The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-17
FRIDAY, MARCH IT, ls4s.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The journal having been read

The House proceeded to the consideration of the re-
port OF the Committee on Printing, recommending the
OF the report of the Commissioner of Patents and ten
thousand copies of the whole report; fifteen hundred of
the former and five hundred OF the latter be delivered
10 The Commissioner OF Patents for the OF the Patent
Office; also recommending the binding of the whole
NUMBER at cost Of about fourteen cents per copy
Mr. JONES, OF Tennessee. moved to amend the
sand &c.
Amongst other considerations which he adduced in
favor OF his amendment, Mr. J. said II order the
number recommended by the committee there is no know
ing when we shall receive them He remembered that
when the House ordered the printing OF the last report
from the Commissioner of Patents the copies ordered
at their homes; and, if the number recommended
should be ordered he believed that the next session
the order could be completely filled. He admitted that
this was document sought for by the people more than
any other, and stated that hitherto he had always voted
Mr. CONGER went into an explanation to show that
there had been reduction of about one-thrd OF the
of matter originally proposed to be printed in this
report and that upon this reduction the cost of each copy
would be reduced to about twenty three cents, and that
the aggregate cost would not be above forty thousand
dollars
In relation the remark of the gentleman from Ten.
nessee, he admitted that some considerable time
elapse before the work could be delivered 1t was be-
You'd all doubt that the large number of copies ordered
could not he devcred within few days, few weeks
perhaps; but the printer had assured the Committee on
Printing, that he would Immediately about putting the
matter in type, and very he would be able begin
deliver the reports But there the binding which
it also proposed 10 be odered and that circumstance
confident however, 1t should be the pleasure of the
House to order the whole number proposed, that we
would have every copy OF the document before the close
OF the session
In relation to the expense of this work. MIR. C. showed
that the last report for 1855 copies, cost the OF
S7s 497; and that now the committee recommend the
printing of than twice this number and the print
ing is obtained at about half the expense OF printing the
last report.
T., H..
that, as novel proceeding Yet there was much that
might be said in favor OF bndng and the committee had
acted in this matter upon what had been expressed and
they understood to be the general wish of the country,
There was some diversity of opinion with the committee
as to the number Of copies of the work which should be
ordered Yet. Judging from the general demand for the
work throughout the whole country, majority OF the
committee had supposed that hundred thousand copies
would not equal lie demand So they were Of opinion
that the money which the work il 10 cost large the
sum must be, will be well laid out.
Mr.. SMITH, of Illinois, expressed himself in favor of
= the report as it came from the committee He admitted
that great deal of money useessy spent in print
ing but the report of the Commissioner Of Patents
one OF the most valuable documents emanang from Con-
gess and as Tar as his constituents concerned he
knew was more Zeaously sought for than any public
document printed by the order Of either branch Of Con-
gssf ne also rs, thought thought well Of the in
printing, IT was worth preserving and 1t would look
much neater with cover on it. He should be satisfied
but, when the question should be taken on the motion
by the gentleman from Tennessee, he desired full
House, and the yeas and NAYS.
Mr. MARVIN should oppose the printing Of this ex-
aordinary number Of copies were not for the consider
alton that they are every one to be bound He
ganhed TO learn from the chairman OF the Committee on
Printing, lMr. CoNGrR, that, notwithstanding the prop
oston to print nearly double the number OF the last
report the cost not to extend to than about
every volume Of the present order shall be bound The for
rdocumen valuable as i'll calculated to be
has s sua t ne good
receive them from the hands of the operator. One
which wa. sent to him last year the second time he
opened it. it fell to pieces. And here he would be per
mited TO state that when shall have published
the large number now proposed, they will not be
than as drop to the ocean, compared with the vast
report among the farmers Of the country Hence they
should be put forth in condition such that they
know what to do with half the number falling to
his share if they TO come to him, without bind
ing, as heetofore but receiving them proposed,
public librarian, and on the shelves Of every common
school library in our several districts And Mr. M found
by calculation, that the whole number proposed would
only be sufficient for this purpose far the State OF
New York is concerned The same remark would ap-
ply to the New England, and perhaps many Of the west
era States na dhs binding them EN- in chsap and strong
distribute the benefit of the information contained in the
work so as that it would be within the reach of every
individual in the country He felt assured for one, that
the government had and would spend money
that would well subserve the public interest this
Mr. M continued his remarks against the motion to
that he should be little than able to satisfy the
wing demands for this work. coming from those who had
already actually written to him this subject
Mr.. LAHM said he did not wish to consume much of
the time of the House in speaking the subject of print
ing the report of the Commissioner of Patents He, how
ever felt it due to his constituents that he should ex-
press his concurrence with the of gentlemen who
advocated the printing of the larger number His district
was emphacay an agricultural one, which would readi
ly be conceded when he stated that point in his
county, there is wheat sold from the farmers wag
than at any other in the Union This fact is evil
denced by the agricultural statistics OF the county Sir,
sad Mr. I'D we print an extra number of great vare
ty OF documents at 4 large expense to the government
yet nearly all of them political documenssucha as are
sent to- and sought after by, the politicians OF the coun
try. SUCH to great extent is the Presidents message
and documents and such the character of most of the
documents which emanate from this hail. and go to the
people. But, SIR this is document which interests the
agricultural interests of the Countrywide farmers of our
respective distrctsthat portion OF the people who do
most to keep the wheels of government in motion-he
real bone and snew of the country And sir there are
demands for this document than any other that EN-
anates from this hall have had letters requesting
1t, than have had for any other and shall therefore
vote for the largest number The argument of the
gentleman from Tennessee mr. JoNEs had no influence
on his mind True aid Mr. L. he should prefer to have
this report laid upon tables during the present session
but II even all the numbers not he still should vote
Tor the printing The information embodied in this re-
port is always valuable; and whether goes the peo
PIE me coming, or subsequent summer, it will still be
kindly received and accomplish the objects intended
MT VlNION If this document is really valuable
noeunent | am willing TO vote the forty thousand dol