The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-06

given out to the lowest bidder, as the present Con
gressional work was done.
MIR. CASS said that the reason why this work
should not be given out by contract 10 the lowest
bidder was, that il should be done speedily, and
done well. II given out to the lowest bidder, the
experience of all must teach them that they must
expect it not 20 be done at all-done, hut delayed
beyond all reasonable time, or done badly. This
work, above all others, should be done well He
could see objection that could with propriety or
justice be made TO reposing the making Of this con
tract IN the hands of committee consisting of three
Senators and three members of the House OF Rep
resentativcs,
Mr.. BORLAND said that this subject was in the
same position as II was in when before the Senate
last. He then said, and he now repeated, the SEN
tic was discussing subject not yet before them.
They were engaged in debate printing the
census returns, when, in fact, those returns were
not before the Senate. The act providing for TAX
ing the census resuired those returns to be laid be-
fore Congress. The census returns of the State OF
Maryland, as prepared by the Superintendent OF
the Census, were now before the Senate In it was
much that had no business there; for which there
was no authority Of law to include in the census
returns. Was the Senate prepared to order the
printing OF this matter? For ono he was unwil-
ling. He did not consider the Superintendent of
the Census as qualified to prepare and arrange the
matter which had been inserted in the census re-
turns. even if such matter ought to have place
there He had no busness to put il in there. There
were eighteen pages of historical matter including
the history OF the counties; and also some twenty
print this matter, this work will GO forth to the
world official history Of the United States.
lie considered this matter ought not 10 have been
inserted IN the census returns nothing ought TO
have been included In those returns except what
tue law had provided for.
In the twenty-five pages Of medical statistics
were tables of nice distinctions and determinations
Oh fevers, and between the several descriptions OF
ievers-q questions which had long occupied the at
tention and study of the most eminent of the pro-
tessoD.
Was the Superintendent Of the Census Bureau the
proper person to prepare work like this, to be
published under the authority OF the United States!
lie thought not. Out OF n book OF ninety six
pages, containing the returns of the State Of Ma
ryiand, eighteen pages were devoted to history,
and twenty tive TO medicine. He was not pre-
pared to say whether the Superintendent's history
or medicine was not accurate, but he had net sut-
cient evidence of the accuracy of that officer to
justify him in voting to send out to the country a
publication Of either his work on history mcdi.
cine What. then, was TO be printed? Was the
Senate prepared to cay that this work, prepared
by the head Of the Census Bureau, should be
printed; or was the Committee Printing to de-
eide what and what not to be printed?
! 1t would be impossible for the committee to dc.
eide upon the accuracy Of this medical part of the
| book. He would oppose the printing of any thing
an the census returns but what the law required.
Should the Senate insist that the Committee on
Printing should make this contract, he desired to
see the whole work placed under their control il
they made the contract, they should see to its
ecution, and that il was executed III the way they
Intended il should be executed.
He gave notice that he would move an amend
mcnt, that no contract made by the committee
snou!d be binding till approved by Congress.
Mr.. HAMLlN thought the Senate could now de
tcrmine who was TO do the work and when the de-
tails came up Tor consideration he would agree with
nearly all that had been said by the Senator from
Arkansas
Mr.. PEARCE got the floor
And then the Senate adjourned.