The daily union., 1852-09-02

Il
civil and diplomatic biIhas put me on trial on ques;
OF consistency The honorable senator has preferred
put in but hope may be permitted 10 stand up here
and put in plea of g not guilty. and before get
through venture say that shall satisfy every member
OF the Senate, except perhaps that gentleman that am
not guilty
This is not the first time that the gentleman has stood
up and preferred against me charge OF Inconsistency
10 relation to the subject of the public printing When
the charge was made before brought in The record and
proved from i that The charge was utterly false as
word used The gentleman 10 take pleasure in
reading from remarks that had the honor TO ad
them before me- II had them here | should not ask
another human being in the chamber except the senator
him some little light on the subject.
admit that when the question in regard to The prepar-
aory printing for the taking OF the census was before the
Senate did claim thai it could be let out to the low
est bidder with safety and propriety. and assigned
special for IT, said that it required paper OF
very exselien, eharaeeyery nearly Of .he quality ct
through the mails; that they were TO undergo great deal
OF manipulation or handling and that the paper were
and returned here the department in such manner as
to render them wholly legble and unin,elligble. did
character to the lowest bidder. But il the honorable
gentleman will take up the record of my speeches IN re-
gard to The printing OF the census returns, he Will hnd II
written down there that conended that the printing OF
those returns should be let out 10 the lowest biz der
avowed it over aud again When spoke upon The
subject brought in the record and read il in the OF
tue gentleman; but it seems that the reading had very
lne effect on his memory con,ended in The strongest
terms tina, would consent 10 let out the depart
mental printing the printing OF the census returns 10
any other man than the lowest bidder He Will md 80
written in my speech There j. stands, and there i will
stand 10 The end OF time. lcOlended that the printing
OF the census was departmental work. and that i ought
go the lowest bidder,ha, letting out 10 the low
est bidder would save a very large sum OF money TO
But it would really seem that cannot rise TO address
the Senate any subject but thai have some honora-
BILE the other side bringing against me accu
satOn ". honorable
kansas, Mr. BoRLAND,l when spoke on the Sault Ste
Mare canal BILL arrasned me on me charge o. lnconsls
addressed the Senate the subject OF printing early IN
the session, aragned me on the same charge showed
then that it utterly unfounded, and II ! had the
record here now | would show that this charge is
equally uniounded.
have insisted from the beginning that the printing of
the returns should be let ou to the lowest bidder
And here, sir, have revelation, and wall speak 1t
out. The object of this measurel do not say an
improper object call IN question no mans motive I'M
peach the conduct of onebu the object OF bringing
this bill and pressing il now is TO enable the honorable
lay their hands this business of printing The census
turns, and hand II over TO tse man who may be elected
pubc printer by the democratic majority in the two
houses OF Congress.
In relation 10 the system of congressional printing,
have always said that The contract system had failed.
said that IL ought 10 be changed. But how changed
Not by electug some partisan 10 do the printing OF the
two houses OF Congress bat have coniended that some
mod ica,ion was necessary, and believe suggested
that ought 10 purchase the paper and then lei out the
press. work aud composition TO the lowest bidder.
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Certainly. well recollec, that
that your argument
| MIR SMITH My honorable friend from Kentucky
informs that he well recoects that took thai ground
All that the honorable senator from Indiana, them has TO
stand upon in preferling against the accusation OF in
consistency, is that insisted in regard TO the printing
preliminary 10 the taking OF the census that would not
do TO let i out to the lowest bidder have always m
sisted that the contract system IT stands, accord
ing 10 law, should prevail in regard TO the departmental
printing but in regard 10 the congressional printing,
have at all times admitted that there should be
amendment. L
amendment; but am not pledged 10 vote for all sorts OF
ame ndments
majority have decided here that they will lay their
hands the departmental printing II is not enough that
the partisan be elected by the two houses shall have
all the printing o the two houses Ii Is not enough
that he shall have the printing of the census which
suppose viii be conferred him but II IS proposed 10
make this bill sort of drag net to go through all the de-
pattments and gather up all The patronage TO be iound
and give il to some iavorite OF the party. .
| have gone far enough in yindicaling the position
which have assumed hitherto say that my course
has been consistent 1 have maintained most strenu-
ousy tina; should depart from the system OF let
ting out the printing 10 the lowest bidder have always
admitted, however, that IL was necessary that there
should be modification OF The law n regard 10 the
congressional printing Having done this move to lay
Mr. BRlGHT hope The honorable senator will with
draw the motion Tor moment.
Mr.. SMITH Certainly, sir.
/ MIR. BRIGHT. have not arraIgned the honorable
SENATOR made any charge against bin winch Is not
supported by the record which have read. merely
charged that he had hitherto been the advocate OF the
contract system whenever the contract system was like
benefit the peculiar interest that he seems 10 repre-
this floor aud whenever II did not SUIT that IN
teest he against IT, He has been Tor and against II,
as circumstances and interest seeaed 10 require.
i ST, might, when last up, have read further and
proved that the honorable gentleman on one occasion
pledged himself 10 bring 10 bill to repeal this odious
contract system and II the Senate will indulge me,
will do SO now. At page 495 OF the Congressional
Globe for the first session OF the thirty hrst Congress, on
the question OF printing the seventh census, the honorable
senator remarked
"t was about plain what the real Of the
s uterly possible, under this system, that we
shold public documents ready In time. II Is neces
that should be abr r1gated and will now intimate
that, early day. intend bring Ie subject uudor
the consideration OF the Senate say, then, simply that
imttug do to the fullest extent, that neither the
Of Congress in fault the administration Is not re-
for what be said by the editor Of the Re-
public in degree and that the whole difficulty results
from this unfortunate syem which oniy be oharsc-
lerized by the old provsrb, beng penny wise aud
pound foolsh."
These the remarks OF the senator on that occa-
sion, in which he pledged himself to bring in bill TO re-
peal the whole SYSTEM which believe he has not done
1 There is one point to which must sude. and am
done and that the fact that the senator objects 10 the
bill the ground hat the prices proposed to be paid
extrav aganty highthere is great fortune IN them
that about pay enormous prices 10 sustain
partisan press &c Why sir, the prices proposed be
paid by this bill not high those recommended 10
be paid by that honorable member of The
Committee on Printing, and under which that committee
proposed to let the printing OF Congress | appeal TO
the honorable senator from Arkansas, who