The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-18

heretofore well understood wish. They will
indirectly, by their own direction, have an.
pointed the printers to Congress, and set aside
the law and the contract system. They will
not pretend TO say they have the power to do
this directly-they will not deny but the at.
tempt would be illegal. Then why seek to do
II indirectly The latter is equally in violation
OF the spirit if not the letter of the law. Dur.
ring that debate, the chairman of the committee.
Mr.. GoRMAN said
When the proposition was first made TO
give lhe FUTURE printing to some one beside
the contractor, the question immediately spruog
up whether or not we had the power to do that
Inc gentleman from New York, Mr.. HAVEN'T
one OF me members of the committee, who has
the reputation OF being as good a lawyer as any
other ~ hecountry, suggested that il was doubt.
iui Whelher that power could be exercised by
the committee. What did we do Persist in do.
ing thing about which there was donbt NJ
our power to do? No! We conceived there.
FORE that We had no power TO make this transfer
for the future printing Whatever The contractor
fails or negeets to DO of the printing that il or.
dered now, according to his contract we NAV
make arrangements TO have done. That was
our argument there; it is our argument here.
and am satisfied it convinces everybody here
lhen Ire question of the committee WAS.
that they had no right to contract for future
printing correct opinion, and one in which
Inc House will readily concur; but subsequent
10 that nme' The committee appear to have had
new feadifgot the law, or the gentleman from
New York lMr. HAVEN has discovered new
version OF ", or the committee have received
llght from Without, relative to its proper con-
s'rueHon, Tor 1t appears from the report before
US, Thai they have arranged with party other
tnP Fnr f,,t,, -.
not yet ordered o
Mr. GORMhN. If the gentleman will ser.
mt me 10 interrupt him. We have certainly
not gwen one particle of future printing to
Doneson y Armstrong. We have simply done
this: We have provided for snpplvino anv
detcleny where the public printer fails to exc
cute his contract, but not one Job has been
Votea 10 Their possession upon the part IF the
committee. We conceive that we have mo
power to give any future printing into the hand.
OF any party other than the public printer, until
we find he fails to execute it.
Mr.. FITCH. may have more to saw upon
this point in another connection | will not
only say, that II this committee have not given
the future printing to Donelson 81 Armstrong.
the language OF this report is extremely loose,
because 1t informs us that the committee have
pfoVlaed Tor the execution of printing which
may hereafter be ordered, and made that proyi.
sion with other parties than the contractor-par
ties OF their own selection
Mr. STANTON, ofKeEtucky. 1.-THE gentle
man Will refer to the report, he will find that
it says no such thing
Mr.. FITCH. The gentleman does mot nm.
derstand the force and meaning of the langn,oe
OF his own report, or is very oblivious of facts.
The language of the report is that the commit
tee entered into contracts with Donelson &,
Armstrong to execute SO much of the public
pruning as had been or might be ordered by the
House. and which the public contractor could
not or would not do; and with Gideon g. Co.,
10 do that ordered by the Senate. fit was
liiega and wrong when the chairman made the
remarks have previously quoted, to bestow
jutnre printing upon any other than the eontrac
Tor, u Is equally so now; for, however circun
Stances may have controlled the action of the
committee, no circumstances can change the
law. have more hereafter to say of the report
now before us. ~
The committee have assumed, and as has the
editor OF the Union that the reference of the
hrst report back to that committee without in
struclions, was Endorsement of their action. and
that, therefore, they were justified in pursuing
that action The committee and the editor of
the Union must hare kno0n that no such in
dorsement was intended or understood mon
the part of tho Houso. Out of Difference 90
the feelings of the committee the House deli.
cately forbore giving vote, which would have
been construed into one of censure, and hence
referred the matter back to the committee with
out instructions, but with the full understanding
that other and different action should be had. Ii
appears that our consideration for their feelings
was thrown away, for they have not appreciated
II. The understanding that other and different
action should be had was based upon the opin-
ions elected during the previous debate, upon
the votes had during that debate, and upon the
promises, positive and implied, of the committee.
And how have those premises been redeemed
Have we been deceiyed-sadly deceiyedg Or
have we deceived ourselves Whichever il
may be, sir, If we are deceived again, the fault
will be our own. Ii will be because of our
want OF determination 10 enforce that lccount.-
biity from the committee which il is our right
to expect, and their duty in common with all
other committees to yield. II will be becauss
OF our want Of sufficient self.respect TO insit
mat our instructions shall be respected and
ooeyed. DO not wish TO be understood %
charging Intentional deception 10 the cont
miitee. IL was the result, probably. Of Miami
derstanding between the House and commits,
relative TO Their respective action and intentions,
HNg nave OfNuTTtu-NUObf-
ever was the fault, its repetition should Is
avoided, and II Is The duty Of the House 10
place that avoidance beyond the possibility II
doubt.
Complaints are made by gentlemen upon this
side Of the House. Of the nCn.fulillment of GER
tain promises, which they aege was made
promises, that If the first report was re-
fefred back TO the committee without instruc-
tons, all Of whatever printing was given TO any
other than the contractor, should be given 10
Donelson d. Armstrong. How has this promiss
been redeemed But, sir, whatever Others NAV
do, am not disposed TO make any complai,t ~
this character, because no promise controlled
my vote, and no promise sbould have Controlled
the vote Of any other gentleman first, because
Il IS wrong to vote with a view to the besiownl
OF the printing upoH any individual by the mere
action of the committee, on terms higher thaa
those at which it would be executed by others,
and IN violation of the spirit Of The existing law,
the contract system is the correct one, and
should be enforced 10 the full extent of the in.
tention Of the law.