The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-17

mee grows out OF no dislike personal or POLITICAL TO
Doaelson Armstrong. have OF the political OBJ
jecions TO those gentlemen which avowed by the
gentleman from North Carolina Mr. VESABLE not long
since and wish TO say 10 that gentleman n this eo.-
nexion. thai not only do sustain the policy q NE
Union and esteem most OF lie political prnelp1s hgny
conservative, but that any attempt although 40 MOI
suppose that be will make any-to ngrat principles Of
opposite character upon the democratic creed cannot
succeed. and must result IN me 9vewheinhs ueiea' u
himself and those who act with hlm .
Mr. VENABIE Did understand my irend--
Mr. FITCH Simply as saying That did not believe
Won would attempt ingraft The grounds OF your obIec-
lions 10 Donelson Armstrong upon the democratic
Mr. vENABLE. Il is but justice to myself. and to
the parties concerned TO say that have personal OBJ
lection TO Messrs. Doneson Armstrong my remarks
concerning them were purely political am no creed
maker for one parry or the other. am rather free
fighter than otherwise. never make creeds Tor the
democratic party. for the wing party or for the federal
party; but know what democratic doctrines are, what
will say 10 the gentleman from Indiana, that have
endeavored TO enlarge, diminish or alter the democratic
creed. or to ingrait any new principles upon it, Accord
ing the strcest sect of religion have been
sidered democrat for the last thirty or forty years
have never taken from The democratic creed or added
to it.
Mr. FITCH. did not understand the gentleman from
North Carolina Directing personally to the editors Of
the Unon but only to the principles avowei in their pa
per-principles which he could not sanction by voting
Them any portion OF the public patronage. have sad
that have only no personal objection TO those gen
tleinen, but that have objection TO the principles
which they avow, On the contrary sir, II the contract
system was annuled. and the House called upon 10
elect printers might prefer them to almost any other
man, and cast my vote accordingly But there is the dill
fcnlty the contract system is in force and the commit
tee had no right 10 assume legislative power, and pac
cally repeal 1t, without the consent OF the House
Sir the contract system adopted 10 order to avoid
the objections which brought on all hands against
the old system of election 1t is we'll known that sys
TEN corrupt one and that there never eec
ton of printer TO Congress which net mingled more
al.
never was printer elected by Congress who did no..
subsequently ask for modification OF the terms of
the contract under which he required to do the print
ing We know that political printers paid by their
party when in majority 900 and above the
price at which they undertook TO do the printing Of Con-
gess And where bonus in that shape was not given, il
was customary Tor the elected printers to charge extras not
strictly permitted by the terms OF election but which
were allowed by the committees and by Congress, in or
der-no to compensate them for their losses for they
pretended to no ossesbut TO make up the profits to
which they thought they We're entitled.
Well, sir. that system repealed-repealed, the
py osna bsn w
resenting. In part, my State chairman of the Com
mttee on Printing He urged The adoption OF the con-
tract system the right Ii esteemed by the
people, and no statement made here, before the system
has had fair trial. convince them to the contrary.
II it has not been found 10 work WE'LL the fault is the
in which the system has been managed and not
in the system itself Why should there be any OBJ
lection to the contract system for the public printing than
for supplies TO the amy or for the transportation OF the
such service They take contracts according 10 bids and
expected to fulfil those contracts If the system
msmanaged, the Encouragement is mostly our own
fault
My objections to the action OF the committee will be
stated briefly for wish to occupy little OF the time
OF the House as possible Their action was improper,
inasmuch they have assumed and reported TO the
House, that the contract is violated, without adducing
any satisfactory proof of the correctness OF their
ton, and without giving the contractor notice of their
final intention with regard 10 the contract The con.
tractor understand it, denies, not that he received
notice that action OF some kind would be had upon the
part OF this committee, but that he specifically no.
tined OF their intention to annuI in part the contract with
him, and give the work to somebody else And do moi
understand the committee TO assert that they did give him
MIR. STANTON, of Kentucky. Will the gentleman al.
low me for moment 10 submit question to my col
league upon the committee. Mr. GoRMAS y desire TO
know OF him whether he did not ersonay TO this
tractor and tell him what we designed to do-if he did
not show how much he was in default, and propose to
give Mr.. Hamilton written notice 10 that effect :
MI. GORMAN went 10 MIR. Hamilton in the hail.
and said TO him. We going to take action upon
this matter of public printing, wherein suppose you
have falied and want TO see you Do yon want written
notice !" By no means" says he 81 will sure TO be
there" And. in obedience that notice. he did go before
the committee, where saw him--where the gentleman
from Kentucky tMr STANTosl saw him, and where The
gentleman from New York Mr. HAvEN] saw hun And
the course Of the contractor in relation TO this has
only added insult TO injury.
Mr. FITCH That is precisely the case put / said
there doubt that the contractor had received no.
tce OF some action upon the part OF the committee, but
mat ne had received specific notice OF the kind
hon which that committee to take He had not been
notified that they intended declare this contract null
and void, and OF their further intention to give the print
ing to somebody else.
Mr.. GORMAN. My friend has fallen into an error in
tins We have not abrogated the contract
MIR. FITCH. will come to that presently.
Mr. GORMAN We have not only not abrogated this
contract but on the contrary, have expressly pursued
that contract insisting that he should execute his
trect and requiring that he should pay all the damages
Mr.. FITCH will come TO that presently. / am
aware that the committee have not formally abrogaed the
contract But. hrst, will proceed with stating my objce
IONS to their action. Their action further improper
IN bestowng The work upon partisan edtorsthe favor.
IN bestowing portion OF it-half or more-upon an ed
tor or publisher, whose opinions and those expressed in
his paper differ with those of three ffihs OF the men,
bers OF both houses of Congress IL the work is TO be
given to partisan editors, why not give il those whose
opinions coincide with those Of majority here Il is
wrong 10 bestow H. unless tractor by bid, where
all compete upon any partisan but especially upon one
whose paper has ieemed with abuse of majority of those
who are TO bestow the patronage and whose Office has
poured forth islanders by the wholesale upon the party
that majority. aude TO Gideon & Co Ii Il t1ue that
il was said yesterday that the Gideon & Co. who were
included in this new printing distribution were not the
Mr. GORMAN That was in relation 10 the bid. no,
IN relation 10 our present arrangement.
Mr. FITCH object further 10 the action OF this com.
mee because they have left in the hands OF the public
printer very large branch OF the public printing OF
which they declare he has delayed or neglected the
euhon, and has not laid upon tables within reasona.
Bile time The second section OF the law under which
tne committee acts very clearly implies that it is their