Lewisburg chronicle, and West Branch farmer. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1850, 1850-03-20
Washington, March IL.

Patent Otbce Report.
Washington, March IL.
The House resumed the consideration OF
the motion to reconsider The vote by
which the House laid on the table the re-
port Of the Committee Of Printing to print
one HUNDRED thousand copies Of the repor.
Of The Commissioner Of Patents.
Mr.. venable, (Dem.) opposed hook ma
king by Congress. as wrong from begin
ming 10 end. !. was not the purpose for
which men were sent here.
Mt. John A. King, (whig,) vas in favor
Of publishing larger edition than ever Of
the report. Much had been done for COM
meroe and manufactures, but little or no.
thing for the great farming interest.
Mr.. Saw,elIe, (dem } Of Maine, said that
four.fiilhs Of the population Of the country
are agriculruralis,s. Heretofore, nearly
all printing done has been for the CONNER.
ciaI and manufacturing interests, ,and it was
no more than right that the largest mum.
ber Of the reror, be printed for farmers.
Mr.. Woodward. (dem.) Of South Caro-
lima, denied that this was report. II was
an abs,rac, treatise on abstract sciences and
philosophy. He wi he'd the Commissioner
to send the right kind Of rspor,-somethiog
practical ant roi speculative.
Mr.. CASEY. ! desire to make a few
remarks in answer 10 The objections that
have been urged sgains, the consideration
Of the vote upon this resolution. And |
shall vote for it, with an entirely different
object 10 view, than that entertained and ex.
pressed by the gentleman from Maryland,
CMr. McLane. He appears 10 think tha,
there is danger Of increasing the patronage
Of members upon this 6oor. and that it may
be exercised for improper or unworthy pur-
poses. The geutIeman's objection proceeds
upon the ground, that gentlemen will dis
tribute this document exclusively TO mem
bers Of their own political party, and that
The other people of,he districts, will BE de-
barred from any participation in the bene
fits Of this public expenditure. What has
been the common or general prac:lc among
members upon this subject can not say,
but can speak for my own district, which
has been, for the last FIVE years, represen.
ted by an able gentleman, Hon. James
Pollock who occupied seat on this side
Of The hail. and you will find in that dis
,rict sir. this Patent Oflice Report in the
possession of members Of both parties
Wings and Democrats alike have enjoyed
there the advantage o. ii. Copies have been
sent, sir. 10 those, who, it was believed,
would make gooi use Of them, TO the im-
provement Of their farms and stock, and
the advancement, Of Tie great interests Of
agriculture in their vicinity and community.
Another objection urged is. that it can
not be distributed to all, and therefore con.
cludes, that none ought TO have it. Why,
asks the gentleman from North Carolina.
lMr. venab'e, should one man have the
report ;- r--e-.---. 80 ."~s''o' au'
swer, there is none in the world, except
that it would be utterly impracticable to
publish and distribute so large a number.
But, because every voter does not receive
a copy of this report. j, does not follow
that they derive no advantage from it. So
far, sir. from this being the case, the very
opposite is true. OF the Information OBJ
tanned through this book-any improve
mens in farming. in raising stock. in Sc
lecting or preparing seeds, bringing into
use improved agricultural implements. pre-
pairing and selecting manures, or OF any ol
the endless and important improvements
suggested in the d,tfsren, reports from this
Patent Office-the benefit is not confined
to the single farmer himself but the en-.
tire community county or district. in which
he lives, derive advantage. Besides, sir
farmers are social people, and Que Of these
books, sent into a neighborhood, instead o.
remaining in the house Of the person te
whom il is sent, travels round the entire
community, and every man who wishe.
can see and read il, and derive advantage
from il.
Nor do think The argument, that it l.
not the legitimate business Of Congress Il
make books for the people-to undertake
public educa,ion-hss any more force.
do not mink that it would do any harm te
any of our constituents. 10 have good, solid
practical Information. upon subject init
mately connected with the best interests
and prosperity of the country, and thai. 100
al the expense Of the Government which
they maintain and support. Your farming
interests comprise nearly eighty per cent
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