The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-27

We are in favor of the naval mail steam ser
vice. But we don't want it rendered odious.
We don't think it is a protective-but free
trade system, for if it supplies given naval
force when needed at lower rate than the old
system, il reduces the aggregate taxes on all
trade and Industry, and thus renders them more
free.
AS for the great hardships of the enterprislng
ship owners of New York, whose business is
monopolzed by these lines, we don't sympathize
with them, for their enterprise never showed
itself for the ten years the British steamers had
the exclusive monopoly of that trade.
But, if New York is really subjected to some
restrictions on her enterprise for this service,
we are not sorry for that. She enjoys so much
favor from this government, that we shall rather
rejoice if she bears an unusual portion of the
buIthen Of this great system of naval defence.
speech Of Hon. A. q. Brown, Of Mississippi,
In The House of Representatives, April 10 ard IA,
1852, on The subject If The Public Printing
and against The action Of The joint Committee
in taking IL from The contractor and dipiding II
bet,ceen The Union and The Republic ne'ospa
perS.
Mr. BROWN said | do not intend to detaln
| the House by anything like an elaborate speech
upon the subject OF the public printing. In the
few remarks which | propose to submit shall
endeavor to confine myself as nearly o. possible
| to the subjects directly before us nor should
have asked the indulgence OF the House to say
| a word but for the agency which have taken
| heretofore in this matter. When ! heard that
| the Committee on Public Printing had done
| more than by the explanation of the honorable
chairman am now induced to think they intend
ed to do, | thought they had exceeded the author-
ty given them by law and that they had done that
which this House ought not to sanction by its
silence, much less by its express assent. WIN
the explanation which the honorable chairman
has given, am sati fed the committee have IN
| tended to contine themselves to the letter Of
| the law; but | am just % well satisfied that
| their action will lead to an abuse Of the law.
| The Committee on Public Printing have right,
according to one construction of the statute of
1896 to make 80 much of the public printing
from the present employee ia he fails or refuses
to execute Under this authority we now learn
from the chairman that they propose TO take
from the public printer-whut! The work
which he has refused or failed to execute, and
| this alone! No, sir; for in the progress OF his
remarks the honorable chairman tells you that
hey have in their possession now eonsldera.
bic quantity of work which has never yet been
submitted to the public printer. What brought
the minds of the committee to the conclusion
that the printer would either fail or refuse to eX-
acute the work, when it had never been in his
hands? Was it not straining conclusion to
determine that he had failed to execute, and
would not execute, work which they had never
ntrusted to his care and never asked him
to execute! The honorable chairman of the
committee says that the public printer has
failed to execute some Of the work heretofore
entrusted to his care. But does the con-
clusion necessarily follow that he will continue
| to fail; or that, having failed in one kind OF
| printing, he would fail in all Others!
! Was it ever expected that the public printer
| could execute the printing Of this House IL
,tantly upon its delivery 10 him? Has there
been any extraordinary delay in the delivery Of
this work According to my recollection the
public printing is about as forward, about as
near to completion, rs it usually is at this
son of the year We have the first part of the
Presidents message, bound and laid upon our
tables, one copy for each member; and what
matters it whether the extra copies shall be
printed this month, the next month, or three
| months hence? When was the last part of the
| Presidents message and accompanying docu
ments printed during the long session of the
last Congress! According to my recollection
we were getting along towards the dog. days
| before it was laid upon our tables. Was the
! then venerable and highly respected public
printer (NIr. Ritchie) hauled over the Goals for
a failure to perform his duty? Was Mr. Richie
against whom have no word of complaint
to utter here--held up to the country as a de-
"a -, tha a ,Fl .i,,f.. l.
some gentleman answers, in low tone, Yes
1t is we'll the tone is low No gentleman ought
to answer yes in loud voice. The House
knows what was the action taken upon that sub
ect two years ago At the close Of the session
of 1885, there was found to be in one house
Of Congress large majority not only indis-
posed to call Mr.. Richie to an account for any
failure TO comply with his contract, but actually
disposed and determined to give him some sixty
or seventy thousand dollars of the public money
as extra compensation. Mr.. Richie was paid
every dollar that he claimed under bis contract
and his friends were anxious to give him great
deal more. | never understood that he did the
work any better or any more rapidly than the
contract called for; and yet there was a large
party in the House ready to vote him sixty thous.
and dollars or more, over and above what the
contract called for; and il was only, according
TO my recollection, by parliamentary man9uv-
ring that the thing WAS prevented You had
two or three committees of conference upon the
subject, and the subject was pressed upon our
attention as no o'her subject was ever pressed
upon us. And let me remind certain gentle
men, who are enforcing very r.gid observance
of the law against Mr.. Hamilton, that TIE jour
nails show them to have been more than liberal
towards Mr.. Richie. Now, sir, | desire to
know why it is in this land of laws, in this land
of equality. and before ibis Democratic House
of Representatives, this kind of distinction is
| made between one employee and another! i
know nothing of Mr.. Boyd Hamilton; have
never seen him. If were to meet him to day,
| should not know him from any other man in
! Chrstendom. | care not one single solitary
farthing abont him, but do care for justice.
will not willingly make myself party to a
| transaction so unjust as this. | will not say to
one man-who yields powerful party press
we will pay you the full amount of the bond
wink at your short comings, and pay you sixty
| thousand dollars extra and then to another
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