The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-14


ton on tho subject
We are happy to learn, from the disclosures
on this subject, that some Northern Democrats
have manifested more liberality and good faith
than many of the Southern. That does not
surprise us. But the result has disclosed
sufficient number to prescribe any Southefh
man who dares to assert the actual rights OF the
South-to prescribe himby the aid OF purchased
allies from the enemy. Very well. FORE
warned-forearmed. We shall enter into no
such concern The greedy and INSCRIPTIONS
annette for spos on the one hand, and tire
fastidious bashfulness of Southern men on the
other. must result in throwing the power and
nurse of the Government, into the meanest
possible custody.
As for the policy of sacrificing US to the
super. transcend entail idea OF total political self
denial, we shall not acquiesce. If any of our
friends in Congress are so exalted in their con-
ceptions, they may try the experiment on them
selves of having no connection with Govern
ment, and resign their Seats or ut least their per
diem and mileage. We have such an abiding
conviction of our own political integrity that we
would risk the receipt of the Executive Printing
of which we are deprived in violation Of law, We
would accept half the Congress Printing, and
half the Census Printing at good prices and
still fancy ourselves quite as pure and patriotic
as any of the gentlemen who are for Democratic
re- union.
| Besides if this public printing is so corrupt
ing, we protest against giving so much to other
papers that must be more frail than us. The
National Lntelligencer has fat job of printing
the old debates of Congress. The Globe has
fat job of printing the current debates. In ad-
diton to that, it has with only with some three
hundred subscribers the printing of the pro-
ceedngs Of the Senate at seven dollars col
umn, and this by the acquescence ofour South
ern friends. The Republic has the Executive
Printing by the favor of the President. The
Union has the same thing by his violation OF
the law at our expense-and both are now to
get the Printing of Congress, by the favor of
committee and another violation of law. We
protest against corrupting them so much, and
propose to save them from the calamity of half
of it, by taking the money ourselves, whose vir-
tue is invincble and unsupported.
THE PUBLIC PRINTING.
Mr.. BORLAND rose, he said, for the purpose
of making report, somewhat informal and per-
haps anomalous, from the Committee on Printing.
1t was doubtless known to most of the Senators
that new arrangement had been, or was about to
be, made for the execution of the public printing
He deemed it important to inform the Senate what
action the Joint Committee on Printing had taken
in the matter.
On the 9th instant they passed resolution in
these words:
Resolved, That the Committee enter into a con-
tract with Messrs. Donelson and Armstrong to do
the future printing Of the present Congress for the
House, and with Messrs. Gideon & Co. for the
Senate, on such terms as shall be agreed upon
hereafter"
On this resolution, Messrs. SMITH, of the Sen
ate, and GoRMAN, STANTON, and HAVEN, Of the
House, voted in the affirmative, and Messrs
BoRLANp and HAMLlN, Of the Senate, in the mega
| tive.
| And this morning the Committee adopted the
| following resolution:
Resolved That for 80 much of the public print
| ing as may be deemed necessary by the commit
| tee to remedy any neglect delay on the part OF
the contractor, Mr. Hamilton, to execute the
| work ordered by Congress, the persons doing the
work under the direction Of this Committee be
| allowed the same price as contained in Mr.. Rives
bid for printing for the Thirty-second Congress;
provided, that in case shall pay be allowed for
double composition.
!, YEAS, Messrs. SMITH of the Senate, German,
F4GrANToN and HAVEN of the House, 4. NAYS,
Mr.. HAMLlN of the Senate, L. Mr.. BoRLAND be-
ing absent.
The third resolution is in these words
"Resolped, That Mr.. GoRMAN confer with
Messrs. Donelson & Armstrong, and with Messrs.
Gideon & Co., and get from them, in writing,
their acceptance or non-acceptance Of the forego
ing proposition"
Adopted, April l2-one dissent
Mr.. President, it is due to myself to remark the
fact, that these resolutions of the printing COM
mittee were adopted without my concurrence. L
was present when the first was adopted, and was
absent when the last two were adopted
In my opinion, the committee have the power
here exercised under the joint resolution Of Au-
gust 3, 1916, under which the committee on print
ing was raised, and under which it has acted up
to this time, and is acting.
There many members of both Houses Of
Congress, and particularly of the Senate, who dis
sent from this opinion who do not believe the
committee have any such power but, on the con-
trary, believe that, when there is failure on the
part of the contractor, as IN the present instance,
to comply with his obligations, as to time and the
quality of his work, it becomes the duty, as it is
only their authority, to bring the whole subject
before Congress, as one that can be legtimately
disposed Of by Congress alone, by additional leg
islation, instead Of dsposng Of it defntively by
the action ofthe committee and this difference of
opinion am bound to hold in high respect.
Irepeat, however, that do entertain, and un-
hesitatingly express, as | have well considered,
the opinion that the committee do, technically, or
in the terms of the law, have this power even to
the extent they have exercised it in this case. But
while hold this opinion as to the power itself, l
am equally clear in the opinion, and as un-
hesitatingly express it, that it has been improp-
erly exercised in this And that this is So !
remind the Senate that it has been done in part
against my vote, when was present, and alto
gether without my concurrence or approval.
In Justice to myself, and to the Senate commit
tee too, must state further that think the pro-
cess by which this improper action Of the joint
| committee has been consummated has been, in
itself, equally improper. think the rule which
obtains in joint commttees--which are IN then
constitution like committees of conference, and
should in their powers and action represent equally