Mr. CoNcER suggested that. under the law, all |
motions to PRINT extra copies must be referred to the
Commtie on Printing c'rbere is no committee yet'D
MIR SMITH farther observed, that, during the last |
tesfion there was prevalent desire to obtain iufor-
mstion about the war, and hence large numbers
printed but now there Is not n similar desire for the
public documents. He repeated, that he was satisfied
ten thousand copies would supply every man in the !
country who really wishes to read the message and
nj Da had nnha tNndI
that documents ordered during the last session had
not yet been printed and judging from this fact nc
clote Of this session.
MIR Cor referred to the third section Of the law,
showing that all motions to print extra copies of bills
reports and documents, must be referred to the Com
mittee Printing to inquire into the prop-iety OF
pr nting extra copies, aud the probable expense.
The SPEAKER expressed his opinion that, notwith-
standing the law referred to. the House, by the
stitntion had the right to control its
The question was taken, and, by vote of-ayes 6s,
noes 20 the motion Of Mr. Smith was disagreed TO.
MIR. HENLy- understand that a motion has been
made to refer the subject to the Committee Printing
The SpsAKrR-No such motion has been made
Mr.. HrSLy-Tbere Is . law, and understood the
gentleman from New York to read from it.
on Printing would be In order; but the chair decides
that law be made superior TO that clause Of the
constitution which gives to the Honse the right to
gulate its proceedings
MIR. EVANS of Maryland moved that the House ad.
journ, but the motion did not prevail.
The SPrAKER-Tne gentleman from Indiana does not |
rfopoe to refer that portion Of the resou,ion which
refers the Committee of the Whole to the Committee
oplPiintirg e. oh no ~ "Of course not ~
The question was taken aud the message and ON.
papypg Documents we're referred to the Committee Of
the Whole on the state of the Union.
The questo stated on the motion of Mr. HcNLy, |
when he asked for the yeas and nays, and said that
Congress had undertaken pass law to regulate the
public printing. IL was, in his opinion very impor-
ah question as large Of money was In.
VOWED Congress- after mature elaboration, passed |
law to carry into effect great system and to prevent
tStraordinary numbers Of copies of doc from
being printed without examining into the propriey
OF large editions Therefore In the 1t was
that a motions for extra numbers shall be referred to
the COMMITTEE on Printing for consideration Let the
law be respected linen bers do not intend TO be go
verned by the law, repeal It.
1he yeas and nays were not ordered, and ually !
fee Thousand copies of the Presidents Message and
printed.
Tho House, after q session Of two hours and half