Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-08-07
DEBATE In THE SENATE.
GRANT OF AN EXCLUSIVE PRIVILEGE.
In SENATE, July 80, 1852

consider the following joint resolution from the House of
| Representatives, viz:
With cheaS circulation of the laws of Congress
and the debates conrbungto the true Interpretation thereof
and make free the between the
| tive and constituent bodies: a&
Resoised de- That and the present session of
Congress the Globe and Appendix which
tain the laws and the debates thereon shall pass through
the mails SO long as the same shall be published by order Of
Congress Proridd, That nothing herein shall be
to authorize the circulation Of the Daily Globe free of postage
Mr.. PEARCE 1t seems to that the resolution is of
doubtful proprety 1t is true that the Globe which
proposes to send free of postage, is political
paper It's true that it publishes nothing but the de-
bates of Congress- and the laws which pass But then
is also true that it is private enterprise Each House
of Congress subscrbes for certain number of copies
the Congressional Globe for the of their members
Those copies each member he receives them may
frank, as he pleases; and do frank them But it
proposed now that this paper shall through the mails
free to all subscribers in every part of the country AL
though this work does not into competition with
any other paper it is very doubtful to whether, if
give this privilege to the Globe shall be impor-
tuned-and with show of reason perhaps-to grant
the same privilege to other papers We shall be told that
they are papers of eminent public utility that they are
not connected with politics at all. If it be not public
document, do not see how we make the dscrimna
ton without extending the privilege other papers
think perhaps the Senate going little precipi-
lately about it, My only object in saying word is
to call the attention of Senators to it, that they may
derstand what they voting and consider whether
| it is altogether proper doubt it myself
! Mr. B0RLAND. Mr.. President, am sorry to have to
opinion the senator from Maryland this
subject but think he has put this resolution upon
ground upon which really does notand should
1t is not proposition to give the proprietor of the
Congressional Globe the privilege Of circulating his paper
free OF postage but it proposition to disseminate the
laws which enact here and the discussions upon Them
which make up their true Interpretation freely among
the people, who are interested in these laws and in those
discussions We day ordering the publication
of public documents and circulating them by thou
sands and hundreds Of thousands in the form of books
all over the country Now sir if it be proper to crcu
late matter of that Sort which, by the order of either
House of Congress- published and deemed of interest
the people of the country it must certainly be of equal
and deem it Of far greater Importance circulate freely
among the people the laws themselves and all the discus
sions which go to enable any way help them to in
terpret the lawsto understand them properly, in all
their bearings and the objects in view in their passage
We are paying annually many thousands Of dollars for
the publication of the laws alone in the different States
the Union, In various newspapers. do not know how
many thousands We expend in this way but it great
many That IS very proper object upon which to ex
pend the public money. | would if / could have the
laws of the United States published in every newspaper
in the Union, that all the people might Them and
fairly understand them This then, is proposition to
carry out that good object 1t not only to present
freely and fully before the people the laws but all we
say In regard to them not only to enable the people
acquire thorough knowledge of the laws themselves but
to look to the conduct Of their Representatives in
Houses Of Congress- to enable them the consdera
tons which govern them, and be able hold them
just accountability, that it win be in the power
either Of the Representatives themselves impose upon
take msrepresent the Representatives to succeed in so
base object 1t will give fair exposition before the
people of the country of the proceedings of their Repre-
sentatives.
Mr.. BUTLER SO far as regards the laws of the Unit
ed States if they could be separated the debates
this resolution concur entirely in the views expressed
by the Senator from Arkansas But object to allowing
private newspaper to free Of postage because it pub
fishes the debates My friend says that they the key
to the Interpretation Of the laws That is So sir IL
wanted to understand Of the laws of Congress- be-
lEara L. n
through the debates that have nothing do with it, Is
1t not notorious that question and another de-
bated in the other House, particularly, and sometimes in
this think the title Of this joint resolution had better
be one for the encouragement of public speaking and for
the propagation Of great many bad speeches / am
satisfied that the best thing which is done in Congress
is the speaking II we were to speak altogether have
heard distinguished man say, and pass laws, do not
know but what 1t would be the best employment Of Con-
gress But it would be the very of the public
money to appropriate 1t for the purpose Of spreading and
communicating this species Of lteraurea kind of lite
nature very little instructive, and in my opinion not
much listened to in Congress- and which, think ought
not to be read much Of it. except in few instances
II we had to circulate the few good speeches.
would be very willing to make this publication Of them.
But we cannot do that / wish there reporters
II would be better If there And then let the
newspapers, like the bee extract what is good and
clude what is bad Let the best editors here and
take what they chooses but let not reports go out by the
Wholesale and be the vehicle for all sorts Of communion
tons. IL wants to publish treatise any sub
thing elsea he has got to do to select his subject
deliver his speech here, and it makes quite little book
and he may il bound and published at the public
expense. Any who wants theme select ii in
this Chamber in the other House-take any subject
chemistry, philosophy, &C., and make his speech and
publish il in the Globe and there his book have only
to say that agree with my friend from Maryland that
think ought to postpone this. agree to
tend-because think it abuse of our power-the pr
vlege of circulating that kind Of free through the
mails.
| Mr. HAMLIN. The Senate have seen fit TO adopt
system to provide for reporting the debates The House
have adopted a similar system. They have made
tracts with the individual who publishes the Congress
siona Globe, and under those contracts, he Is compel
led to report the proceedings Of both branches Of Con-
gress by the existing postage Law those reports
excluded from the mail They absolutely excluded
unless the postage paid in advance such
rates as actually TO exclude them. 1t is not newspaper
There is no description of that paper the existing post
age law, which allows it to go through the post Office
except as printed matter paid in advance IL then there
Importance enough attached to the subject TO induce
Congress to provide for the reporting Of their proceedings
apprehend those reports should be circulated through
the country.
attach somewhat importance to them than the
Senator from South Carolina. think, however much
of evil be attached to the Of debate we
should be very much off IL to circunscrbe
it. stop II, which would be virtually stopping in that
respect the freedom Of speech hope the joint resolu-
ton will commend itself TO the favorable consideration
Of the Senate IL has to that Of the House Having
taken such steps have taken procure reports
think We do no more than justice to the community by