The daily union., 1852-09-07

MIR. SMITH You cannot have the question at pres
ent, for am upon the floor.
Mr. PRATT wish 10 obtain some information OF
the honorable senator from Connecticut or somebody else
ii the senator will allow me-
Mr. SMITH. Cerslnlyi yield the floor.
| Mr. PRATT Ii does not matter 10 me from what
source the information may come Tas question, Mr..
President, has been presented to Congress before
think the first session of last Congress- after long
debate upon the question. the senator from Louis
lana Mr. SoULEl offered an amendment which met with
the OF the Senate Ia recollect the propo.
silion which then passed, il provided that two three
persons who were named in the bill sefpractca print
ersshould ascertain the actual expense 10 which Mr.
Richie had been put IN doing the work OF Congress Tor
which he claims compensation, and that We should pay
him that amount together with per cent profit upon
IT, with the poyiso that should not exceed sum speci
fed 10 the resolution have endeavored TO find II, but
have yet succeeded In finding what was the action
of the Senate upon that occasion My object Is 10 in
qaire Of the honorable senator from Arkansas, or the
honorable senator from Connecticut or some other sena
tor whether recollect correctly
Mr.. BORLAND think can relieve the senator
from Connecticut from some difficulty It he will yield me
the floor will make suggestion in the form OF an ad.
dtoaal proviso which will read directly, but which, il
the senator will permit me- will preface with few re-
marks.
| MIR. SMITH Certainly
Mr. BORLAND Ii will be recollected that in the last
Congress bill resolution passed the Senate allowing
TO this printer ten per centum upon the whole amount OF
his expenditures In the execution OF the public printing
That based upon The consideration that he had taken
contract by which he had lost money, and that
not proper Tor this government in any OF It's departments
and refuse to allow him adequate compensation An
estimate, perhaps not precisely accurate, but approxl
mating nearly as was practicable at that time 10 accu
racy, assumed that the printer had lost from $40 900 to
$50 600 by his contract, and that the resolution II
adopted would approximate to- if not pay him the full
amount Of $40 900 over and above his expenditures,
leaving him for himself upon his large invest
ment and several years labor $4,000 profit. which was
not deemed exravagant. That resolution failed in the
House. The consequence was that no allowance at all
| was made.
Now, deem it due to myself, to the Committee on
Printing, and to the Senate TO state why cannot sup
port the amendment of the senator from Illinois Ii be-
my duty chairman OF the Committee Printing
to make estimate of the amount which would be paid TO
The printer under the bill OF the last session which came
here and failed, and which the senator from Illinois now
proposes to revive in substance by bis amendment
found, after the most thorough examination and
rate calculation, that the increased amount which would
be paid to the printer by that BILL and which will be paid
under this proviso If adopted, would, over and above
the amount which he would receive under his contract
be about S214000. This conjecture. 1t was the
result OF actual calculation in figures, put down by men
whose business it is TO make such calculations, and
whose accurary ought TO be- and will not be ques
toned, when state that the persons who made
them have for the last three years and more had ac
counts passed at the Treasury Department for more
than $4,000, and not an error TO the amount OF
three dollars in that whole time has been de-
tected Sometimes when was supposed TO
have been detected at The Treasury Department, alter
they had compared with the estimate the officers
of he Treasury Department have receded, and admitted
that the accounts were correct state this evidence
OF the character and competency OF the individuals upon
whom have relied for this estimate could not in
conscience in the performance OF my duty agree to pay TO
any contractor and above his contract that large
amount OF money AT the same time admit that the
contractor for whatever cause am not able TO say,
did actually take contract which unwise, and
upon which. in my opinion, he os between S2O 900 and
| $4,000. The contract was a very large one, in
yolving several hundred thousand dollars. Then be.
lievlng that he has actually lost that amount, and
! being unwilling TO take his labor and the proceeds
OF his investment OF capital for the of the
ernment, without allowing bin fair compensation;
baya the hat nh IN ha cd
him nearly as have been able 10 do 80, and mboded
in the form OF additional Provso. Ipropose 10 allow
the settlement 10 take place proposed by the senator
/ from Illinois, and 10 add
PROVIDED fu,ths, That the be paid for the
said printing and above the anoan,s which would be
under the terms and t the rate OF the contracts for the
same shall not exceed S58 600"
This will allow HIM between $4,000 and $50 600 for
bis loss IL will that and allow him for his whole
investment OF labor Tor several years in the OF the
government profit OF about $50 900. | think this is
fair and sonable. think il much any one
ought 70 ask ! think il is no, more than the Senate
ought 10 be willing TO give. Here an investment OF
many thousand dollars in large printing establshn
heavy responsibility incurred, and great deal of
labor for several years given 10 the public service. do
not think a compensation OF $40 900 for that is too much
Considering that the individual voluntarily took the
tract to the exclusion OF others who would have taken it
al higher price in fair competition, he ought not
ask more than $4,000, when al the same time he is
leased from all obligation under the contract which, II
strictly enforced would only subjec, him 10 the losses
already sustained but the loss OF many thousand dollars
besides, being the penalty OF his bond With these
marks, without going into detail, TO show the
grounds upon which base my statement, submit this
additional provso and hope the senator from Connect
cut will say on the subject, but let it pass.
MIR BRODHEAD have not delayed the business OF
this Senate have prevented ths civil and diplomatic
bill from being taken up at any time desrous OF
taking up this morning desire that it may pro.
gress in the proper way; but doubt very much whether
will pass il amendments OF this kind constant
ly offered see senator's around who constantly
asking that the civil and diplomatic bill may be consld
ered and who have voted sustain this amendment and
other measures OF this kind What IL it Mr. Ruchie
caims About $500 900, according to the statement of
the honorable from Maine and he has slept upon
this claim for niue months this session. poor pen
soner, any man having small claim, must 20 before
the committees OF this body and have IL fairly examined
Where is the petition in this case Where is the report
Where is the evidence before the Senate upon which
senator from Arkansasi We have heard a great deal
about economy and reform during this session. and many
charges have been made against the whg administration
tor waniony squandenng the public money. | state
eaessy here that the Senate OF the United States the
most prodga in the expenditure OF the public money of
any department OF this government Sir, we comp ain
that this whig administration has expended some fifty
millions OF dollars year. but to that the Senate OF the
United States has added ten millions Not only have we
voted freely the fifty mioas which the administration
has demanded but have gone far beyond IL We
ol We have voted appropriation the Collins line
That movement commenced here.
Mr. WELLER. We did not vote so much for The ex-
tension of the Capitol
Mr. BRODHEAD A proposition was made TO dis.
continue the work on the Capitol My honorable friend
from California voted with me, and say that the prop
ositon which made upon that occasion TO discontinue