The daily union., 1852-05-15

high in their prolesson as we'll as in the community as
gentlemen asked them Q submit '9 US an estimate
their estimates were presented 10 the committee. That
committees alter examining and comparing the three
statements, found that John 4. Towers's estimate
lower than all the rest, and that Il is made upon bust
ness principles There was trick In itno putting up
one item high and another down low 10 enie him 10
| Every gentleman in this House knows how bids are
made. Take up Mr. Ryess bid, Tor instance, when he
desired 10 get the public printing and you Will see that
On others he charged ~ IS. He put II down low upon
some ems expecting to make up his loss upon others
and so runs all through the bid Such bids not fair
business estimates from which TO make scale OF prices
We took Towers's estimate because il was the lowest
one submitted TO us The gentleman says II differs some
fifteen or thirty per cent from Towerss bid Mr. Towers
understand, did not say The whole difference,
summing up the average OF ALL would not exceed five or
len per cent over his bid, provided all the work were
the work 10 be done and that only IN small jobs man
can afford to do large quantity OF work great deal
cheaper than he can small one,
The gentleman has arragned the committee for deying
the instructions OF the House, and says that we have
ourselves above it, and determined not to obey its orders
The gentleman misunderstands or misrepesens when
he makes such charge We do not place ourselves in
any such position We say, il such enlightened gen.
teman will tell how can obey those Instructions,
we willing 10 try and do il. would be glad If he
would point out the way in which can obey them or
ganzed and constituted the Committee on Public Print
ing is We told TO do what! We were told by this
House TO advertise, and let out the contract TO the lowest
bidder The instructions not TO the three members OF
the House committee; although confess, If the House
had instructed u.s. would have felt bound to the best
oil our ability to obey the instructions, because we deemed
ourselves at the time under the control OF the House The
instructions went to the whole committee. Now, you tell
the whole commtee-the members OF the Senate well
as Of the Houseo do thing which they have power
10 do under the circumstances, having already adopted
the required by the law TO remedy the evil provided
against You ask, by your resolutions of instruction,
that these means thus adopted shall be abandoned and
others substituted You instruct the joint committee to
nul its contracts and let out the work to the lowest bidder
The members Of the Senate upon that committee maintain
that you have no jurisdiction over them, and they
are not bound to obey your instructions How can
the three members of the House, acting alone, and
without the concurrence of the three from the Sem
ale, carry out your instructions as 10 make them
authority, and annul contracts made in pursuance OF
law without the consent of the other parties to them
How are three TO do so-and trust the gentleman
from Indiana will point out the mode hope that if he
shall succeed me upon the committee he will at least
make effort 10 carry the instructions into effect Let
him unite with the other members OF the committee from
the House, attach his to advertisement calling
for bids and insert it in the public papers The Senate
part of the committee will not act with you, and what
would be the effect OF your action' II any printer should
think proper 10 send you proposals. what would you do
with them? Could you make contract that would be
binding upon the government valuable to the parties
contracting with you' Most assuredly nol for it re.
quires majority OF the whole committee 10 act and
your action would be neutralzed by the votes OF the
members OF the Senate.
contend that the is analogous one to that OF
the regents Of the Smithsonian Institution, Under that
law, which have before it is provided that there
shall be three regents appointed by the Speaker oil the
House OF Representatives, and three by the Senate, who
with the Vice President and else, shall consti-
tue the Board OF Regents That Board of Regents in
struced by this act to do certain things Discretion is
gwen to them TO build houses. The manner IN which
these houses shall be built is pointed out Does the gen.
tleman pretend that have right to introduce resou
tions nsructng that Board of Regents to do differently
from what the law authorizes them TO do know the
gentleman IS not silly enough for that know, with all
his disposition TO dsto misrepresent, and change the
character of the facts that certainly he silly enough
i
House without the concurrence OF the Senate and PIes
his conduct, and make him do what the law absolutely
torbids him TO do. He is member of this House,
am tell the gentleman. in the management of that
only violated the law but they have INDUCED in ridicu.
lous absurdy in the manner in which they have con-
sructed the building and that absurdty has been pepet
uaed in the manner in which they have given documents
and publications to the world Mr. SmItIson, who be-
queahed the funds TO endow that institution, de-
signed that publications such have been given TO the
world by its managers should be the only character of.
works disseminated by that establishment The object OF
the institution was to dfuse useful knowledge amongst
mankind, and works OF elementary and practical
value contemplated II that the mode he de-
signed, his intentions should be accomplished. Suppose
this House should undertake TO instruct that gentleman,
and put stop to such proceedings Suppose this House
to undertake the ridiculous folly OF nsructng the
whole OF that board composed OF the Vice President Of
the United States the mayor Of the city OF Washington,
and several senator's would the gentemaR from Indiana
think such instructions obligatory upon those gentlemen,
and would he say that they compelled 10 carry
| them out in violation OF the law
i Mr. FITCH. answer the gentleman with pleasure
But hrst let me inform the gentleman that notwithstand
ing his supercious uency about the Stiffness Of any
member, or even OF the whole House, differing with him
| in opinion, and presuming 10 instruct him or question
the nalblity OF his knowledge his judgment, shall
venture TO enghten his understanding his OBJ
liquity OF moral vision upon subject upon which he
processes to be well informed, and to speak "rom the
book" The Regents Of the Smithsonian Institution have
control, and wish TO exercise none, its publca-
tons They are in the change OF other officers OF the
institution by the side OF whose intelligence and qua-
hcaons those OF the gentleman Mr. STASTos1 would
shine like arthing candle under the glare OF bright
MONDAY sun His judgment to be consulted to the
character OF these publications Well, that is rich But
would we obey instructions IL they sent by
the House have already said Eyes" We acknowledge
the night TO send such instructions, and they would be
obeyed. And will tell the gentleman what we would
NOT do We would not ask the Senate portion and other
members OF the board to agree in declaration tha,
the House could not instruct the entire board and cloak
under that declaration reiusahe refusal OF the
House Regens--to obey instructions, in order permit
10 persist in plan upon which had previously de.
termined in violation of the known wishes of the House
and oil the law. We would not place such construction
upon law as to answer our own purposes, and then
modey place that construction in opposition en-
teraned by the House, and tell them construction
none must be acted on repeat, the House has the |
right TO instruct its portion OF the Regents relative the
and disposition OF the Smithsonian funds, and, II
they are likely TO be squandered and wasted 10 direct
tenton. And do believe the Regents are so wise in
their own estimation TO esteem their opinion OF the
law and ITS intention more valuable or binding
than that OF the House
Mr.. STANTON. That is nothing more than we have |
done, and nothing than have reported 10 the