The republic., 1852-01-07
THE REPU BLIC.

4
sent TO the Capitol which did not come up to the
| contract in any one particular He had refused to
! approve them. lie had been appealed to by Sena
tore to accept the documents, but he had, as chair
man OF the committee, refused TO approve them.
| The document room bad been filled from floor TO
ceiling waiting bis acceptance and he had refused
H.. lie bad not sgned any of the printers' bills;
yet Congress had accepted them, md ordered their
| distributions This he regarded as an implied CEN
sure upon the committee.
He pointed out many other instances where the
contracts of the public printers had been violated
and where the committee had refused to accept the
work, and where Congress had intericred. and the
several Houses had passed bills allowing enormous
! profits to the contractors.
| Mr.. PRATT advocated the amendment. He
could objection to it,, except that il was in
tended that the committee could give the contract
10 political presses, irrespective OF ability or Of
prize; whereas the officers Of the House and Senate
could not be governed by such desires.
| MIR. BADG Err would have voted against the
amendment had it not been for the personal objec
| lions stated by the chairman Of the committee.
! Mr.. CLEMENS said the resolution had been re-
| ported by the committee in its present shape, and
therefore the chairman of the COMMITTEES had been
overrulcd by the committee lie would vote against
| the amendment
Mr.. GWIN said that. by existing law, it was
made the duty Of the Committee on Printing. in
case the contractor for the public printing should
fail in the performance of his duty, to make new
contract for the printing This resolution, there.
fore, did not impose on them q duty which was not
contemplated by the act of 1916.
/ Mr.. BORLAND said the Joint Committee on
| Printing was composed of six members Three
had voted for the resolution, two against it,,
| and the other declined voting. He, who was Of
the majority, had expressly stated his intention to
| move this amendment.
| MIR. HAMLIN said that he the member of
the committee who did not vote upon-it He was
in favor of the resolution, and in favor Of giving
the work to the persons named in 1t, but he op-
| posed il because il made il the duty Of the COM
mitlee to make the contract. He was opposed to
| making any committee Of the Senate pack khorse
| Tor the Senate, or OF making any committee go
out into the strcets to chatter and bargain about the
Messrs BRIGHT BOkLAND and BADGER
| continued the debate, all exposing the injurious
| etfects resulting from the system of giving the
| printing out by contract to thelowest bidder.
| Mr.. DODGE, of Iowa. opposed the amend
| ment.
MIR. BoRLAND declared himself unqualified for
making the tract directed; and he gave
tice that, II the duty was imposed on the commit
| tee, he would not take it upon himself lie then,
| by unanimous consent, withdrew his amend
ment.
| Mr.. SMITH desired to make some extended re-
marks upon the subject, and, on his motion. by II
vote of ayes %, noea Is, the joint resolution was
| postponed till tomorrow.
| AMERICANS CAPTURED IN cUBA.
| The CHAIR laid before the Senate the following
message from the President Of the United States;
| which read and referred to the Committee on
| Finance:
| 10 the Senate Of the United States:
transmit to the Senate report OF the Secretary
OF State relative to the persons belonging to the
expedition Of Lopez, who were taken prisoners in
Cuba and afterwards sent to Spain, and who have
now been pardoned and released by her Catholic
majesty. The appropriation, the expediency of
which ID suggested in the report, cordially com
mend TO the consideration of Congress, with the
single additional suggestion that, to be available,
MILLARD FILLMORE
| WAsHINGTos, January 5. 1852.
| To the President of the United States:
! The Secretary Of State has the honor to lay be-
fore the President copy of despatch, Of the 18th
ultimo, addressed to this Department by Mr. Bar
! ringer the minister of the United States at Ma
drid, announcing the pardon and release, by her
Catholic majesty, OF the prisoners taken in Cuba
in the expedition OF Lopez, and afterwards sent to
Spain, together with copies OF several accompany
/ ing papers.
| The Secretary of State suggests to the President
! the proprety OF recommending to Congress the
| cxpedency of making appropriation Tor the
| purpose OF defraying the expenses which may have
| been may be incurred in administering to the
| necessities of these persons while in Spain, and
until their return TO the United States. Their con-
dtion is forlorn and dcplorable. and such calls
| for immediate relief
Respectfully submitted.
DANL. WEBSTER
WIDOW OF GENERAL BELKSAP.
Mr.. SEWARD submitted the following resolu-
| tion which es one day:
! Resolped That the Committee Pensions be
| Of awarding a pension TO the widow of the late
Broyet Brgadier General Belknap, who served
| during the late Mexican with distinguished
fidelity and ability and recently died while actively
engaged in the public service.
! WN. pARsy
| Mr. DOWNS moved that the Senate take UP the
| bill for the relief Of VIM. Darby
The CHAIR suggested the propriety Of the Sen
| ate deciding whether, under the rules giving pri-
yate bills priority all other business Friday
Of each week, did not exclude their consideration
while proceeding with the calendar other days
After debate, it wac generally agreed that the
| consideration of private bills was not confined to
the days which they had priority other
business.
The motion to take up the bill for the relief of
! WIN, Darby was then agreed TO, aud, after debate,
the bill wac ordered TO be cngrosscd-yeas %,
nays IL.
PRIVATE Hills.
The following private bills, yesterday ordered to
be engrosscd, were read a third time and passed:
An act for the relief of the heirs of Judith
Worthen. deceased.
An act for the relief Of Sydney a. Alcott
An act granting pension 20 Sally Floyd,
widow of George II. &. Floyd late a lieutenant in
| the army OF the United States.
An act authorizing Victor Morass 10 relinquish
certain lands and 10 enter the same elsewhere.
An act for the relief Of Charles Mclrosc
And then, on motion,
The Senate adjourned.