The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-18

WEEKLY, y"
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
MoSpAr, September Is, 1850.
THE PRINTING or coNcREss.
Mr.. McWILLIE, from the Joint Committee on
pr;nt;no 10 which was referred the memorial Of
William M Belt, contractor for certain classes Of
the public printing, under the joint resolution of
the I'd Of August, 1886, asking To be relieved from
the execution of said contract, made a report
thereon.
The SPEAKER. What disposition Of the sub
iect does the Gentleman proposel
Mr. McWILLIE. There are certain resoll-
tons appended to the report, which ! ask the
House to act upon.
Mr.. ASHMUN. Does not the call OF the COM
mit,ees commence at the Committee Of Ways and
and Means, were the call left off!
The SPEAKER. The Committee on Printing
have the privilege to report at any time. This
report would have been IN order without motion
10 proceed TO the call Of the committees.
The report OF Mr. McWHLIx was read:
The Committee on Printing, to whom re-
ferred the memorial Of William M. Belt, con-
tractor for certain classes OF the public printing,
under the Joint act Of The two Houses of Con-
gress. passed the Sd Of August, 1876, report,
That they have had the same under consideration,
and are satisfied that the contract is one Of great
loss To the contractor; and further, that without
sone modification Of the contract, that it will not
he in the power of the contractor to continue to
execute his contract for the present Congress.
Your committee has not thought it necessary or
proper to go beyond the ascertainmem OF these
facts, as they fully meet the object of the memo
riaIis and the necessities of Congress in relation
TO the public printing. Your committee has also
confined its inquiries to these points, from the fact
that special committee has been raised by the
House, Entrusted with the general subject OF the
public printing.
As evidence of the ruinous rate to the con-
tractor, at which the public printing has been
taken, your committee state that all the contractor
gets for the first volume Of the Presidents mes
sage and accompanying documents containing
$50 pages, is 291 cents without the binding; and
for the report on the finances, volume OF 99o
pages, he receives SO! cents. From the best in
formation in the power Of the committee, this is
not half the cost of the paper, composition, and
press work. The compensation for nearly all the
extra volumes ordered, is in the same ratio.
The evidence as to the second proposition, that
is That the contractor will not be able to
his for printing, is to be found IN the no.
uce which he has given the House, that he will not
be able to go on with the work, at the present
rates of compensation, and in the ruinous charac-
ter fthe contract, which but few private fortunes
could bear. In this state Of the facts, in relation
tn the public printing, IT has become necessary
that some new arrangement should be made, for
even IL the present contractor was 10 continue to
struggle on with the printing, that which is already
ordered would not be executed before the next
session Of Congress. Your committee, therefore,
with view to the ends of justice, and that the
public printing may be executed, would recon-
mend the adoption Of the accompanying joint reso-
WIN. McWlLLIE,
Chairman of the Committee on Printing.
A Joint Resolution in relation to the Public Print
ing.
Resolved bp the Senate and House Of Representa-.
tires 9th United States Of ameriea in Congress as
ssmbled, That William M. Belt, contractor fol
certain classes of the public printing, be released
from his contract under the provisions of the john
resolution Of August 3d. 1876, for the printing for
the Thirty-frst Congress; and that he be paid at
the rate of fory-fve per cent. reduction on the
prices of printing under the joint resolutions of
March 3, l6l9 for all the work which has been
delivered
Sec. 2. find be Il further resolved, That Thomas
Richie and Messrs. Gales and Seaton be appointed
by the two Houses to execute the printing con-
tracted for by the said VIM. Nj. Belt, for the re-
mainder Of the Thirty-hrst Congress-, at the prict
OF thifty-fve per cent reduction for short mum
bers, and fortyfve per cent reduction for numbers
above five thousand, the prices of printing xet
by the joint resolutions Of the Sd March, 1919
and that the said Thomas Richie and Messrs
Gales & Seaton be required to give bond with GOOD
and sufficient sureties, to be approved Of by the
Secretary the Senate and the Clerk Of the House
Of Representatives, for the prompt and proper ex
ecution OF the printing contracted for by said VIM
M Belt, at the rates aforesaid and in case any
inconvenient delay should be at any time expert
enced by either House in the delivery of its work,
the said secretary and clerk, respectively, shall be
authorized to employ one or more printers to ex-
ecute any portion Of the work Of the Senate or
House, and charge the excess, if any there be, to
Thomas Richie and Gales & Seaton.
SEC. 3. find be II further Resolved, That all
Jaws, and parts of laws now in force, not in con-
formity with the provisions Of this joint resolution,
be, and the same are hereby repealed
The joint resolutions having been twice read,
and
The question being on ordering then. TO be en-
crossed for third reading,
Mr.. McWlLLIE said: Mr.. Speaker, the Com
nittee on Printing, in submitting the report and
Clerks desk, have endeayored 10 confne them
selves to the simple object Of obtaining prompt
and economical execution Of the public printing!
and the resolutions submitted, the committee be-
lieve, win accomplish this object The committee
are satisfied that the present contractor will not
be able TO execute the work now ordered before
the next session Of Congress. There have been
ordered by this Congress, Of extra numbers,
which are to be bound, BAL 900 volumes. OF
these, ls6, 450 have been printed, and are now in
the hands of the binders, or have been delivered
to members for distribution. This leaves l52, $50
volumes yet to be printed, which will require
yeral months for its execution, and makes il appa-
rent. that if no new system is adopted, the print
ing for the next session of Congress cannot and
will not be executed by the present contractors, in
time that will be satisfactory to Congress There
has been great complaint made against the present
contractors for not having executed the work or
dered by Congress; but the objection is but nppa-
rent, and not real. There has already been more
printing done than has usually been ordered by
previous Congresses. Heretofore, the President s
message and accompanying documents have made
--==--==----=------