Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1851-02-22
CONVERSATIONAL,
WASHINGTON, Feb.

"A report OF the commlttee OH pub
lie printing was made, and Joint
resolution read granting reliefto a
certain extent, TO Geo. L.. Belt. An
objection being made to receiving the
report, by Mr. Burt, of South Caro-
lima, the Speaker ruled in favor of
the committees reporting at any
time, with reference to the subject re-
ferred to it.
Mr. aBurt appealed from the decis-
ion.
1t was then moved to lay the APP
peal on the table; upon which the
yeas and nays were taken-yeas l0S,
nays II.
The report Of the committee was
by bill, granting relief to Thomas
Richie, on the contract for public
printing, which was read first md
second time.
Mr.. Orr, of South Carolina, OPP
posed the passage of the bill, and
commenced by saying that the claim
of Mr.. Richie had not a particle of
justice to entitle it to the favorable
consideration of the House. He
then entered into an explanation of
his own conduct, on a former occa-
sion which he said had become a
subject of controversy between the
"Globe" and "Union." He disavow-
ed all hostility against Mr.. Richie,
in whose favor, he said, his feelings
were enlisted when the investigation
of his claim commenced; and pro-
ceeded at length to examine and
comment upon the claim of Mr..
Ritchie he recapitulated the large
sums which the country would be
called upon TO pay if the biilreported
was adopted, and went into various
particulars to which it would be i'm
possible here to aIlude.
MIR. BayIy, Of Virginia, cited sew
eral instances in which Mr.. Hamil-
ton charges more than Mr. Ritchie
receives.
Mr.. Morehead, of Kentucky, fol-
lowed, and defe ded the claim of Mr..
Rltchie; he contended that he was
entitled to reliefunder contract, the
fulflment of which would involve
him in entire ruin; and he insisted that
such relief was not so much called
for by the lNagnanimity and libel atty
OF the House as by a sense of JUS
tice.
Mr. Burt said it was not so much
his intention to discuss the bill as 10
move an amendment. lie was sat-
isfed that the House was dix posed to
Eeps9neEalsr li lirTa TMrs rstRsitbiesa tRsitGbisa f0y any loss
tract /; but it was first necessary he
should prove that such loss had been
sustained. He moved as an amend
l1aent, that the renaSt recommItted
and that the committee report wheth-
er Mr.. Ritchie had satisfactorily per-
formed the public printing, and to
what extent he had lost by the con-
tract.
Mr.. McLane, of Maryland. spoke
at length in favor of the application
of Mr.. Ritchie.
Mr.. Orr explained with reference
to the deviation from the contract,
upon which so much reliance had
been placed. He said $4,000 had
been paid 10 the contractor for the
opinions ofthe Supreme Court, being
about $4,000 more than that to
which he was entitled.
A motion failed for the previous
question.
Mr.. Marshall, of Kentucky, spoke
for some time in opposition to the
CLAIM that had been preferred, and ex-
pressed his conviction that the object
which its advocates had in view was
to break down the contract system,
and ultimately increase enormously
the rate of charging for public print
ing.
A motion to adjourn was made and
carried at half past three o'clock.
OUR Minister at Rome.
/ am not an American, but / wish
to record the conduct of one of your
lcountrymen, which, to republican
hearts, in these days of evil auspices
and mournful presages, is like water
ln the desert to him who is perishjng
Pf thirst. The facts which am
about to narrate were communicated
10 me by relative of the command
Ing General of the French forces in
Rome, who has just arrived in Paris
from the Eternal City.
i IL n