The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-17

And hope under the circumstances, that he will with
Mr. BORLAND Il is not my purpose to urge the adop-
tion OF my amendment prepared u win view 70 nc
compish very nearly what the senator from Massachu-
seits proposes TO accomplish. although do not exactly
Mr. DAVIS OF Massachusetts,. propose to amend
so that il shall be satisfactory II the senator will allow
me, will read the amendment propose 70 offer:
Provided houeper That all printing except the blank
tables shall executed under provisions the existing
aud the Census Board shall have charge Of printing the
" Mr.. BoRLAND. shall not press my amendment; but
am willing that the Senate should vote upon il without
any remarR from me.
[Mr. B. then addressed question to Mr. DAVIS. which,
together with the RESPONSE lost to the Reporter, in
conseq uence OF The confusion the subsequent remarks
however may indicate the nature OF the question:
Mr. DAVIS, OF Massachusetts,. have not made any
proposition Of that Sort but shall have proposition in
regard 10 II when come TO that subject II has been
passed upon in committee and when Il comes into the
Senate after the report OF the committee of the whole
is made, suppose il will come properly before
Mr.. BORLAND. You observe that il does not restrict
the payment for printing the blanks for those are ex
empted from the operation OF the act That is what OBJ
MI. DAVIS. Of Massachusetts II leaves that with
the Census Board
y Mr.; BORLAND. But suppose that this amendment is
OF the loud talking in the obbes.] These being now
proposed, and not included in the law of Congress- they
are printed a different rule, and not under contract
Z Mr.. DAVIS, oil Massachusetts. Will the senator al
low me momentl My reason for retaining this in the
hands Of the Census Board is this do not think will
be thrown into any confusion, in the one alternative
the other The Census Board has purchased,
stated when the subject up BEFORE amount OF pa
per adapted to THESE tables which is entirely easy
obtain lnasmuch rs they have done it. and nasmuch
as will appear by the letter. by and by, when il shalt be
read that the tables have been sereotyped think it ad
vlsabe, whatever form the tables may take that they
should go on That is the view take OF t-hat there
IS proprley In giving ltintO their hands.
Mr. BORLAND resumed That explanation re-
moves some Of my objection but does not avoid all the
difficulty Very considerable expense must occur il these
there remark of the from Massachusetts
which calls Tor word in reply from me, upon point
though not Immediately connected with the subject yet
bearing upon IT, II is in reference to the public printing
The Senate will excuse me il seem to be somewhat
sensitive upon the subject; for upon the committee
which is indirectly charged with the delay Gentlemen
speak of the delay OF the public printing
Mr. DAVIS, Tin his seal.) Not consciously
Mr. BORLAND No. sir bat still the TACT OF delay is
spoken OIL And beg leave to the attention OF the Senate
connexon with the delay in printing the California
message OF the President OF the United States ascer-
tanned this morning that among the causes OF delay was
this that the President in his answer TO that call has
among other strange matter. in four maps il is
for 10 say, how far II proper Tor him, upon
mere call for information in regard 10 his instructions
specting California, 10 send such matter mention il 10
show that not only could il not be done in this time,
but that there is telling when it will be done. We
have no charge OF the engraving Of maps, aad yet here
can be completed The mays are also to be printed and
when this will be done. and when get al the in,
formailon know not Where. then, is the justice to
charging them with delay which has arisen from
Cause which they have control, and which
not answer any useful purpose
Alr. UNDERWOOD do not intend TO go into any
remarks upon subject OF the Presidents California
message and the accompanying maps out will say, sir,
that the delay IN printing has been most unaccountabie
know that other senators have. with great frequency
and even IN very little things. resolution offered by
me was sent sometime ago to the public printers, and II
has not been returned yet. hope my friend IRON Ar
give his attention to the matter, and have remedied.
Mr.. SMITH. rise to point Of order.
Mr uNDERWooD. | am not gong to discuss that
matter. IL came up incidentally and pending the amend
ment brought up by the senator from Arkansas, Mr.
BoRLAsD,l who proposed TO take away the printing OF
all the compendiuus that may hereafter be made OF the
seventh census and to give them to the congressional
printers instead OF giving them to the lowest bidder wish
TO state facts which grow out OF the printing caused
By the taking o the SIKH which will show the
necessity on The present occasion oil adopting some GER
tam rule BY that act which required the printing OF the
compendiums OF the SIKH census, len thousand copies
were ordered, and ordered 10 be printed by the
public printers BY an act oi Congress subsequently
passed, twenty thousand copies We're ordered TO be
printed under the direction OF the Secretary OF State
The Secretary gave the job to Thomas Allen, without
making any contracts, and without fixing any rates.
For pntng the twenty thousand copies of the compen
diam for the sixth census Mr.. Allen claimed about
si30 900. and brought bill for that amount, which is
$4,000 OF that amount have been paid by appfo.
patlon OF Congress- leaving something than S2O,
700 slill claimed.
Ia the act making the appropriation OF the fifteen thou
sand dollars, there proylso that nothing therein
contained should be construed To inlure the validity OF
the remaining portion OF the clam. All that has grown
out OF the oo.eness OF legislation and design IN this
bill that should give such specific directions as that
there can be evasion misunder stsndng-tha there
shall be difficulty hereafter settling the bills OF
these printers, whoever tney may be. With that view
have drawn amendment, differing but little perhaps from
that OF the chairman OF the Committee the Census, Mr.
DAVIS My amendment declares that " the contracts
Tor printing shall be given 10 the lowest bidder" prefer
this, sr. because brings IN general competition; pre-
Ter to leaving the amount OF the price be computed
by any rule which Congress may hereafter apply to the
performance of the congressional printing do know,
since te repeal OF the act of lse regulating that subject
that have adopted any specinc directions egua
ting the pnce OF public printing There may be reg
ulaon, but do not know oil any prefer leavdg II 10
open advertisement and the lowest bidder, requiring
tract That is sufficient guaranty that shall get the
printing done well, and at the proper time.
Mr. SMITH. am very reluctant 10 make any
MARKS upon the subject the honorable senator ftom
Arkansas, Mr.. BoRLAsD,1 though he made the sugges
uo says that he does not propose TO urge this amend
meni upon the Senate. Al the same time will sImply
remark, without assigning my reasons al any length,
that II this amendment were adopted proposed BY the
senator, IN my opln this preliminary printing would not
be accomplished during the present year.
There two classes OF printing 10 be provided Tor
The rst IS the preparatory printing The second is the
printing OF what is ordinarily denominated the census
In regard TO the preliminary printing, is necessary that
gress passed When will be passed through the two
houses of Congress IN than | able TO say. We
the middle OF March Il has TO be printed and
The blanks sent all over this country and sent to the ter