The republic., 1852-01-13

der, and contended that II had never failed in CIV
ing perfect satisfaction. He alluded TO the com
plants made by the Senator from Michigan, lew
days since, concerning the delay in furnishing the
Blue Book and for which delay the Senator was
for blowing up the whole contract system. Inc
Blue Book was before Senators; they could examine
its typography, its paper, &c, and could Judge oi
that part of the work As to the delay In furnish
ing it, he read from the records of the Secretary oil
the Senate, showing that portion was delivered
on the 27th of December, another on the 3lst, and
the balance on Saturday, the Sd OF January; the
law required II TO be delivered on the hrst Monday
in January which was the 5th. No failure had
ever taken place in the execution OF the contracts
for the departmental printing.
He then gave the history Of the Congressional
contract printing, detailed the violations OF their
contracts by Wendell and Van Benthuysen, and by
Belt and Trenholm. He looked for the same result
from the contract of A. Boyd Hamilton.
He thought reform could be made; and that the
contract system could be so amended as to result
well. His mode was TO separate the bidding for
composition and press work from the furnishing OF
the paper. The great difficulty under the present
system was that Congress was cheated IN the arn-
Gle OF paper. Adventures came here from other
cities and, for composition and press work. under
bid all the local printers of this city; and they 90
this intending and actually allowing themselves
large margin for cheating IN the article OF paper
All Congress had to do 10 furnish their own
paper, and cut off this margin. He was willing to
allow profits, and liberal ones but was opposed to
men coming here and making large estates on the
Government
He alluded to and examined the subject of the
great increase of expenditures of the Government.
He blamed no party. They were alike in this re-
spect.
He thought the number of this document ought
not TO exceed ten thousand-at most, twelve thou
sand. He was opposed to printing vast numbers
of such document as this.
Should this amendment fail, be would then move
another, which would give the composition and
press- work to Armstrong and Donelson, and direct
% Interior
lowest bidder for the paper and binding.
Mr.. BRIGHT said that he had named Messrs
Armstrong and Doneson in the resolution Tor no
purpose of giving them the work because OF their
politics, but because they were prepared to go on
now and execute the work He had always sup
ported the contract system until the present Con-
eress, when those whom they had employed had
abandoned Congress- and failed to perform their
contracts He was unwilling 10 the census re-
turns printed on paper and in the manner that The
Congressional printing had been done. The Sena-
tor now opposed to hot haste in having this
work done. 1t was not too early TO move, IN the
Committee on Printing, during the last session, the
proposition 10 give this whole work TO the Republic
MIR. SMITH said that, the Senator had never
attended any meeting OF the committee, he sup
posed his statement was made upon Information
derived from others He had never made any such
motion.
Mr. BRIGHT said that if he wrong he hoped
the chairman of the committee would set him
right.
Mr.. BORLAND said that the Senator from In
diana was mistaken IN 5upposing he had ever told
HIM the Senator from Connecticut had made any
such motion. The superintendent OF the Census
Bureau had made proposition TO have the whole
work placed in his own hands that he might have
it printed. The Senator from Connecticut was in
favor of that propositions and it was supposed this
would take the work TO the Republic.
Mr.. SMITH said the Senator was wholly mis-
taken. He was opposed to the whole thing. lie
had been always in favor of having the work done
by the lowest bidder, all other dtpar
work done. Had he listened to the appeals
made to him daily by political friends, and by those
connected with Of the political presses oi this
luton.
Mr.. BRIGHT was about replying, when at the
solicitation of several Senators, he consented to
adjournment.
And then the Senate adjourned.