The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-06-08

Demanded. and when he perceived thai the
already detailed made Il Impossible for him procure adj
formed the honorabe chairman Of the senaiss Commee
on Public Printing who had most literally addressed him
he put within the power Of The abrogaie the
contract and make whatever arrangements might be
done haI the contractor been led 10 believe om time
TO me by certain movements made IN the Senate, that
he has therefore delayed until The present time addressing
your honorable bodies But definite movement has
upon him Is becoming every day greater and greater
he thinks due to Congress as well as TO the contractors 70
give them notice. IA time TO make the necessary arrange
nents before he may be compelled suspend his labors
with the public work now on his hands,
lie prays therefore, with all respect that Congress would
be pleased 20 grant inquiry before The joint committee
Of the two houses (as the CONTRACTS 10 ade under joint
and owthe work has been DONE and 70 see what relief
may be given to the and what may
pc made iof carrying On the congressional printing with
Exclusively Of the large portion Of the public printing
band and among these Jos are the second Volume OF the
Executive Documents, which much advanced and the
Patent Once Report which Is now In the OF being
The conacor begs leave in the most respectful manner
70 remind your honorable bodies that, even If there had
been u cause OF complaint against him Ia relation TO the
execution OF the CONTRACTS he might also aege that he would
have been unable % obtain until the deficiency bin lately
passed. any payment for the several Jobs as they
finished oil agreeaby 70 another stipulation in the
tract
Every Of tho contrac. is losing one, except one
clause, and bn job has been done under that
and Tor the amount due under that job under the
the contractor has deducted nearly two-thdss yet your
honorable bodies would grant him reasonable terms
than the contract calls Tor the immense Of work
winch has been executed and now going he would
most cheeruy throw this Job In, and scale Ii according TO
the terms which Congress, in It's wisdom and JUSTICE should
Finally the would state. that he is perfectly
willing 70 share the immense mass Of work which Is now
your honorable bodies the terms which such Office may
be willing 70 receive il this beIno Satisfactory The
dersgned is willing that the work may be placed al
disposal Of your honorable bodies 50 such
may be given to IL without reference the contract as
public interests may require. H6s
WIN. M. BELT.
In presenting the memorial, Mr.. M. said l am re-
quesled 10 present the petition of William M Belt one
OF the contractors for the printing OF the two houses of
read the petition, and il sets forth in substance the ina.
by OF the contractor to continue the public printing
upon the terms of the contract Upon conversation with
Printing, learned from him that the committee
time since had this subject before them and their consd
Grafton had resulted in the resolution which sub
med by the committee to the Senate 10 which the chair
man offered an amendment, by way OF substitute This
resolution recommends in substance that the printing
Ss q aSosaa has moi acted
he has informed me- and he informs the Senate in his
petition. is 70 bring TO- the attention Of the Senate the
fact that will be out OF his power to continue the public
printing upon the terms OF the present contract order
that the Senate may take such steps upon the subject as
they may deem proper. He has expressed, in his
conversation with me, his exreme reluctance to discon
sres that the petition may be laid before the Senate for
their considerations in order that proper remedy may
Be devised There are one O. two passages in the petit
The honorable senator here read portion Of the
mortal
Whatever may be done or not done to the contractor
who is thus disabled from complying with the contract
the fact il that it is ndispensxby necessary that
measure be taken in relation to the public printing
Mr.. DAYTON. Will the senator state who is the con.
MI MASON. William NJ Belt.
Mr.. DAYTON. And who are the suretes upon the
Mr.. MASON. think the sureties are Thomas Richie
and Thomas Green. am not authorized to say, but
take it for granted that Thomas Richie the party prn-
cipally interested presume il il ndispensaby neces
sary that steps should be taken in the Senate 10
cure the execution of the printing Upon the examina
ton have made at the instance Of the contractor, and
by conversation with him, satisfied that under
the contract he has received remuneration for this
work to sustain him against constant and daily loss
examined the contract yesterday; and although have
not acquaintance with the matter sufficient to enable me
that upon greater portion OF the contract loss must
have been sustained have been informed that there
but single document ordered to be printed by Con-
gress upon which an unusual compensation was re-
qued BY the contract In this case by the strict
OF the contract the printer was entitled TO very large
sum OF money for printing that document-far more,
he contract have been further informed hal although
he was very amply paid by the terms which were allow
ed him, he did relinquish at least two-ihirds OF the
money 10 winch ne was entitled under The contract
submit the memorial and ask that il be referred the
Committee on Printing:
Mr. BORLAND. / should be glad, sir, il that me-
moral could be considered at once without reference
to the Committee on Printing That committee have al
ready reported as fully they could well report upon
this subject That report was made some weeks ago /;
and do not think that they could ascertain anything
new IN connection with H. after such full examination,
or could make report in any way different from that
which they have already submitted.
MI B q, this point, gave way, by request, 10
ton TO refer the memorial 10 the Committee Printing
evidently based upon the high respect entertained for
that committee and with the belief that the facts present
ed in the memorial, upon close scrutiny, would induce
members oil that committee 10 recommend some
to the Senate But take II for granted that my friend
from Arkansas in his personal declaration, speaks also
the feeling OF the members OF the committee, that they
same subject That reluctance is manifest While,
therefore, should greatly prefer that this whole matter
should go into the hands OF the Committee Printing
yet believing that the senator from Arkansas has, in de-
clarng his wish and his judgment in this matter, spoken
that also OF the committee, and who has looked
into this subject somewhat carefully and feeling perfect
assured that there equitable claim upon this body
for relief desired by this petitioner, with the consent OF
the senator who introduced the memorial, and OF the
that special committee be appointed for the examination
OF the whole matter as early as possible
Mi. B0RLAND. | would say, sir, in justification OF
myself and OF my position in reference TO the Committee
Printing, that objected not for the purpose OF avoid
ing any labor, but for the have suggested
that the committee investigated this matter early in
the session, and that myself, chairman OF the CON-
mee look ed into the contract and satisfied myself OF the
facts. became satisfied that the contract was Tor such
f.