Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-08-31

objections its passage. do not mean 10 strlke at nis
resouon only but endeavor to embrace the whole ques
ton Of supplying members Of Congress with books think
this proper occasion which try the whole question OF
this abuse which commenced seventeen ago. and which
has been increasing to enormous extent from that time
to the present In the resolution before Ibeeve Is COM
prsed all the enormes and abuses of the system both n
the thing ITSELF the purchase Of the books and the manner
Of doing it. is therefore my wish to try the whole system
upon it, and il is my intention to endeavor to get the Senate
consider that they voting upon the whole system when
they shall come to vote upon this question. think this is
period when may consider the whole system, with all the
abuses which have grown up, and may grow up under
and apprehend that after seventeen years experience and
after having every evil that was oretod by those
posed it in the beginning having every one OF those
evils pass, and immense number OF others still
outrageous which foresaw at that time after
having all this, if now pass resolution which Is IN
itself epitome Of all the abuses which have grown up
under the SYSTEM shall sanction the whole, and have
thing do put pass these resolutions for books to MEMBERS
as they are presented. shall move the conclusion Of
my remarks for the indefinite posponement of this resou
ton. If that fails, shall then offer, by way Of giving point
this last effort resist the abuse several definite motions to
recommt with instructions upon certain points, for the Pur-
pose Of making opposition in the most specific pos
sbe the several abuses which grow out of this whole bus
nesf.
was first called to It by the Senator from North Caro-
lina (Mr. MAsGUm) who am sorry is not here
for although he supported this resolution originally, yet
think, when it is brought forward in the shape Of trying
60 back the point at which started together, and
from which his follower. member Of Congress
in 1882, and you, sir, (addressng the Char An
then passed for the printing Of documentary hso-
y of the American revolution. was attending member
at the me but knew nothing Of the passage Of that act
and stated in my place, and you yourself stated the same
thing, think. (Mr. King nodded assent) But am very
certain that Senator, now longer among us, but who
always attentive to the business Of the Senate great or
small had no knowledge Of i'll mean Mr.. Calhoun He,
you, and had all stated that in places The first know
ledge that had of such being passed at all,
year after it done. was walking day-a hot one
in the shady Capitol grounds with the Senator from North
Carolina alluded to- when he told of the passage Of that
act and of the enormites which might result from it. That
the first knew Of it. We then looked into It, and
found that the terms Of the loose and comPehen-
sve that computed that the work to be done under it
would million and half Of dollars 1t then began TO
attract notice. and the subject you recolec, Of
peated struggles this oor and the floor Of the House
Of Representatives Finally, those who opposed TO it
succeededb limiting the number Of volumes, in reducing the
expenditure from million and half Of dollars to about half
million and that considered great point gained-a
million saved Amongst other things to be published in this
documentary history Of the American revolution, best
every thing that could be collected in the States and from
individuals Hansards Debates in the British Parliament,
for period Of about twenty yeas-fom the time of the
stamp act 1764 the conclusion of the debates the
treaty of peace in l7s4durng all which time the subject
of the American revolution the prominent topic OF dis
cussion Those Debates far America the subject
were to be reprinted part of documentary history
That Of the enomies. at the time in favor
Of stopping the work, and if there were any damages fairly
accrung to those who had undertaken it. paying such da-
mages and being done with the business II defended
on the ground of contract and of vested rights.
Now, Mr. President, paying little attention to the de-
bates in the House Of Representatives, day two ago,
found this passage:
CONSTITUTION BOOKS.
"Mr. BRows of Mississippi, moved to strike out the fol-
lowing clause, viz:
pay for hundred and copies OF the eighth volume Of
the American Archives be delivered to members of the
wenysxth Congress- at sixteen dollars and
cents volume thousand hundred and sixteen
dollars and sixty-six cents
He wished to know why this Congress called upon
to pay for books for members of the Congress
It has been nearly years since this Congress expired Some
members have died. others have changed their places
Of residence and the Clerk would not be able find them
Make the appropriation and the result will be the greater
number Of the books will be left in the oldngroom and the
Doorkeeper, somebody else will sell them.
BArLI said haif the appropriation should be strick
out, would crafty more than himself But as he
understood the matter these books ordered by law Of
the land and BY Law providing for their publication
"Mr JONES understood that the contract made with
Messr Clarke and Force for the publications If could be
repealed he should be glad butt he the contract
in existence and the books published under it.
"Mr. BRowN said that his objection not much to
delivering them More than fifty member. Of the twenty sixth
Congress in their graves and others have their
residences The question was 10 whom shall the books be
delivered , st
"Messrs SCHENcK and SwEErsER made q few remarks,
when the motion Of Mr. BRowS to strike out the clause was
disagreed to.
oMr. HUSTKR was understood to suggest amendment,
and to that the proposition vote books to dead and
to those who had moved ridiculous He therefore
hoped that the books to be paid for they would be given
to persons now in existence"
This an impressive illustration Of the abuse Of this
book-buSng sysem-an illustration going far beyond all inn
senation al The time was detected is fact beating fancy
furnishing books backwards, rerospecvey reroactvey,
TO the dead aud the movedaway and the eout OF Con-
press II is like pensoning members-pensioning with
books transmitted into the 26th Congress
Il has been now ten years, as the debate in the
House Of Representatives well says since that Congress ex-
pired Some of the members Dead and others have
changed their place Of residence and many left out by their
constituents and the Clerk could not be able to nd them
and therefore the argument upon which this abuse turns to
wit that these books purchased TO enable members better
to discharge their duties here hardly apply suppose
cannot apply those who have ceased to DO members
Of Congress- who have ceased 10 be inhabitants OF THIS
world, though believe the argument would be about as
strong in favor Of the dead in favor OF most OF US OF the
living Certain is that have read page any
Of this documentary history for which we pay SoooOOo II
might well have been voted to dead as to me- Ma
ny members sell them that is notorious in this cy-and
sell chesp-dog cheapless than cost was stated
on this floor by gentleman who assisted Us from the beginning
IN making head against this system of book trade-a
Senator from Georgia. Mr. King-hat he had been informed
that the chance for these books had been sold in many in
stances to dealers IN old books in this city And he named
an nssnce-not the Of the person doing it-an in
stance communicated to him under such
nozed and justified him TO II the floor Of the Senate
where one member had sold his chance for dollars
That was part Of the abuse And that hess abuss
belong TO that class Of diseases incident the horses back
which are called "af fast" They ret upon the back
and you can nsv get than eG Neither knife NOR caus