The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-29

gof-tha the members must have what the old onei
have hence constant resou 10 purchase books fo
members and the constant passing OF such Tesolu
ons, The old members cannot vote against them, be
they could not deny the what they them
selves had and the new would not vote against il
either, because they could not deny voting themselves
equality with The old ones; and thus it has gone
every session What has been voted TO one must be
voted TO the other, and on without limitation. The
result has been, have been informed, and by wen
formed persons in this city, that in the vast orders which
have been given for books. and m the immense sums
which have been appropriated for the purchase OF books
TO be delivered to MEMBERS the whole transaction has
become fictitious There is not book in the case
ence There limited number al first, and these
have all been exhausted but out of this limited supply
Congress, seems, may vote as many peases to
members; the receipt is signed for the book the
money goes but the book This, am told
is the and know obliged 10 be the case, be-
cause the number OF books which have thus dis
cessary exhausted the first second distribution;
that, in the end il degenerated into distribution oi
money This we all know. can some of the ap-
preparations for this Congress book trade TO give
idea OF the capital invested in it,
Beginning with the Documentary History, which was
about the Of the great abuse and putting
volume is delivered, each delivery being about s25 900
and the most part yet to come, and find in the year
1882, $55.0oo Tor one set of books, and $4,000 ot
another. In 1888, find the several of $50 900
$3,l25 and $1,000, In 1884, the sums Of $4,000
$4,000, $42,ao0 $5,loo In 1895. the Of $6 600
$4,000, $los6o. In 1886, s5.ss3. Ss,6O6. In 1897
This was the progress of the abuse in the first four
years. Its enonniy such TO enable the opposing
members to bring to halt They broke up the trade
for awhe-for near ten years but It afterwards broke
out aresh, and ragged with renovated fury
Thus we find, in s46 the sums OF w. 900 and $24 ,449
In lS47, the sums OF S72,205 and OF $4,000 In S4s
the OF S ,O00 OF $6 $780, of 24 327 and of $4 ,27o
In lS49, considerable unascerained amount and now
in this year. $780, both Houses OF Congress employed in
the work.
All this which produce is only one branch of the
busness-the appropriations made by the two Houses o
Congress but there another branch OF still 10 be
plored the purchases out OF the contingent fund, Of
which this to Mr. Palmer is a sample.
Many OF these appropriations were to put the new
members on an equality with the old ones; that is to
say II was giving them the same amount Tor coming in
those who came before them There Is case OF the la
horer who in at the eleventh hour being entitled
10 full wages but do think it applies to members
Of Congress Laughter II the new members are 10
be put foodng with the old ones, and he who comes
here this session s to the books which have been
put in the hands OF hun who has been here twenty
thirty years why should they not also get back .pay
eight dollars day and mileage, 10 make them equal
in all points, The list goes
Recurring TO the Documentary History will here say
Mr. President that while the House has felt itself
barrassed with this contract oi Clarke Force, Mr.
Clarke has moi fell himself embarrassed all by his part
OF the contract While denying ourselves the
power TO give up this contract, he selling il 10 gen
enan who, perhaps, is here now-Mr. John Z. Rives
He purchased Mr. Carkes interest, and he has author
lied to say, that il the Senate chooses 10 terminate
the contract, he asks Tor damages. He speaks foI
hlmse having purchased Mr. Ciarkss interests he does
10 DO he does. Now, sir, this work OF Clarke &
Force 10 be done by an officer, at that ne OF the
House, whom all know-Mr. Clarke. Being an oi
OF the House he was therefore somewhat Under The
control and in the power Of the House. The contract with
him personai-he 10 do the "head work Ii was
trust not 10 be delegated il was contract with him
an officer of the House. and educated man, 10 do a
work which required head and education. He 10
collect the matter proposed to be published II was
personal trust, and not negotiable and assgnable lie
has assigned, and gone out OF IT, and Mr. Rives, who
has succeeded him, pretends nothing bat the workman
whose business 1t is 10 make money out OF his contract
That is all he preends and he prints the manuscript
furnished to him. The whole idea which the con-
tract made is lost and gone The leading partner IN
the contract has left it, He quits IT. and yet we mus
stick 10 it, such the arguaent, and such the practice
greater pa OF this Documentary History is yet 10 come
Al first there limitation upon ume quantity
Both were unlimited. We got limit upon the quantity,
so not TO exceed many volumes; but there is nc
limit upon time and periodically Congress is called upon
for about S25 900 10 pay for new bound volume, anc
some one or two thousand dollars TO buy volumes no
in existence, 10 give TO dead men
4 repeat: these items now produced by me are only
those belonging TO that class OF appropriations which art
acted upon by both houses OF Congress- and which
be found upon the general stsiue-book. There is
other large abuse which has grown up, and which !;
much more dangerous than those gong through boil
houses, because the books are bought almost whou
FORM By resolve, and paid for out OF the contin
gent fund. have not had time TO look iuto II; but
think may say that since the time this abus,
began-cofnmencing with the Documentary History
(which was to a million and half, and which W,
have got limited half million OF dollars, and which
called upon for money TO pay every two or three
years and which may continue until we are all dead, anC
still 90 on without limitation OF ume-and including al
OF the paid either out OF the treasury or the con
tlngent fund.- and it will be found that there has been
much money voted Tor the purpose OF supplying mem
bers Of Congress with books which few read and many
SELL there has been voted for The Improvement OF th
great rivers OF the West And. sir, II was got mucl
easier than have been any OF the appropriations for ihes
rivers The book appropriations pass easy the river
Improvement appropriations have hard birth, and man
die in the process Ii IL in which the tug oil wa
s reversed Ii Is hard work 10 procure rvermpfove
ment appropriation; II is hard work 10 prevent Con
Fgress book appropriation. In the mean me the book
which buy most OF them, either useless or dan
gerous-a benefit TO the seller and nobody else. As al
example, undertake say that this work OF documen
tary history, for which we have paid these enormou
sums has not been worth straw 10 any member o
Congress- in any public business which he has had 4
transact and that he has not got one fact or idea iron
that work which applicable TO single measure de
pending before Congress. Yet the argument upon whic
ihis abuse originated was that II 10 enable member
of Congress the better discharge their Legislative du
ties.
i desire TO give another exempheation OF the abuse
arising from this system. II applies to Greenhows HIS
tory OF Oregon and California and The negotiations whic
took place with foreign powers and the United States u
relation the title 10 that country This book was pur
chased for the use OF the Senaie-not hall dozen vol
umes merely, 10 put in the library, where every senate
could see them on any occasion he pleased-but pur
chased By the thousand for the OF the Senatemean
ing thereby that every senator should have his proportion
oi them objected 10 this purchase at the time ior
although knew nothing about the book, yet knew
something about the man, and my opinion was that
, would be shallow compilation. | made all possible