The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-19


You compel your committee to run TO him VITA
every item Of each "class" OF 1.-The work." though
| he may have been wiliully, basely, hagrantly IN
default in the same thing "A hundred times before
| Who would serve such committee? And what
body that regar ded its self respect would suer
| itself to be placed in such predicament?
| This argument, arising from the iieonpenienceS
of the case, strikes ought to be deemed conclu
| sive. II am right, the committee have all power
| in the premises. Let them exercise 1t. and have
no doubt they will be sustained here and elsewhere
| was proceeding to direct the attention OF gen
temen, when interrupted some time ago, to
matter which presume is not new one TO them
mean that OF the internal improvements oil this
country. system has been adopted IN regard 10
this matter from the first to the last, equivalent TO
this The whole power in relation TO the construc-
ton Of those works is thrown into the hands oil the
en- gineers under whose direction the works are
constr ucted. Let me invite the attention oil the
committee to that law Of 1916, and VIII read the
| section through without comment We all under
stand the English language:
"And be 1t further resOlped That n committee,
consisting of three members OF the Senate ana
three members Of the House Of Representatives,
shall be chosen by their respective Houses, which
shall constitute n Committee on Printing, winch
shall have power to adopt such measures as may
be deemed necessary to remedy any neglect or
delay the part of the contractor to execute
| the work ordered by Congress, and TO make pro
rata reduction in the compensation allowed, or To
refuse the work altogether, should II b. inferior TO
the standard; and in all cases the contractor and
his securities shall be responsible Tor any Increased
expenditure consequent upon the non perform
ance of the contract. The committee shall audi.
and pass upon all accounts for printing; but no Dill
shall be acted for work that is not actually exc
cuted and delivered, and which they may require
| TO be properly authenticated"
| Now, | cannot be mistaken, it seems to me, In
regard to the construction of the law. IL 10 thing
which is beyond power IL has passed out ol
our hands by virtue OF action under THIS law, and
we have no concurrent jurisdiction with tins tri-
bunal created by the two Houses. We have none
Ii is all referred them, and when it came In here
il in out of order. They have all the power,
and all they have to do is to do as General Jack
son wont to do" take the responsibility
whatever it ia.
Mr.. MEADE. Will the gentleman allow me to
make suggestion to him ! concur cordially
with the gentleman from Indiana Mr.. PARKER)
in the views he has taken in relation to the powers
conferred upon the committee. believe, with
him, that the law gives them plenary powers over
the subject; but the gentleman seems to argue
the proposition if there were actually PROPOSE
tons before this House to revoke what the commit
tee has done. l do not understand that to be the
question
Mr.. PARKER. Well, that will do; wish to pro
coed. the gentleman wishes to call me to order,
perhaps may be ruled down.
Mr.. MEADE. 1t is different object that have
in view. | wish to hear the gentleman's views IN
relation to what suggest. The committee have
made report. aud resolution has been offered by
the gentleman from Mississippi, (Mr. BaowN,) not
TO nbrogate what the committee has done, but to
refer that report to the Committee the Judicia-
ry, with instructions to inquire into the general
subject of the printing of Congress, with view 10
recommend to Congress some future plan in rela-
ton TO the manner in which that work should be
done; and with that resolution there is coupled an
amendment from the gentleman from Pcnnsylva
MA, Mr.. FLoREscR,) referring at the came tine
the bill introduced by the gentleman from Wiscon-
1 sin, Mr.. DoTy.) That seems TO me to contem-
plate future action. not 10 contemplate the abroga-
! ZION Of the action OF the committee.
| As the gentleman has allowed me to interrupt
| him for a moment would like to hear him upon
another question. The gentleman certainly Will
not deny that any plenary powers have been con
\ ferred upon this committee which this House can
not discuss, and censure, If they pease, the man
ner in which they have unchanged their duty.
Mr.. PARKER. | will state the reasons at another
time; will answer the question now. The power
OF this House TO discuss Id plenary, as the action oil
the House is, when get into the Committee OF
the Whole on the state of the Union. We may dis
CUES, and discuss, IL seems, forever. have asccr-
tanned that to my hearts content.
The gentleman suggests TO me that the matter
before tie House looks TO future action, rather
than present, 30 far the printing is concerned.
agree with him in that; but that is not all We
have wandered many league beyond that. The
case turns out exactly the case thought II was at
the outset Ills most beautifully illustrated by the
interminable confusion and debate we have in
yolved ourselves in Can be that this law leaves
Va subject Co these troubles in the matter of our
printing! Heads too wse have gone before US for
me TO believe IL; and these endless and multiplied
questions what we now have Up bsic<e va. II
10 future action, and present action, Presidential
elections, politics Of every hue, pay for partisan
servicc-and punishments too-m1tyes of mem
bers, personal action, personal knowledge, and
everything else and nothing. far as the printing
is rightfuly concerned, upon which TO predicate
any part of IL. And what are we doing in the
Hou,e now What can we dc, Nothing at all
nothing. am very happy 10 see that gentleman,
/ (Mr. MKADE,) in whose judgment have the
greatest confidence, concurrng with me in my
general view Of this II socms TO that there
I can be no mistake about IL from any quarter
none whatever. We have nothing under Heaven
To do with this matter until that law is repealed
and then tho whole thing may be brought mp anew,
and we can change or modify It, in connopion with
the other branch Of Congress and the President
We csnno, do 90 ourselves. ltis utterly outof The
question.
A voice.. We can give the committee nstruc-
tons
Mr. PARrrR. Grant We can. which ] DO not
that vill not relieve us from the difficulty We are
in. ! understand that gentlemen complaining
and have complained for two months, because
we have not our printing upon our tables here. u
IL Disgrace to the country, and look TO the com
mittee TO remedy the difficulty.
Mr. HAYES made a remark, mostly iD~ udible q
the reporter, but Was understood ~ cay that th'
bill introduced by the gentleman from Wisconsin
(Nr. DoTy) in reference TO future acton, hst
been referred 10 the Committee Of the Whole.
Mr. Passts. Yes. II Shove again that thu.
hOioh.pO is greater than expected. Hs
suggests that this same bill, for some future &C
ton, is already referred TO the Committee Of the
Whole. Mr.. speaker, was going 20 observe thai
this matter has all grown out Of the fact that thi
printer has not complied With bic contract Car
there be any doubt Of that, Look at tbis disrcpu
table document, thodng up printed document.
This is the fret time that have bad the bOno
Of seat upon this floor. confess 10 you, sir, thai
my notions a little enlarged when came
from my State Legislature TO thi. national souncil
expected to see printed documents nearly equa
In exec ution 10 those Of the State OF Indiana ep
pected 10 see documents nearly equal 70 those ~
have out there in the Wild woods We are nov
upon the fifth month Of our session, and the Prcsi
denrs message, with the accompanying dOcu
ments, IL not yet before How dOes this hap
| penn There is wrong here; and am only sur
! pHscd at the forbcarance Of the committee will
this man, Who has been trihng with NE and on
constituents 90 long. ! ask the committee 10 act
They have the povcr-s power that has been givei
10 them by both Houses, because IL was powe
without which. lodged somewhere, IRE could no
, act and they have u all completely within thei
, possession ! have said all designed 90 say upoi
this subject and I have predicated my remark
: upon motion designed 10 make 10 lay the Who'll
matter upon the table.
But wish 20 make smother remark while ] az
upon the floor. ! expect IL il az painful TO othe
gentlemen here as II ia 70 myself TO sec ourselve
involved in such difficulties a. thcsc u was IN
design Of this Law 70 remedy them and ift the Law
| LIEF toh f,,li nd e 81