The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-04


are gone what barrier will remain against Nortli-
ern fana,icism?
speech OF Hon. A. w. venabie, Of North
Carolina,
On The Public Printing. Deiirered in The
House Of Representatives., April 10, 1852.
coNcLUDED
! But, sir, to return to the proposed disposition
of the printing. | wish to be understood dis
tinctly, that am law-abiding man, aud that MS
! long as you have upon your statute book law
that the printing shall be given out TO the low
est bidder, comply with it, or repeal it. II IL a
reproaeh to this House, as it is reproach to the
government and the people, that you should
have statute upon your books, and that you
| should legisate adversely to that statute from
day to day, without repeating it. Gentlemen
| tell me that tho plan of giving the printing to
| the lowest bidder is bad one. Admit that to
be true: then introduce bill before the House,
let it be discussed, and, if advisable, repeal il.
| If it is bad law, let it be repealed, but LET us
have fair test Of the question Do not repeal
| it practically, by ndirection. Do not let us set
| the example of violating our own enactments,
while they are in force upon our statute book
Ii is bad example--an evil example to all those
departments under our control. lfyou demand
a strict compliance with our enactments, you viii
hear of no more deficiency bills you will hear of
no more violations Of law by your bureaus and
departments, and Of excess of expenditures be-
yond appropriations. IL there is a law upon our
statute book, and we daily violate il ourselves !;
if we have law clearly indicating how this
House should act, and disregard il ourselves,
how can we demand Of others to execute any
law when we decline to execute our owl en-
actments?
1t is said, and | have heard il said more than
once, that The course now recommended, and the
votes recently given by this House, are calcuat
ed 10 cast censure upon the Committee on
Printing. Mr.. Speaker, | vote upon every sub
| stantive proposition precisely as it is presented
| feel that if my censure is just, | have done
nobody wrong. If it hurts--if il strikes any one,
it is his fault, not mine. | have no censure TO
pass upon the committee, except to say that
do not approve of their recommendation and
their resolution, and that according to my ideas
of this resolution, they give TO the Union and to
the Republic the printing for time past and to
eome-alI this is behind, and all before. And it.
has been strongly illustrated by my colleague
Mr.. CLIBGMAS,] that under that arrangement,
Boyd Hamilton may see all the valuable public
printing pass from his hands into the hands Of
Donelson g. Armstrong on the one side, and the
| Republic on the other.
| But, Mr.. Speaker, it ia not my purpose to re-
| feet injdrously upon the Committee on Printing;
for when tie resolution was introduced by my
friend from South Carolina, Mr.. ORR,l who
stated at the time that be introduced it for the
purpose of avoiding anything like an appear
ance of censure upon the Committee on Print
ing, aud requested my friend from Mississippi
Mr. Brown TO strike out the Judiciary Com
niitee, and insert the Printing Committee, it
was accepted and approved by the gentleman
| from Tennessee, Mr. Polk, who said that be
was gratihed at il, because, as the resolution
then stood, il was an apparent censure upon the
Committee on Printing. | concurred in it.
felt no disposition TO place the gentlemen on
that committee in disagreeable position before
the public. | was not disposed to force them
to an explanation which might be painful 10 them
and which might not be ineligible TO any body
out Of this House. ! was willing that the report
might be referred back TO them. What, sir is
the succeeding history of il! When that pro.
position was made, il met with great favor in
the House. When the question was TO refer the
resolution to the Committee on the Judiciary,
there were many members Of this House who
voted against it, not desiring oappear to cast cen
sure upon the Printing Committee. Gentlemen
haveso told me. voted to refer il 10 the Judiciary
committee, but with the view Of getting sys.
TEN Of printing with which should be satisfied
As soon rs the proposition 10 refer it to the
Judiciary Committee vas voted down, the chair
man Of the Committee on Printing rose in his
place, and said, q quote from recollection, not
having his printed remarks before me- 81 hope
now that the House will unanimously send this
back'to the Committee on Printing" ] united
/ in the general expression Of the House
"a Agreed y Agreed Just at that moment
the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. JoSEs,
arose and raised question Of order, hat this
House had no right TO send il TO them, because
the Committee on Printing was joint commit
tee Of the two Houses. vote was taken
whether il should be sent 30 the Committee on
Printing or not and, 10 my utter establishment,
the chairman OF that committee, aud every
member Of il upon this floor, voted against
reference back 20 his committee of which he
had approved, and which was proposed for The
protection Of TIC feelings Of those composing
that body.
When they expressed themseveB satisfied
when the IIonse was willing 10 send Il back to
the Committee on Printing; when the gentle.
man from Indiana, Mr.. GoRMAN,l the chairman
Of that committee, said Il hope the House viii
unanimously agree 10 send it there" when there
was "Agreedw agreed" on al sides Of the
House in order 10 avoid any sort Of appearance
Of casting censure upon the committee, con-
fees my astonisbment when ] saw she commit.
tee themselves voting against the proposition,
Now, SIR, that is so far above ard beyond my
comprehension, that cannot understand IL. II
they were willing TO take IL back il the
House were willing TO send il to them, not wish
ing even an implied censure upon them why
did they oppose itl That question was fairly
presented; the chairman said that he hoped
there would be no objection. I,also, hoped that
there would be none. But the courtesy Of the
gentleman from South Carolina Mr.. Orr had
been made available 10 keep II from the Judiciary
. Committee, and save the committee from cen.
sure, and suppose bad performed its Office
The Judiciary Committee was rejected by that
courtesy, and reference to the Committee on
Z Printing was TO be disposed Of on point Of
{ order To one uninitiated in mysteries, this is
not easily understood. refer TO the record
and ma That an sustained in every statement
that have made and t...,. ~. 80.