The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-01-19

ono.ea he publication OF ten thousand copies OF the
report Of the Secretary Of the Treasury on commerce and
nsvigston which will give about twenty copies TO each
district The amendment OF the gentleman from Missis
sippi reduces the number to 1--WE.
That the report is valuable. nasmuch il gives the
current history of the commerce Of the republic, s con
esdsd. There is department Of businesse that is
not interested in IT, whether agricultural manufacturing,
or Commercial.
line OF Information giving the current history OF the dit
feren departments OF the government and the different
interests Of the country affected by its administration,
~ 80 many pTeceps OF economy.
What gentleman IS there upon this floor who doubts, II
thorough practical history OF the navy, with its abuses
Consuming as Il does nearly third Of the national
reasuTe was laid before the freemen OF the republic,
that the expenditure would be cut down and the abuses
speedily corrected How long would the idle hangers
on who give no other evidence Of public service than the
introduction OF their hands into the public treasury and
periodically drawing thererom its contents to feed their
and reward their dleness remain IN the navy
under the title OF son leave OF absence" waiting
Sir look with more hope the wide diffusion of po-
ltcal information, correct the and abuses OF
business interests OF the naton than any other
and long as continue OF this Judgment shall vote
for this , and si%ilsT purposes Literally.
plumber Of this document printed at every session Of Con-
gress fourteen hundred and the usual number
was ten thousand: For his own part, he could
reason for reducing the number and he hoped the
amendment submitted by the honorable gentleman from
Illinois [Mr. MccLERNAEDl would not prevail He
surprsed 70 hear the honorable member from Mississippi
lMr. TH0MPs0Rl declare that It report in which
his constituents took interest whatever, and with
which they had no desire to be supplied He was the
surprised to hear this, because he conceived il
one Of the most important and useful documents which
emanated from any of the departments of the govern
ment; and he did not know from what other source
the constituents of the honorable member could derive
information to the annual export OF the great staple
Of their production. cotton, and the respective proper
tonsn which il was taken BY the different nations Of
alone, he believed, that the necessary facts and sta
tstcs be derived on that important subject, by
the people Of the State which the honorable member in
part represented, and certainly in this aspect if in
other, il was Of the highest importance to the whole
people Of the South But il not only in this aspect
that important that this document should be print
cd in larger numbers than was proposed BY the gentleman
from Illinois The Information and statistics which il
Embodied OF the deepest importance to the people OF
that reason should be extensively circulated or least
be generally distributed among them. The subjects OF
which treats have strong relation to every pursuit in
the country, and exered powerful influence for better
or for worse in every branch OF trade and industry
ried on amongst u.s. II was to this report we must look
for certain intelligence and official information to the
great subject Of annual exports and IMPORTS and the
general trade and commerce of the country with other
parts OF the world and in this view Of the matter, the
gentleman from Mississippi could not fail to perceive
how important il was to that system which they both ad
vocated, though with material difference OF opinion
s detashe meant the revenue system and tariff policy
OF the country He would further remark, in this
nexon, that he well remembered that, in the elaborate
reports of the late Secretary of the Treasury the most i'm
poant arguments which he advanced in support OF his
peculiar views this subject were statistical facts and
figures derived from this annual document; and what
might be thought of the which he had made OF
them was certain that no one could correctly under
stand that subject do justice to the consideration and
discussion of without the aid of the facts and the intel
lgence which these reports furnish in regard to it. III
psopoanded an inquiry to the Speaker when this sub
ect was before the House. whether would be in order TO
move amendment for printing an increased number Of
the amendment of the gentleman from Illinois would not
PREVAIL but that the House would order the printing OF
the extra number contemplated in the report Of the COM
Mr.. STANTON, Of Tennessee, said Mr. Speaker in
the promotion OF proper system OF economy, in this
lie service am perfectly ready and willing al ali times
most heartily to unite. But cannot with those
gentlemen who disposed to cura the number of this
was astonished to hear the gentleman from Misss-
sppi proclaim that this document is of interest TO his
Constituents In my judgment, it is one of the best and
merit consists in the fact that it is not book OF theories
speculatons, partisan reports OF any kind II is
book OF facts and hgurescontaining the most important
statistical misunderstanding complete statement OF all
the commerce OF this country with all other parts of the
world This information. il seems to me- if it be i'm.
he renem FROM from MssspG and 1S to nne Who Is
more deeply interested in Il, than the cotton planters
whose productions enter largely into the basis Of the
whole commerce OF the countryl
Upon the information contained in such documents as
these constructed all intelligent theories Of taxation
and in this government Ii is necessary a fair
and full understanding OF the operation OF the existing
tariff and to all reliable estimates conectures TO its
results in the future, and to the consequences oil any
proposed change. II measures not to be mere
experiments without lght-mere attempts at the estab
lishment OF wise and sautary system OF nancesthis
information is indispensable 10 the people, from whom
according TO the theory Of our government all legislation
proceeds
But sir, very simple statement will show that the
number Of copies proposed for this document is by no
means too large Divide 10000 among the thirty four
States and Territories, and you have less than 300 copies
for each. Divide these again among the counties in
each State, and you will have less than five copies for
each county am my friend from Mississippi could
not have considered the purPor OF his remark when the
inference results necessarily that he could not find FIVE
persons in each county Of his district who would be in
teresed in knowing the important facts contained in this
document My district is very similar 10 his, inhabited
chiefly by cotton planters. know shall have diff.
Guilty In dsposing Of the thirty forty copies which may be
assigned to me in the distribution make the inor
nation contained in them useful 10 the country
MIR. McCLERNAND (nterr,tpting) said he under
stood the Senate had ordered the printing OF 10000 extra
copies OF this document. This would give double the
number which the gentleman from Tennessee estimated
to each State and Territory.
Mr.. STANTON. Then have the example Of the
Senate in favor OF the proposition OF committee.
think that body shows Just appreciation OF its import
ance; and double the number will not in my judgment,
Mr.. TH0MPsoN, Of Mississippi, said be did no, wish
deprecne The document he knew that the people large
looked IT the aggregate and not at the details In that
respect the constituents Of the gentleman from Tennes
ZEE and his own were alike, and the gentleman need
claim no superiority for bis The details Of these sta
tsx~s ano~t shining