The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-02-05

sd sdoolsa ,Ss si iorns ana 4 ~ ssss
!, seems 70 me strange a.. ~ ssel fssS = 2 Civ
sss y ns as Ss s rev We en- l. *
the last session. 10 dnts our oHn hapdb and t0rega
our legislative authority owe. sabje4 which We are
has made L our duty discharge that which csnpoi Con
sislsny be dsvove upon any other branch OF Inc gov
ersaent, Or any oa.ser e connisso1sa.
il pow, 10 be nothing but provision 70 facilitate As
action Of Congress upon this subject Vi the present se
sion OF Congress think Il bears such an Interpretation
DO done do not understand that act 70 intend thar the
general commissioners might 60, and, after having pre-
pared these forms without sanction Of them, proceed
be sufficient for general distribution throughout the Uni
ted States taking for granted that Il must become law
The law must Be preparatory TO that printing and distrba
be Judged and adopted BY Congress.
Then Sin il II necessary to procure sufficient amount
Of suitable paper, 90 that the moment our duties were
distribution.
Well now sr IN n my Judgment, ,Asi, duty has ao
session Of Congress- They have made a report; but
what II that report They say they have met or
ganited, and appointed !. committee and prepared
fahlmeht Of the duty imposed upon them Would either
house OF Congress act upon that. feporl Where are
ate aud the House Of Representatives. But instead OF
that being the case. as understand, Mr. President from
statements made by the three members Of the committee
upon the censusso far from their having discharged
that duty by accompanying their report with the forms
which constituted the only material part of reference,
ney sem Us o sls " rsg ha ,se
have discharged their duties How does appear II is
only upon the face Of the report understand from the
members OF the committee that they have yet prepared
the report have not submitted the committee There
certain forms therenot however, as understand,
prepared by the members OF the board not sanctioned by
them And the committee under the necessity of going
to work at the beginning to construct such forms they
thought advisable. Now sir, as understand from those
gentlemen after their report is made and after their bill
is hereafter the bill and forms printed and the sub
jectis ready for Legislative action in this body-hen and
till then, any form schedule required under that
law OF the last session. presented or signed by any men,
duty devoved upon them by the act of the last session OF
Congress-upon these commissioners! II seems 10 me
that the act was most unwisey passed for owing 10 cir
know, sir. that great time elapsed before the Senate
was in to proceed 10 legislative business Il was
the duty Of this board to have everything ready Tor Con
ate, this subject had not been taken under consideration
by them, as learn from the committee up to the time
they met nay more,untll they mad completed tnel5 Ia
dered to be printed and that report had been laid upon
the members tables up 10 that tme and at that time the
tables prepared BY the board were for the first time seen
by any member OF the committee.
Now sir, this is what understand TO be the fact and
for my part sir believing that both the committee and
the forms reported to them, and were bound to respect
the reports OF the commissioners no further than they
thought was right, the Senate owe no more respect
the dongs OF the commissioners than they do to the
dongs Of the committee who prepare measure for their
appreciation rejection at their option The COM
miiiee had right to do whatever the duties imposed
prepared their FORMS and perfectly satisfied to
adopt the labors OF these joint committees representing.
as they do. every section Of this country
those of large portion of the members of this body la
my judgment, the whole matter Of collecting statistical
information ought to be disjoned from the enumeration
of the inhabitants OF the United States believe have
said before, in this body, when this subject under
discussion at the last session, that believed the stast
not TO ss S y ns
united propose amendment upon that subject, nav
ing entire confidence in the committee that they made
for the bill as they have preparedit
Mr.. DAVIS, oil Massachusetts,. Mr.. President, will
trouble the Senate with single remark. wish il TO be
distinctly understood that desire arragn no one in
referring to the acts Of the census hoard.
The facts, sir, SO far as have stated them, /
found il necessary TO state in vindicaon OF the
Of the committee will 60 into no further than say
that wish the Senate should understand that this
report, which has been read by the senator from
Georgia [Mr. BERRiEsl was before the Senate at the
Senate should further understand that this is the only
paper. the only document Of any Sort Of any kind that
has come to the Senate for the consideration oil the
when this committee met, there certain tabular
forms laid before them by the secretary Of that board
which he said were the adopted tables OF that board
wish the Senate to understand that the census board dis
claimed these papers, and that they not similar to the
tables now under consideration. wish to state further
that under these circumstances the question arose. what
the committee should do seemed TO them that there
was but alternative they were to take such nfor
nation communicated TO them and to report to
this body suitable BILL with suitable tables Think there
was no disagreement in the committee upon this point
There was doubt al all about their duty. Think the
uniform sentiment Of the members was, that il they re-
ported the bill without making provision for tables
this body would have been very likely TO have charged
them with want OF the discharge Of the duty which was
committed TO them and inrusied 10 their care They
proceeded They made their tables They heard Of no
other tables They heard Of no official report No paper
had reached them did reach them until the report was
made, and the tables were printed with the bill that Is
upon the table. That is the state OF things Now, SIR,
there seems TO me to be but alternative for the
mittee TO professionally the course they have pursued
They would have been deficient 10 their duties they had
taken any other view Of the subject II 10 me TO
come in at this late stage OF things for the first time with
what pupors to be the official list Of tables and to ask this
TO be adopted and to be given the place OF the work Of the
committee, unless shown TO The Senate to be more per
feet in character and better adapted to The purpose for
which they desi0ned II Great deal AK.