The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-16

They said three months ago that MIR. Hamilton
could not do the printing u Is obvious the go
sefning motive win them was Ia provide Tor DO
nelson and Armstrong; and the chairman intends
10 worry the House until he get them, some
way or another, to adopt the proposition The
gentleman had declared that his object was to be
neht his political friends
MIR. GORMAN explained. He had said taat,
where patronage Is To be bestowed he would pre-
fer at the same rates, political friend to poii-
cal foe.
MIR. CLING MAN replied, that if the gentleman
stood on that ground he might have agreed 70 his
proposition-to give the work TO the next lowest
bidder. When the committee adopted the prices
OF Mr. Rives. why did they not take the man!
Mr.. GORMAN snid that he made proposition,
in committee, to take Towers, but a member made
calculation that Rvess prices were the cheapest.
Mr.. CLiNGMAN, after being frequently inter-
rupted, gave the history OF the contract system,
and said that it was adopted TO sever the Govern
ment patronage from the public press, and TO prevent
II from being improperly influenced. The whole
Wing party came forward to carry it through, to-
gether with sixty or seventy Democrats on this
floor and they now asked to abandon il that
the Rtbublic may receive some share OF the patron
age. They TO sell. in consideration of favor.
The friends OF the Union found that they could not
| succeed in obtaining the printing for Doneison and
Armstrong, and so they, IN conjunction took the
Republic. When the Patent Office was robbed,
there were two or three conederates. Did gentle
men suppose that the chief robber proposed 10 d
vide the epois from a feeling of generosity! de
could not get along alone, and 80 he made bar
gain TO divide the plumber Certain editors wanted
TO draw money from the public treasury and hence
the new arrangement The committee have no
right to endeavor, while the present sy5tem Id the
law Of the land, to avoid its provisions.
MIR. HAVEN said that with regard to partyisin
he proposed to have nothing 10 oo but he wished
TO ask one question, simply this is the House salts
tie1 with the execution, or attempted execution of
the contract by Mr.. Hamilton? The committee
are not. Ii the House were satisfied. he was willing
to leave the whole matter where 1t is. lie Lad
come to the conclusion that Mr. Hamilton did not
perform his contract. II the House not salts
tied, then the second section Of the Of 1916
quires the committee to take such means ina y
be necessary TO remedy neglect and delay Of the
printing. The committee have taken measures &C.
! cordingiy; they have not consummated the means,
but will DO 30. When the House have not conf
dence in the committee, let them see huw they can
come TO greater unanimity. II the House or the
country are Satisfied with tho printing in quanti-
~ and quality, delivered, and the amount, they
may relieve the committee very well. II they are
not, tho committee, while they occupy their place
will resort TO the beet means to remedy the neon
venicnce.
Mr. CLINGMAN said that he understood the
gentleman's point; but that the gentleman was
mis aiken as to the fact, and was anxious to shift
the dilemma OF the committee upon the House. II
the committee were satisfied that MIR. Hamilton
cannot execute the public printing, they ought to
have reported the fact to the House, and asked for
advice.
Mr.. HAVEN The law requires otherwise
Mr.. CLINGMAN said that he gave a constIuc-
ton TO the law different from that Of the committee
He did not charge that they have not acted honestly
Bot everybody knew that there had been power
full outside pressure 10 take care Of Donelson and
Armstrong; and ii was intimated that they should
have the work because they have rendered impor-
tant services 10 the Union and had warred against
the utras.
Mr. POLK said that he could not permit this
charge to be made without bringing all the facts to
light. He would ask any member of the commit
tee II Gideon and Company, or Donelson and Arm
strong, ever made proposition TO them to get the
public printing; and be would ask the gentleman
whether The editor of the Southern Press did not
propose an arrangement for division Of The spoils,
in which he did not succeed?
Mr.. CLING MAN replied that he did not know
any thing about it; but the gentleman from lndi
ana sad the editor did not
MIR. POLK. Ask the gentleman from X KY
and let him state the fact.
MIR. CLINGMAN said he did not care if the
editor Of the Southern Press did apply. Another
gentleman said that he did not. He Mr.. & was
not the representative of the Southern Pre,s.
MIR. GORMAN simply said the editor OF that
paper made no proposition to me.
MIR. CLlNGMAN resumed. When interrupted
he was speaking about the efforts which were
made to impress upon the House the justice of
abling Donelson and Armstrong 10 draw money
from the treasury on the ground that they had
performed important service in saving the Union
and making war extreme men. Suppose n
soldier 10 have been in the late war and brought
| away scar; suppose lac had fought at Buens Vista
| ana IN all the Oattce, ana had gone win ScOtts
army to the city of Mexico, and bill was intro
| duced here to give him ten, twenty, or thirty
thousand dollars out Of the public treasury, why
| II would be voted down at once, unless, per-
| haps, II could be shown that he was disabled
| IN the public service; and, even in this case
an appropriation could not be relied upon. Con
gress could not put a man who bad served In
! the civil department on the pension list although
he may have faithfully performed bis duty for fifty
years. They would vote down the proposition.
On what ground, then, do these two editors expect
10 get the Government patronage, by which they
may realize fifty or hundred, or two three
hundred thousand dollars, and out Of ono item-the
census- nearly million Of dollars'
In conclusion, the honorable gentleman thought
" they could not carry out the contract system,
they should try the experiment Of a national print
ing office, 90 as TO separate the press from the Do.
ltical control OF the House lie complied with the
condition on which he obtained the floor by re-
newing the demand for the previous question on
the motion TO lay the whole subject upon the table
Mr.. POLK having control Of the motion, with.
drew II at the request of his colleague
MIR. JONES, OF Tennessee, Who proceeded TO
give the reasons which would influence him in
voting 10 lay the whole subject upon the table.
However gentlemen may differ To ~ no shall do
the work-whether Wing, DemOcrat, Freesoicr,
or State Rights mamie thought every one had ar.
rived at the same conclusion TO which he had been
irrcsistibly forced and that was. the present con
tractor, A. Boyd Hamilton, cannot under the con.
tract which he has with Congress, do the work
nd he did not say this To preJudjce him. or out Of
any dIsrespect Tor him. He would have much pre-
ferrcd that Mr.. Hamilton should have gotten this
contract on terms and prices which would have en-
abled him to execute the work as he should have
DONE not only without Ices, but with fair cquiys
lent for time and labor. Then, II the House or
Congress have come TO the conc lusion and are sat
nhed that the present contractor, from whatever
cause II matters not, cannot execute the work,
some arrange mt ought 70 be made in order that
II may be executed. lie repeated that he intended
TO vote 10 lay this subject upon the table that the
committee may have the work performed in the
manner designed; and he hoped they would not
stop AT that, but will report a proposition 70
repeal the Joint resolution OF 1886 establishing
the contract system. lie voted Tor that Law, but
he wac now satisfied il was a failure; he was salts
fed IL will not work and that as long a. il re
mains on the statute. book IL will be \ fruitful
source OF discord, contention and strife at both
ends Of the Capitol. He hoped that honest printers
will be consulted to fix proper prices for printing,
and that each House will elect its own printer IL
wac opposed to the printing bureau project IL
would be one Of the mOst fruitful sources OF favor
itism and Of abuse which could be conceived and
carried into practice. He believed that every
Congregational district bot that Of Acconac had
printers, and members Of Congress would bring
their fayorites here TO place them in Government
employ.
Mr.. BAYLY, Of Virginia, allowed 20 o,.
plain. The gentleman has referred 10 a fact often
ron tod hat he \