The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-13
n CONGRESS OF THE U. STATES.
DISTRIBUTION or PUBLIC DooumEl

The engrossed bill Is ajd to provide Tor the dslribu
lion of The Annals OF Congress, was read third time
M NJ we nopTE Of iowa said hope that this bill will
not be passed do not know exactly what motion shall
make with reference 10 al thus stage OF the proceedings
but wish TO call lhe ai'sn.,9n o. ihs Senate % me
nropriaes an indefinite o money to continue back
publication which will perhaps involve expenditure
Of $3.50, 900
Of il ard as OF the NEST worthless publications
hat have been made, About $4,000 will be paid for
these books-holding them up 10 the view Of the Sem
aer-of the sze and containing prfciss ~ the
matter One is entitled" I" The Annals Of Co pub
hshed BY Messrs Gales Seaton, and tho other" The
7Yo-'9l have calculation made by Which uader.
stand that will be involved in expenditure of nearly
Si5o,ooo for this work. OF which we have duplicates
Now, am utterly opposed to the whole appropriation,
and hope the bill will be rccommitled with The nstruc
lions which propose 10 ofer, as follows:
TO srike the second section Of the bill, aud
w much Of the Joint resolution OF the 81 of March,
sis and the Of september 30. 1850 respectively,
authorizes any subsc pon for the further compilation
debates and proceedings OF Congress- from the end OF
the m to the end ol me lo congress- or any publication
Of the same"
Mr. PEARCE. Gid no, hear the remarks of the sen.
aor from Iowa; but am informed that his motion is TO
reconmit the bill, with view 10 strike out the last
ton shall be glad if the senator will inform il am
MIR DODGE, of Iowa The amendment is to recon
init, with view to strike out the second section.
III.
recommit the bill, with view to have that section
stricken out; and will briefly state my why
hope they will not do So
The Senate and House Of Representatives have by law
authorized contract to be made with Messs Gales
Seaon for the publication Of the Annals of Congress from
the end Of the Fourth Congress- up TO which period they
have been published under the authority OF the act OF
sa9 down to the beginning OF the Eighteenth Congress,
when their Register of Debates begins That Register of
Debates we had Il was thought important TO complete
the congressional history Of the country by uninte
uped series and the act OF last session and of the
before authorized Messrs. Gales u Seaion to make
this publication from the commencement OF Congress
der the constitution down to the beginning OF the
Eighteenth Congress. That act authorizes the Secretary
OF the Senate and Clerk OF the House OF Representatives
10 contrac, with Messrs. Gales Seaton tor given num-
her Of copies OF these congressional annals The contract
has been made in pursuance OF the law; and suppose
there be doub, that Congress is bound pay for
the books when delivered according to contract.
Now, the second section OF toe bill, which II IA the
object OF the senator 10 have stken out makes provision
that the congressional annals deliveedand they
must, of course be delivered in pars-they shall be paid
Tor. That is all. Heretofore, il has been customary
when the contractors delivered a portion OF work
they had contracted to execute, that received them.
and al the ensuing session of Congress were asked to
appropriate money enough TO pay for the works thus
printed and delivered according TO contract. This
would occasion delay Of year before the
would get the money for the work which they have put
n our possession. That did not seem to be fair. We
thought the should have their pay when the
work was done and delivered, nasmuch as there could
be doubt TO the amount which was dye that being
when this work shall be delivered they shall be paid for
n out OF any money the treasury not otherwise appro-
pnated II is to supersede the necessity OF future appro
faton, parts OF this work may be delivered that this
provision s made, and to prevent the contractors from
Suffering the inconvenience and loss which they would
otherwise sustain BY the payment being delayed until
he session OF Congress- and the passage OF the general
appropriation bill. That is the sole obec, OF the secs
lion.
Mr. DODGE. Of Iowa ! will very candidly acknowl.
dse thai my object TO kill the bill. and TO stop the
urther publication OF these books il can, and il is to
dec that purpose that have offered the instructions to
ecommit the bill ! am very willing TO pay for the
books we have ordered; that we bound TO do But
am utterly unwilling to 90 on nov and continue this
publication OF the Annals Of Congress from the time at
which they were discontinued up TO the present time
BY the JOINT resolution OF the Sd OF March, ls4o was
Expressly provided that the publication should be CON-
nenced Al the termination OF the Fip, Congress read
ln extract from that resoluton
That the Secretary Of The Senate and the Clerk Of the
ioose OF Representatives hereby authorized sub
cribe, under the direction OF the JOINT Library Committee
behalf Of Congress- 70, thousand copies OF
aes and proceedings OF Congress- from the
rrs' congress, when the present publication stops"
also read from the ac, Of September 80 1885, 10 show
nat II was hot the intention to order the Annals for the
Songress-we having already purchased and disirib.
ted grea, number OF the debates embracing tba, ses-
('on That act reads as follows:
And that the Secretary Of the Senate the Clerk Of the
ouse OF he psentaves be authorized and to sub
oe, on behalf OF Congress, for two thousand copies of The
eoaes and proceedings OF Congress- from The commence.
eni OF the fret of which one thou nd cop.
already subscribed shall
considered as Psf TO the second session Ely
onRre;s when the Register OF bates slready
gyms tbe price per volume not exceed that agreed
u oi ,he volumes alIeSdy printed and delivered under
ue OF Annals OF Congress- which copies (aher dis.
sung one copy TO each member of the Thirty f. Con.
" not provided for by tbs order suppy ine
members Of the thirieth Congress) shall be deposited
Dngren." ~
That IS an extract from the law The appropriation n,
sess,on authorized subscription for two thousand
es OF The debates and proceedings OF Congress from
commencement OF the first session. OF which thou
no copies OF the hst four Congresse. were subscbed
aown 10 the second session OF the 18th Copsre "A
"en ne Register OF Debates (already pubished) begins
W ! IN 'ne same law-tbe act of September 30 iy3O-ai
oneI page, and where the appropriation made these
o,os are stuck In and 10 nduae the Fra Conqres y
penuy contrary TO the original intention of Conere
~ ,ha', TOO, ior books with which every member of
houses and all the Libraries have been for
:. y ,ois parenihetcal sticking in that now coats
fo'e'bment 10000 Tor nothing or for what we ha We
70 such abundance iha, we have been for wear.
them away. -" ~ ''"" 3"
wen, now, Hr am not going to make /, abook
ms morning but, in looking al The expenditure
nave oeen made for hese Objects il ia periec,ly an.
rn, ns, anu ! thihk u - lime sbould stop NV
,o,e IS 10 refer the matter back 10 the COMMITTEES
lney may introduce resolution proyid,ns ior m,
sn OF 'ne books and dlscontinuance of the publita
H. Whon hss been ordered. With great de,etence 10
HXa,u " AZ an unnecessary and unpro6 ble ex
n1a'ure OF the public money =
ongn o. THIS matter snguarly like that Of the
h'en'ary History OF The Revolution an account OF
'en we had from The senator from Missouri Mr. Rrs.
,p we ias session. Both were CONNIE need think
~ an osrstandlng Of the amount that was to be
S,"osu on ,hsrn. read from that senator's speech
In,,. "e 'as' session on a resolution to buy Mr.
81, pssros i said was member in 1884, and 80 were