Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-05-08
Public Printing.

tible character existed between the Washington
Union, and the Republic, newspapers-aghig and
democrat with the avowed object of defeating the
Southern Press, and destroying the only Southern
organ at Washington. Mr.. Borland, Senator
from Arkansas, was the chairman of the joint
committee on printing, and he felt called on in or
der to save himself from misconstructon and
abuse, to make public statement in his seat as
Senator. He said
Il have been censured because | refused my
vote to give the printing to Doneson d Armstrong,
and the RepuJlic--especially because | refused to
give it to Donelson q Armstrong. In my opinion
they do not fairly represent the views which en-
tertain upon matters of public interest and policy
now before tn, country However binding, then,
might have felt the obligation to give any pa
tronage atmy disposal to political friend instead
of political opponent, the Union newspaper, as
conducted by them, does not sustain towards me,
at least, such party relation as would require or
justify such consideration at my hands. l am not
disposed to quarrel nor viii quarrel, with them,
or any one else, becuase they differ with me on
matters of public policy. But | am bound, never
theless, to act from my sense of propriety and
convictions of duty, in all such cases; and when
do so act, | am not amenablc to cenSure-no
one should quarrel with account of my
opinions and surely no who claims to think
for himself or to act from his own convictions can
Justly charge me, for my course, with any want OF
regard for public duty, or party duty fealty
But l never understood, until recently, that the
proposition to give this printing to Donelson d
Armstrong was placed upon the ground which L
now find it placed by the committee; that is, the
exigencies of the public service, the necessity
for having the work DONE at once and promptly.
The main, if not only, consideration suggested by
Mr. Donelson himself to me, and his active friends,
to induce me to support that proposition, was the
necessity of it to sustain the Union party press
it being alleged that in no other way could the pa
per be sustained and kept up. Sir, the appeal was
distinctly and repeatedly, and openly, made to
me-, party man, to do this as party measure,
whereby patronage would be given to that paper,
which was losing concern, and could not be sus-
tanned except by profitable jobs of public printing.
Appeals were made to me upon that ground, and
that ground alone, not merely in connection with
this printing, but when Mr. Bright's resolution
was reported from the Committee on Printing, to
give to Doneson d Armstrong the printing OF the
Seventh Census, the appeal was made to me upon
the same ground by the active friends of the Un1on
and by one of its conductors In person. mean
Mr. Donelson / was told that it was necessary,
in order to sustain the paper, that 1t must have
that printing. Nay, sir, was tod-and am sor:
ry to have to say it, but is necessary to my full
!
friends of that press-one who had its interests
specially in charge, in regard to this patronage,
that unless the printing given to Donelson q
Armstrong, and that too, within three weeks, the
Democratic party would be disorganized and dis
banded. The gentleman who told me so said he
had agreed with some fifty others of the House OF
Representatives that the proposition should be
made test of the Democratic party organization ;
and that unless it were conformed to, the party
uould ba md iii She pdpd
Whether the gentleman making that declaration
to me had the authority to speak for the fifty 9TH
ers, | do not know | do not know, even, that he
was really in earnest for himself But the decla-
ration he did make repeatedly and often mostvehe-
mently Ny answer to that in very brief
terms. l stated, with perfect candor, that II the
integrity and organization of the Democratic par
ty, much as loved it, depended upon the patron
age to be given in the form of profitable Jobs OF
public work to newspapers at Washington, or was
to be sustained only by services to be paid tor IN
money out of the public treasury, would at that
very moment, vote for its disorganizaton and an
Inhalation ; and further, that if such was the con-
dtions of service be rendered by the Washington
Union the sooner the Democratic party was clear
of it, the better. [ thorough party man
as any one upon this floor. have been devoted
to the interests ofmy party ever since hrst toob
part in the business of life. l do not care what
cries may be raised against me--what statements
may be made as to my position, or my associations
or the considerations which control me. an
r willing to stand upon he declarations have JUS
made as rule for my conduct in all matters In
volvng my public duties, or party relations.
, feel, in my heart, that have clean bill of pon
} cal and party health | shall trust to it.
But, sir, supposing the Union to have SATISFIED
me ever well as party organ-supposlng IL
course to have been acceptable to me, as
means of sustaining and supportngit it, that shoulf
r support, also, a paper directly opposed to tn
t principles and views L entertain-my antlpodes Il
politics, and engaged in the daily denunclatlon Q
the party to which l belong, | would have seer
the whole concern, and every other paper alonE
t with it, sink into the bottom of the sea, before
t would have moved one finger: or said one word ]
S aequiesence-or hesitated to declare, as now de
t clare, my disavowal and reputation of all sucl
means or arrangements. Tell me, sir, abou
Democratic organization, and party fealty to b
manifested by such propositions, and arrangement
: as this Why, sir, what is it but coalition wit
: our political opponents And for what? Not
: sir, for political advancement, party advantage
e No, sir it is political amalgamaton, and abandon
ment of party, with the effect onlyo giving mon
ey to particular individuals--and one Of those IN
dvidals active, INSCRIPTIONS, vndictive polltl
7? cal opponent ? To my mind, it has no considera
tions of proprety to commend it to fayor--no iten
: of party advantage to justify it.. It's, to my ap
b prehension, neither more nor less than an amalga
Y nation Of partisan utter disregard of all part
e distinctions, for mere pecuniary gain. Such is m
!, opinion. Let it pass for what it may be worth.
d neither censure nor condemn that of others.
a