The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-17

~~~-- 80
quire
My friend and colleague, MIR. GoRmAr,] the
chairman of the Committee OH Printing. during
his closing remarks upon the previous report OF
the committee, reiterated charge which had
been before made, and before denied, that CO.
aliton existed here, having for its object the
defeat of the action Of that committees coali-
ton composed of gentlemen, mostly Democrats
entertaining opposite secti' nal sentiments
Now, as | have before said do not belong to
either of the extremes, (Freesoiers and ultra
State Rights men) between which the coalition
is alleged 10 exist but having acted with those
who have opposed the action Of the committee
may be supposed 10 know something of their
motives and views | can, therefore, say, as
have said before, dat no such coalition exists
outside Of the maginations Of those who make
the charge. And even if it did exist, il would
be powcrless here's at least it would not con
stitute a majority, as was clearly proved but Il
few weeks since by the votes upon the cOnpro.
mise resolutions. The two extremes, between
whom a coalition is now alleged TO exist, OPP
posed those resolutions; but, notwithstanding
their opposition, the resolutions passed; and
thus it would be now, if sueT coalition existed
lit would be powerless in opposition to the
action of the Printing Committee. Ii has been
only by the votes OF many of the national De
mocracy that the proposed action Of the com
mittec--the contamination Of their intentions
has been hitherto prevented. The only coali.
ton that can even be suspected to exist, is one
which might be inferred from circumstances to
exist between the members of the committee,
oi.opposite politics, and those who sustain their
action in The House. do not alege that there
is such coalition but if circumslanta evil
4, IA, al ia, ,f g
the proof will be found to be so strong as to
justify any jury of intelligent men in hesitatng
long before relieving the parties concerned of
the charge by verdict of "not guilty"
New, sir, desire to revert fora few moments
to the first report from the committee, and to a
resolution adopted by the Joint Committee on
Printing, which accompanied that report, and to
call the attention of the House to a few facts
connected with both. That resolution was ir
regular, because it was reported from a joint
committee of Congress, by maj GRITTY not recog
nized by the rules which ordinarily govern the
proceedings of joint committees. 1t is well
known that the majority necessary to enable a
joint committee to report, must consist of ma
Jority OF the committee from each body-the
House portion and the Senate portion respec-
lively. But in this instance, there never was
majority of the Senate committee 1t was only
a numerical majority of the joint committee
that adopted that resolution.
Again, that resolution was irregular, because
it was not the resolution which the committee
directed to be reported it was another, AS the
records OF the committee will show, and as the
then chairman of the Senate portion of the
committee Mr. BoRLAND] has declared
During the discussion upon that report il
was charged that opposition to the action of the
committee, was opposition to Donelson & a rm.
strong, and the chairman of the House portion
of the committee Mr.. GoRMANl proceeded to
defend those gentlemen before they were as
sailed, and to defend them against members
who had no thought of assailing them-against
members who were in fact better friends of
Donelson u Armstrong, aud of the Democratic
party, than were the Democratic members of the
committee themselves, because he was defend
ing them against members who would have
saved those gentlemen and the Democratic party
from the odium of partnership with leading
political paper of the opposite party-a partner.
ship not for the dissemination Of political prin-
cples, but for division Of profts-of money
from the national treasury; and would have
saved them from the charge Of corruption which
such partnership would inevitably originate.
Here message was received from the Sen.
ate of the United States by the hands of As.
BURY DIcKINs, esq, its Secretary
Mr.. POLK. Will the gentleman from Ind
ana allow me to make statement at this point
in his remarks?
Mr. FITCH. Certainly.
Mr. POLK. 1t might be inferred from the
remarks of the gentleman that Donelson &
Armstrong consented to the arrangement of the
committee.
M I 80 A. L.
such is the belief trust it is erroneous
Mr. POLK. Messrs. Donelson & Armstrong
never consented to the combination of the two
presses to which the gentleman las referred.
They never consented to the action ofthe com.
mittee on that subject.
Mr.. FITCH. am happy to hear it; exceed
ingly so. was about to say, when interrupted,
that the committee made no defense of the other
parties to whom they proposed to give portion
(half) of the printing-Gideon & Co., of the
Republic--other than the general statement Of
the chairman, that the Republic was in favor of
the finality of the compromise. Yet, the com
mittee knew that much, very much of the oppo
sition to their action originated from their pro.
position to give one half of the printing to that
paper. Sir, that paper has abounded in un
measured and unwarraDted misrepresentation of
the Democratic party, its men and its principles.
Yet we find Democratic committee of Demo
cratic Congress proposing to place at its dis
posal, out of the public treasury the means of
multiplying its misrepresentation, ond propa-
eating them more extensively throughout the
country, that they may be more effective! Why
did not the committee defend Gideon Il Co,
and the Republic : The members of the com.
mittee might then have had the pleasure, or the
Observation-Disclosures they esteemed it--of
seeing pamphlet copies Of their speeches issuing
from the Office of that paper embcllished, may
hap, with wooden-cut of coon, significant of
the office from which it was issued, and typical
of the principles of the paper which it defended
The same exceptions which take, and which
most Democrats would be disposed to take. 10
the matter of the political editorials of the Re
public, that paper and the Wing party generally
would doubtless take the Demo cratic press, aud
perhaps not without some foundation. Indeed,
sir, it is not pleasant confession, but probably
true, that some foundation for such exceptions
appears to be inseparabe from the management
of a political party press. But that is no re-
commentator to the support and patronage of
m opposite party The exception in the case