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

Phelps, Pitman, Putnam. Reed, Reynolds, Risley,
Rockwell, Root Rose, Rumsey, Jr., sackett,
Sohenck, schoolcraft Sylvester sPaldlng' SPrague'
Thaddeus Stevens, Stetson, Thurman, Ioonbs,
Van Dyke, Vinton, Wallace, wentworth, Nm"'
and Wilmot-9O.
NAYS.-Messrs Albertson, Ashe, Ashmun, Ave
rett, Bay, Bayly, Beale, Bell, Bocock, Bowlin,
Boyd, Brock, William J. Brown, Buel, Billiard.
f. Darlington Cabell. Joseph Cable, George A.
Caldwell, Joseph p Caldwell, Clngman, William
X. w Cobb, Daniel, banner, Deberry' Dim-
mick Disney, Durham Edmundson, Ewing, Fea-
therston, Fitch, Fuller, Gerry, Gilmore, German,
Green, Grinnell, Hall, Hamilton, Hammond, llar
alison, Harlan, Isham q Harris. Sampson w Har-
ris, Thomas l.. Harris, Raymond, Hubbard, Holla-
day Holmes, Howard, Inge, Joseph w. jackson.
Andrew Johnson, Robert w. johnson, Jones, Left
Ter, Levin, Littleield, Job Mann, Mason, McCler
nand, Nc Donald Mcdowell, Robert NJ. McLane.
McMullen, Melville, Meade, John X. Miller, Mill
son, Morehead, Morton, Olds, Outlaw, Owen, Par
ker, Peck Penn, Phoenix, Potter, Powell, Richard
son, Robbins, jr., Robinson, Ross, Savage, Sawtee,
Seldom, Shepherd, Stanly, Frederick p. Stanton,
Richard I'll. Stanton, Alexander ii. Stephens, Strong,
Sweetser Taylor, Thomas, Jacob Thompson. James
Thompson, John b. Thompson, underhll Vena-
BILE, Walden, Watkins, Welborn, Whittlesey,
Wildrick, Williams, Wright, and Young-llO.
Mr.. McWlLLIE (who reported the resolution,
being allowed by the rules TO close the debate)
said that he had made the report on the conviction
that the relief asked by MIR. Richie justly due.
He asked members If they, as individuals, had made
the contract, they would insist enforcing il. The
printing was executed with fidelity and despatch
never before cxceled. Ought not the printer to be
allowed the value OF the service Ought Congress
to insist the execution of the contract 10 the let
ter? We should do TO others, under similar CIR
cumstances, We would have others 10 To US If
there one fact on earth proved more satisacto-
rily than another il s that the present contractor
has not received for his work any thing like its
value. Mr.. John &, Rives, experienced con-
tractor Of the House. said, before the select commit
tee, that tho printing of Congress could not be done
for less than thirty three and third per cent. be-
low the prices Of the resolution of 1919 We now
propose TO give Mr.. Richie but ono-half of the
prices of that resolution. Mr. Wendell, the former
contractor, gave similar testimony, and said that
his bid was sixty-six 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. 1t was in testimony before the COM
mttee that he did not execute the work by ten
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 tyrant. He trusted not. There not only
this testimony before the committee, but a select
committee of 1916, of which Mr. DAVIS chair
man, reported that the public printing cannot be
executed for less than reduction of fory-five per
cent. the prices of 1919. In this view of the
question, fifty per cent. would not give more than
just compensation to Mr. Richie. He thought
that there could be no doubt about it. The gen
tleman from South Carolina (Mr. ORR entertained
a contrary opinion. He (Mr McW) knew
thing of printing; he had never been connected
with the press. He had, however, been reader
of books, and had never heard of cheaper ones
than those printed for Congress by MIR. Richie.
A volume of nine hundred pages at thirty cents,
and for the Patent Office Report about nineteen
cent?.
MIR. BURT inquired how Mr. Richie knew that
n reduction of fifty per cent. below the prices of
1919 would compensate him.
MIR. NEVILLE replied that he had already
given an answer in the words OF Rives Wendell,
and Gordon and in the report OF the select COM
mittcc. Ii was impossible TO offer another form of
resolution, as the work is not yet done 1t was
ccssary to establish some general basis and there
not man the floor who believed that one
half the prices of 1919 would InorG than compen-
safe Mr.. Richie. He showed that precedents had
been set for indemnifying printers to Congress-;
and in conclusion said that the effect of the rcsou-
ton would be to turn an old man three score and
ten, penniless on the world, with an aged wife and
helpless family. Some other hand might be found
to use the sacrifcial knife and place the victim
the altar, but before Heaven he never would.
The question stated on recomniting the
resolution for the relief OF Mr. Richie TO the Com
mittcc 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, agrceaby to the contract and
what aum he has lost by his contract; and it was
decided in the attirmative-yeas l09, nays 9l-as
follows
derson, Andrews, Bennett, Bingham, l,okee, Booth.
Bowie, Briggs, Burrows, Burt, Butler, Joseph
Gable, George Alfred Caldwell, Joseph p.
Caldwell, Calvin, Campbell, Cartier, Casey,
Clarke Cngman, Cocock, Cole. Conger, Corwin,
Crowell, Dickey, Doty, Duer. Duncan, Durham,
Eliot, Alexander Evans, Nathan Evans, Feather
ston, Fitch, Fowler, Freddy, Gentry, Gerry,
Gilbert, Cot, Gould, Holloway, Hampton. FIar
Ian, Hay, Hebard, Henry. Houston, Howe,
Hunter, William T. jackson, Andrew Johnson
Julian, Kerr, George G. King, James e. King,
John A. King, Horace Mann Marshall, Alatteson,
McGaughey, Finis E. Mclean, Mcqueen, Meach.
am, Daniel +. Miller, Moore, Morris, Morrison,
Nelson, Oglc, Orr, Otis, Peasee, Phelps, Phoenix,
Pitman, Putnam, Reed, Reynolds, Risley, Rock
D,,t,n el-rts Sow
Sawtelle, Schenck, Schoolcraft, Sylvester, Spald-
ing, Sprague Staply, T. Stevens, Stetson, Taylor,
Thurman, Underhill, Van Dyke, Vinton Waldo,
Watkins, Wentworth, White Widrick, and Will
mot-l09.
NAYS. -Messrs. Abertson. Ashe, Ashmun, Ave
rett, BayIy, Beale, Bell, Bocock, Bowdon, Bow
lin, Boyd, Albert G. Brown, William J. Brown,
Buel, Billiard, f. Darlington Cabell, Williamson
X. w Cobb, Daniel, Banner, Deberry, Dimmick,
Disney, Edmundson, Ewing, Fuller, Gilmore,
German, Green, Grinne, Hall, Hammond, lsham
G. Harris, Sampson w. Harris, Thomas l.. Harris
Raymond, Hbbard, Holiday, Holmes. Howard,
Joseph w Jackson, James l.. Johnson, Robert w
Johnson, Jones, La Sere, Letter, Levin, Littefed,
Job Mann, Mason, McClernand, Mcdonald, Nc
Meade, John X. Miller, Nillson, Morehead, Nor
ton, Odds, Outlaw, Owen, Parker, Peck, Penn,
Potter, Powell, Richardson, Robbins, jr., Robin
son, Ross, Seddon, Shepherd, Frederick p. Stan
ton, Richard II. Stanton, Alexander II. Stephens,
Strong, Sweetser, Thomas Jacob Thompson James
Thompson, John b. Thompson Nenable, Walden,
Wallace, Wellborn, Whttlesey, Williams, Wright,
and Young-9l.
So the resolution for the relief of Mr. Richie
recommitted to the Committee on Printing.
Mr.. WENTWORTH moved to reconsider the
vote just taken, and on his motion that motion
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.
I.H moved 40 mi tfpet lie
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
Mr.. 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 it was in order,
being tho first bill on the calendar
Mr.. McLANE, of Maryland, rose 10 question;
it not in order for the gentleman from New
York TO to take up the River and Harbor BILL
while the motion of the gentleman from Virginia