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

or Sl5, 900, paid as an indemnify
For the double reason, therefore. that the number OF
The document proposed to be printed by the committee
IS unnecessarily large, and that II would be waste OF
puolc money to print SO large number under the con-
Der.
Mr. THOMPSON, Of Kentucky. remarked that, Is 10
,ne importance q ihs particular document he simply
wished 10 say that II certainly OF great mporance
70 the commerce and navigating interests Of the country
that was descriptive OF statistical information especially
profitable to our commercial marine the lakes or the
ocean, that OF his constituents, but few had any direct
interest ia the natter he being from interior District
except that general and dused interest to fall al
navgaors and sensiby conducted, because Of the full
and accurate knowledge of the extent character. and
multiplied articles OF export and import involved in our
commmerce, That knowledge, both as to navigation
and imports and exports, was OF general interest," Be-
sides. the committee only proposed what had for Years
been approved and ordered by the House. and, M
he knew, approved by the country. To 50 much Of re-
mark as had been made by the gentleman from Mary
land Mr.. EvAEsl and the gentleman from Illinois, lMr
contract for printing was let to the lowest bidder the
bids made by specimen or description Of type. &c, &C.
that the bond or contract was oonsummated tne
Clerk the committee audited the accounts OF the public
printer and had the power to curta or dock his bills,
the document furnished printing done was inferior TO
ne Inc with hs mas
The proper way for the gentleman from Maryland TO
come at the Patter was il the committee did not sum
each inferior or bad Job The committee could not buy
the paper or get the type The contract made and
the power OF the conmiltee and House was the power
and penalty Of cnr!ailing Or dsallowing any item or
charge on account Of nferioy But for the nferiofy
OF the work. the committee could IN no way pc responsi.
ble He lMr To admitted that the public printing had
been badly executed, very badly done; but this Wa
rather Of the system Of letting TO the lowest bidder
they took low, inferior materials and cheap work
was 10 The former contractors lie understood i had
ated very hard. He believed that Wendell & Van BEN
buysen, the former worthy contractors had now pend
ing petition to be indemnied or remnneraed Tor losses
sustained by them whilst contractors The FAULT fault
there was, not in the action OF the committee but
could only be remeded BY aboishing The system ol ist
der the law of establishing rates for material kind Of
type Sc To abolish the contract s,sem establish such
fair and liberal rates, and then % elect public prnae5 r. Va
perinend the printing ohce, and there frequently naa
the skill 10 direct the work as 70 remedy the de-
fects alluded TO- But OF this, if such resolution were
ported upon he would, when reported upon say mofe,
He referred the gentlemen the law Of is46, establishing
the system, and all pertaining to this business
Mr.. HOUSTON rose to question OF order. he desired
to know whether, on the consideration Of the proposition
before the House, this debate was in order. s,,3
The SPEAKER replied. that the subject before the
House was the report of the Committee on Printing, in
the consideration Of which he did not consider debate
upon the merits Of different styles Of printing 70 ben
Mr.. EVANS, of Maryland Ten thousand copies of
the report of the Secretary OF the Treasury commerce
aud navigation will cost 200 at the price estimated
not $500, the COMMITTEES on Printing seem 70 - Of
MI. MccLERNAND moved that 10000 be stricken
out OF the comnittees resolution TO print and 5000 Dc
Mr CONGER said he preferred first TO offer his amend
ment, and have 1t acted on. 1t was read as follows:
Add at the end of the resolution as follows siii.,
I2i cents per copy" a
Mr. CONGER said that in relation to this amendment
he desired to say word He said he had some little
experience relation 10 this matter OF binding while
the Committee prnna during the last Congress, and
his experience had been sufficient 10 convince him that
was important 10 limit the price beyond which the com
.hnuld IN hair he
not lnited was very likely to run up to hftsen OF
seventeen cents though the committed had had assurances
that might be done for twelve III ii could be done Tor
The price reported by the committee the limitation pro-
posed could do HARM while il might prevent exrava
CANT exactions after the House had ordered the binding
He therefore hoped the amendment would be adopted
Mr. McCLERNAND said he would now, with the
permission OF the gentleman from New York, his
proposition as an amendment TO the amendment OF the
The SPEAKER stated that the amendment Of the gen.
teman from Illinois [Mr. McCLERSASDl would not be
order as an amendment to the amendmsnt OF me gen:
teman from New York, but could be offered after that
amendment had been disposed oil. . IL taA
The question the amendment to the second resolu-
on reported from the Committee on Printing, proposed
BY the gentleman from New York, [Mr CoNGER,1 was
then put and II was agreed to. a N fes =
Mr. McCLERNAND renewed his amendment as an
thereon to strike out 10000" and insert "5,000"
then stated to the House, when ss,gItl
MIR. FULLER made few remarks, TO show the value
and importance of the information embraced IN the doc
unent, and that il not advisable TO publish less
number than that recommended by the committee.
Mr. PHOENIX desired that the number printed should
be increased rather than lesseHed This document he
thought Of very great value TO all interested or en-
gagged in American commerce. iyst& sfg
: MIR THOMPSON, OF Mississippi, said: shall vote in
favor of the motion OF the gentleman from Illinois 70 re-
duce the number Of this document 10 5000 | admit
900 has been the usual extra number printed Though
this may be a valuable commercial document highly
priced the districts along the seacoas where the great
shipping interest es il loses nearly all OF its interest to
an interior people, agricultural people. III must be
known every old member OF this House that no inqui
y is ever made for this document No one OF my con.
suens has inquired oil me Tor this document and
think therefore, they take interest IN these details Of
trade. They content TO take aggregates II 10 only
those engaged in CONNIE rce shipping, that look to de-
tais have found that this document lies
on hand There is no desire 10 distribute 1t. Some TO
WHOM might send H. when they find i only book Oh
figures, might take up the conception that only senth
TO them to puzzle their brains. .-l.Y.
IA VOICE said Perhaps your constituents cannot
Mr. IT. NV constituents need no defence for intel
aence and enterprise aad wealth. l doubt II they are
surpassed by the constituency oil any member on this
floor Five thousand copies Will give us something
more than twenty 10 each member. Is enough. ss.s
Again; We are beginning a new policy. We are now
10 bind up these documents In other words,
we are about to bege the book ok-making business. The
item here is small one but il becomes precedent, and
4 know IL gentlemen would only look into the expend
lures OF this House, the extent OF its contingent account
they would feel the necessity OF some reform Year after
year this account has been the increase and now we
open books with the book binders, and this, IN my
ophon, will reach amount equal to an enormous
printing accoant is proper time to consider this pre-