The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-14

liam. Kerr, George G. King, James G. King, John
A. King, Horace Mann, Marshall, Mstteson, Nc
Queen. Meachsm, Daniel +. Miller, Moore, Nor
re, Morrison, Nelson, Ogie, Orr, OTIS, Peaslee,
Rockwell. Root, Rose, Rumsey,, .jr., sackett'
schcnck, schoolcraft Sylvester, Spalding, SPrague
Thaddeus Stevens, stetson, Thurman, ISonos'
Van Dyke. yinton. Wallace wentworth "m'e'
| NAxs--a -r4terrScn.. zsnE,- xsnhun, AVE-
rell. Bay. Bayly, Beale. Bell, Bocock, Bowhn,
Boyd, Breck. William j. Brown. buel bullara'
| Caldwell, Joseph y. Caldwell, Clngnan, William
| son X. w. Cobb. Daniel, banner. Deberry, Dim
mick Disney, Durham, Edmundson, Ewing, fea-
thers,on. Fitch. Fuller, Gerry, Gilmore, German,
! Green, Grnneli, Hall. Hamilton, Hammond, iiar
| Alison, Harlan. Isham q. Harris. Sampson w Har-
/ ris, Thomas l.. Harris, Raymond, Hibbard, Hoila-
| Andrew johnson, Robert w. johnson, Jones, Left
Ter, Levin. Littleield, Job Mann, Mason, McCler-
nand. Mcdonald. Mcdowell, Robert M. McLane,
Nc Mullen. Nc Willie, Meade, John K Miller, Mill
son, Morchsad, Morton, Olds, Outlaw, Owen, Par
ker, Peck. Penn, Phoenix, Potter, Powell, Richard
son. Robbins, jr, Robinson, Ross. Savage, Sawtele,
seldom, shepperd, Stanly, Frederick p. Stanton,
Richard II. stanton, Alexander H. Stephens, Strong,
sweetser, Taylor, Thomas, Jacob Thompson, James
Thompson. John b. Thompson, Underhill, Vena-
Bile. Walden, Watkins, Wellborn. Whittlesey,
Wildrick. Williams, Wright, and foung-llO.
Mr. McwILI-IE (who reported the resolution.
being allowed by the rules to close the debatc)
said that he had made the report on the conviction
that The relief asked by Mr. Richie was justly due
lie asked members they, ms individuals, had made
the contract they would insist enforcing it, The
printing executed with fidelity and despatch
never before cxcelled Ought not the printer to be
allowed the value OF the service' Ought Congress-
10 insist the execution Of the contract 10 the let
teri We should do 10 others, under similar cir
cumstances, rs We would have others do 10 VI. Ii
there fact on earth proved more satisiacto-
rly than another IL il that the present contractor
has not received for his work any thing like its
value. Mr.. John G. Rves, an experienced con-
tractor Of the House, sad before the select commit
for Less than thirty three and third per cent be-
| low the prices OF the resolution of 1919. We now
| propose TO give MIR. Richie but one half of the
prices Of that resolution. Mr.. Wendell, the former
contractor gave similar testimony, and said that
his bid sixty-s and two thirds per cent. less
than those prices. that he lost eighteen thousand
dollars by the work, and that fifty five and two
thirds per cent. from the prices Of 1919 would in
demnify him. II in testimony before the COM
mttce that he did not execute the work by ten or
| fifteen per cent well as Mr.. Richie. Mr.. Cor
! don said the same thing.
Will the House assume the attitude Of an oppres-
sor and tyranG He trusted not. There was not only
this testimony before the committee but select
committee of 1916, of which Mr.. DAVIS was chair
man, reported that the public printing cannot be
executed for less than reduction of forty-ive per
cent. the prices Of 1919. In this view Of the
question, fifty per cent. would not give more than
a just. compensation to Mr.: Richie He thought
tleman from South Carolina Mr. ORR) entertained
contrary opinion. He (Mr. McW.) knew no
thing of printing; he had never been connected
| with the press. He had, however, been a reader
of books, and had never heard of cheaper ones
than those printed for Congress by Mr.. Richie
| volume Of nine hundred pages at thirty cents,
and for the Patent Office Report about nineteen
cente.
MIR. BURT inquired how Mr.. Richie knew that
reduction Of fifty per cent. below the prices of
1919 would compensate him.
Az ~ No. -. H.,
given answer in the words of Rives, Wendell,
and Gordon, and in the report OF the select COM
mittee. II was impossible to offer another form of
resolution, as the work is not yet done. 1t
ccesary to establish some general basis, and there
was not a man on the floor who believed that one
half the prices Of 1919 would more than compcn-
safe Mr.. Richie. He showed that precedents had
been set for indemnifying printers to Congress;
and in conclusion said that the effect of the rcsolu
ton would be to turn old man, three score and
ten, penniess on the world, with an aged wife and
helpless family. Some other hand might be found
to use the sacrficial knife and place the victim
the altar, but before Heaven he never would.
The question was stated on recommittng the
resolution for the relief of Mr. Richie to the Com
mittce on Printing, with instructions to inquire
and report whether Mr.. Richie has executed the
public printing, having regard to the quality of the
work and to time. agreeably to the contract, and
what sum he has lost by his contracts and it was
decided in the afirmativc-yeas 100, nays 9l-as
| follows:
YEAS.-Messrs. Alexander, Allen, Aston, An
4 uersOn, anureW6, benneu, blnBnau, DOkee, DOOM,
Bowie, Briggs, Burrows, Burt, Butler, Joseph
Cable George Alfred Caldwell, Joseph p.
Caldwell, Calvin, Campbell, Cartier, Casey,
Clarke, cIingman, colcoGk, Cole; conger; Corwin,
Eliot, Alexander Eyans, Nathan Evans, Feather
ston, Fitch, Fowler, Freddy, Gentry, Gerry,
Gilbert. Colt. Gould, Holloway, Hampton: Har-
Hunter. Millia% r Jackson. Andrew ' Johnson.
| Julian, Kerr, George G. King, James G. King,
John 4. King. Horace Mann, Marshall. Matteson,
| McGaughey, FINS E. Mclean, Mcqueen, Meach
am, Daniel F. Miller. Moore, Morris, Morrison,
Nelson, Ogle, Orr, Otis, Peaslee, Phelps, Phoenix,
Pitman, Putnam, Reed, Reynolds, Risley, Rock
well, Root, Rose, Rumsey, j., sackett. Sewage,
ing, Sprague, Stanly, T. Stevens Stetson, Taylor,
Thurman, Underhill, Van Dyke, vinton, Waldo,
Watkins Wentworth, White Widrick, and Will
| mot--l09.
| NAYS.--Messrs. Albertson, Ashe, Ashmun, Ave
rett, Bayly, Beale, Bell, Bdeock, Bowdon, Bow
lin, Boyd, Albert G. Brown, William j. Brown,
r. w. Cobb, Daniel, banner, Deberry, Dimmick,
Disney, Edmundson, Ewing, Fuller. Gilmore,
German, Green, Grinnell, Hall, Hammond, Isham
G Harris, Sampson w. Harris, Thomas l.. Harris,
| Raymond, Hubbard, Holiday, Holmes, Howard,
Joseph w. jackson, James l.. johnson, Robert w
Johnson, Jones, La Sere LETTER, Levin, Litefeld,
Job Mann, Mason. McClernand, Mcdonald. Nc
| Dowell Robert M. McLane, McMullen, Nc willie,
| Meade, John X. Miller, Mllson, Morehead, Nor
ton, Odds, Outlaw. Owen, Parker, Peck, Penn,
Potter. Powell, Richardson, Robbins, jr., Robin
son, Koss, Seouon, SnePperu, frederlck r. Stan
ton, Richard H. Stanton, Alexander H. Stephens,
Strong, Sweetser, Thomas. Jacob Thompson, James
Thompson, John b. Thompson, ycnable, Walden,
| Wallace, Wellborn, Whittlesey, Williams, Wright,
and Young-9l.
! So the resolution for the relief of Mr.. Richie was
| recommitted to the Committee on Printing.
| Mr. WENTWORTH moved to reconsider the
vote Just taken, and on his motion that motion was
laid upon the table.
| RIVER AND HARBoR APPROPRIATION BILL.
On motion OF Mr.. BAYLY, the House resolved
itself into Committee Of the Whole on the state of
| the Union.
Mr.. MEADE was called to preside
! Mr.. BAYLY moved that the committee take up
the bill making appropriations to supply defcien-
cies in the appropriations for the year ending
June 30, 1851, which was returned from the Senate
| with amendments.
MIR. DUER moved that the committee take up
the bill making appropriations for certain rivers
and harbors.
| The CHAIRMAN ruled the motion to be out OF
! order.
Mr. SCHENCK remarked that il was In order