Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-04-17
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

ton of Mr. Polk lay the whole subject the table upon
which the yeas and nays had been ordered.
lr. CLINGMAN, after referring to the action of the
Committee Printing remarked that that committee had
denied intention TO dismiss the contractor Mr. Hani-
ton, declaring that they would retain him. but from time
TO time to remedy his neglect delay would give that
cart OF the printing which he could Mesrs
Doneson Armstrong and Gideon Co. Now, what the
committee intended to do to keep Mr. Hamilton in
his position, thus making him nomnay the public print
err and 1t would be that If they took any other
course it would operate in their way. If they had dis
missed the contractor it would have been necessary
the House to take some action and it would doubt
have made arrangement to let out the printing the
lowest responsible bidder adopted some other plan
which case Donelson Armstrong might not have come
in. When the committee how the printing being
executed they said the public printer you can
not execute the work. and therefore will give this work
to Donelson Armstrong and that work to Gideon Co.
In this way we keep you in the position of being
nominaly the public printer and turn over the work to
Donelson Armstrong and Gideon & Co.. thus evading
the law. Now, what the position Of Mr. Hamilton?
He might well say that if he should up one-hal Of
document the committee would take it away from him and
| turn it over to Donelson Armstrong.
Mr. JONES, of Tennessee, inquired of the gentleman
whether he believed that Mr.. Hamilton could the
| printing of Congress
| Mr. CLINGMAN replied that he knew nothing on this
point; but he thought it likely he could 1t
tain that he had not had fair chance execute the
work. and that the committee had commenced upon
/ him and made it impossible for him to get along.
Mr. JONES alluded the fact that the public printer
had since the third Of March, 1851 to prepare for the
| performance of the contract M
Mr. CLINGMAN said that this did not remove the diff
Guilty which presented ITSELF but suppose they took it
for granted that Mr.. Hamilton could not execute the
work, what the duty Of the printing committee
Their duty was to report to the House that this
could perform the work. and leave the House de-
termne whether it would let the work out to the lowest
responsible bidder adopt the plan introduced by the
gentleman from Wisconsin, (Nr. DoTr,) to establish
committee clearly that if this pursued
Donelson Armstrong and Gideon CO. would obtain
aportion Of the printing and they therefore determined
keep Mr. Hamilton in his present position, and make him
the instrument of giving the printing of the House to
their friends This what he objected to- and he
sdered the plan recommended by the committee as the
worst one they could possibly adopt.
If the contract system could not be carried out they
should adopt the system of the gentleman from Wiscon
sin, (Mr. DoTY,) to establish Government printing
Office and this would separate the press from the political
contests in Congress AS additional reason why this
should be referred the Judiciary Committee he
hoped that that committee would report some system
which would take from every part of the Government all
over the newspaper press and this could be done
easily if they would provide that newspapers should
be entitled Government advertisements solely on ac
count of the extent of their circulation.
Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee, expected to vote to lay
this whole proposition on the table He thought how
that every gentleman had arrived at the conclusion
to which he had that the present contractor A. Boyd
Hamilton, could not under the contract which he had
with Congress- do the work and he did say this to
prejudice him, out of disrespec to him. In his opin
ion Mr. Hamilton had taken this contract upon terms
which would not enable him to
contract in the it should be- not only wthoutoss
but with fair equivalent for his labor If Congress
was satisfied that the present contractor could not
cute the work. something required to be done in order
that the work could be executed Executive communion
tons made to the House from the first to the last
day Of the session. and it important that these docu
mens should be in the hands of the Representatives of
the people, TO enable them to egsate Understandings
for the benefit of the country. |
He voted for the contract system but he satisfied
that it failure lie satisfied that it would not
-
cord contention and strife in both Houses of Congress
He hoped that the Comm Printing would report a
bill to repeal the contract law, and that they would
suit with honest men who printers and after inves-
tgatng the subject report bill establishing the prices
for public printing. If they should do this, he hoped
that each House would elect its printer He was in
favor Of such system this He opposed print
ing bureau, believing that it would be of the most
fruitful of favortism and of abuse that could be
well conceived.
Mr.. FITCH, after denying that he belonged to any
coalition formed for the purpose of defeating the action
of the Committee Printing, proceeded to give his
for voting against the action of the committee He
held that their action improper in that they had
surned that the had been violated without adj
dueng satisfactory proof of that assumption and without
notifying the contractor that they intended submit
such report He also objected to the action of the
mittee in that they had bestowed the printing upon par
tisan editors while the contract system in force
and that they had given oneha Of the printing to edi
tors who belonged to the party who opposed to the
party which had majority of very nearly twohirds in
action Of the committee because they had assumed egs
latiye power (which had been delegated to them
in annulng the contract SYSTEM and because they had
assumed say who should who should not be public
printer.
Mr.. STANTON, Of Kentucky, remarked that, of
the Committee Printing, he would say to the House
that, far his action concerned, he had
thing do with any corrupt coalition bargain in this
matter Mt all. His sole purpose to to the
House the execution Of its public printing in reasonable
time. No combination, coalition for any political
purpose for any corrupt purposes made by that
committee and he heard combinations coalitions
spoken Of in the committee.
While negotiations were going TO obtain the execu-
ton Of the public printing, Ewood Fisher Of the South
ern Press proposed combination between himself and
the editors of the Union Mr. Fisher requested the CON-
mee TO divide the printing for this reasonthatt would
produce reunion between the Southern Democrats and
Compromise Democrats He Mr. s.. told him that such
thing utterly impossible; that under any state Of
circumstances he could not get more than votes
those of himself and Mr. BoRLASD-all the other men,
bers Of the committee being from the Northern States
Finding that he could not accomplish his object, Mr.
Fisher resorted 10 threats stating that the arrange
Of the committee should be effected with Donelson
and Armstrong the whole Southern party would make
the knife upon the Democratic candidate for the
Presidency.
Mr. WOODWARD thought it would be acknowledged |
that other Southern Rights would 60 further than
himself in such war would be ready enter
it, But he wished TO say that he did not know solitary
Southern Rights who had taken any part in behalf
of the Southern Press in relation to this business who
would for it. Their objection not 10 the en-
ployment Of Wing OF Democrat but the employment
Of a man because he was partisan editor.
Mr.. STANTON said that what had been said by the
Southern Press had been reiterated by the gentleman
| A. OILY