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

mit--such answer as that defense seems to re-
quire.
My friend and colleague, Mr. GoRMAN,l the
chairman of the Committee on Printing, during
his closing remarks upon the previous report o.
the committee, reiterated charge which hac
| been before made, and before denied, that co
ation existed here, having for it's object The
defeat of the action of that committee coali
ton composed of gentlemen, mostly Democrats
I, entertaining opposite secti' Gal sentiments
; Now, rs have before said, do not belong to
either of the extremes, (Freesoers and ultra
State Rights men, between which the coalition
is alleged to exist; but having acted with those
: who have opposed the action of the committee
may, be supposed to know something Of theii
] motives and views. ! can, the refore, say, as
have said before, that no such coalition exists
outside Of the imaginations of those who make
the charge. And even if it did exist, it would
: be poweress here; at least it would not con,
siitute majority, as was clearly proved but a
few weeks since by the votes upon the compro
mise resolutions The two extremes, between
whom II coalition is now alleged TO exist, op.
posed those resolutions; but, notwithstanding
their opposition, the resolutions passed; and
thus it would be now, if such coalition existed
: it would be powerless in opposition to the
action of the Printing Committee. 1t has been
only by the votes OF many Of the national De.
mocracy that the proposed action of the com
mittee-the contamination Of their. intentions
), has been hitherto prevented. The only coali.
ton that can even be suspected to exist, is one
which might be inferred from circumstances to
exist between the members of the committee,
of opposite politics. and those who sustain their
action in the House do not allege that there
is such coalition; but if circumstantial evil
dence is TO be received 10 proof Of It's existence,
the proof will be found TO be so strong rs to
Justify any jury OF Intelligent men in hesiating
long before relieving the parties concerned Of
the charge by n verdict of"not guilty"
Now, sir, desire to revert fora few moments
to the first report from the committee, and to Il
resolution adopted by the Joint Committee on
Printing which accompanied that report, and to
call the attention of the House to few facts
connected with both That resolution was ir
regular, because it was reported from a Joint
committee Of Congress, by majority not recog-
nizcd by the rules which ordinarily govern the
proceedings of joint committees 1t is well
known that the majority necessary to enable Il
Joint committee to report, must consist of a ma
jority of the committee from each body-the
House portion and the Senate portion respec.
lively. But in this instance, there never was
majority OF the Senate committee. 1t was only
Vi tne JOlnL committee
that adopted that resolution. s......
l Again, that resolution was irregular, because
it was not the resolution which the committee
directed to be reported it was another, as the
records Of the committee will show and as the
then chairman of the Senate portion of the
committee Mr.. BoRLAND has declared
During the discussion upon that report, il
was charged that opposition to the action of the
committee, was opposition to Donelson o. a rm.
strong, and the chairman Of the House portion
of the committee Mr. GoRMAN proceeded to
defend those gentlemen before they were as.
sailed, and to defend them against members
who had no thought of assailing them-apainst
members who were in fact, better friends of
DonelsOn d. Armstrong, aud of the Democratic
i party, than were the Democratic members ofthe
committee themselves, because he was defend
ing them against members who would have
saved those gentlemen and the Democratic party
from the odium of partnership with leading
political paper of the opposite parIy-a partner.
ship, not for the dissemination of political prin-
ciples, but for a division of profits-of money
from the national treasury; and would have
saved, them from the charge of corruption which
such a partnership would inevitably originate.
Here message was received from the Sen.
ate Of the United States by the hands of AS.
bOhh DlChlNS, osq., It's ocCIelaFy.l
Mr.. POLK Will the gentleman from Indi.
ana allow me to make statement at this POINT
; in his remarks?
Mr.. FITCH Certainly.
4 Mr.. POLK. Ii might be inferred from the
remarks Of the gentleman that Donelson e.
Armstrong consented to the arrangement Of the
committee.
Mr.. FITCH. have not so asserted, but
such is the belief. trust II Is erroneous.
Mr.. POLK. Messrs. Donelson & Armstrong
never consented to the combination of the two
presses TO which the gentleman has referred.
They never consented TO the action of the com.
mitee on that subject
Mr.. FITCH. ] am happy TO hear il exceed.
iugly so. was about to say, when interrupted,
that the committee made no defense of the other
parties TO whom they proposed to give portion
(hal) of the printing-Gideon & Co., Of the
Republic-oiher than the general statement Of
the chairman, that the Republic was in favor of
the fnality OF the compromise. Yet, the com.
mittee knew that much, very much Of the oppo-
si,ion 10 their action originated from their pro.
position TO give one half Of the printing 90 that
paper. Sir, that paper has abounded in nn
measured and unwaranted Misrepresentation Of
the Democratic party its men and its principles.
Yet we find q Democratic committee Of Demo.
posal, ont Of the pnblic treasury, the means Of
multiplying its misrepresentation, and propa-
eating them more extensively throughout the
country, that they may be more effective! Why
did not the committee defend Gideon g. CO..
and the Republic The members of the com.
mitee might then have had the pleasure, or the
ortificaton-whichever they esteemed it-of
seeing pamphlet copies Of their speeches issuing
from the Office Of that paper embellished. may
hap, with a wooden.cut OF coon, significant Of
the Office from which il was issued, and typical
Of the principles Of the paper which Il defended
The same exceptions which take. and which
most Democrats would be disposed 10 take. 10
the matter Of the political editorials Of the Re
pubic, that paper aud the Wing party generally
would doubtless take the Dem cratic press. and,
perhaps, not without some foundation Indeed
sir, il is not pleasant confession, but probably
true, that some foundation for such exceptions
appears 10 be insrparable from the management,
Of political party press. But that is no re-.
commentator TO The support and patronage ol
an opposite party. The exceptions in the case