The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-02
THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS.

HEM, the Senate bill establishing three addition
al land districts in the State OF Iowa.
WASHINGTON GAsLIGHr COMPANY.
On motion of Mr. MOORE, of Pennsylvania, the
House proceeded to the consideration of the Senate
bill amendatory of the act incorporating the Wash
ington Gaslight Company, approved July s, ls4s.
Mr.. Nj. briefly explained the provisions of the
BILL saying it was simply proposed to increase the
capital from fifty to three hundred thousand dol.
lars, and to authorize the company to extend their
pipes to Georgetown. This did not interfere with
which good and stringent, making the stock
holders liable for every cent OF liability. The
company have already expended one hundred and
eighty thousand dollars In Improvements in Wash
ington, and now wish to extend their pipes to
Georgetown, which they cannot do unless this
bill shall become a law.
The bill then passed.
BOUNTY LANDS.
Mr.. HENDRICKS called up the pending motion
to reconsider the vote by which the House referred
10 the Committee of the w hole the state OF the
Union the bill authorizing certain soldiers OF the
war Of 1912 with Great Britain to surrender their
bounty lands which al e not fit for cultivation, and
to select others in their stead
After a brief debate, the question was decided in
the affirmative.
The subject not disposed of when the morn
ing hour expired.
PUBLIC PRINTING.
On motion Of Mr.. STANTON, Of Kentucky, the
House proceeded to the consideration Of this sub
ject-ayes -. noes 45.
Mr.. STANTON, Of Kentucky, of the Committee
ON the Public Printing. said that this com mittee
and the select committee, after great deal Of de-
liberation, and consultation with the most intelli
gent and experienced printers, had agreed upon
the provisions which should be incorporated in the
bill; and, accordingly, had drawn up one, which
in possession Of the chairman of the select
committee, (Mr. MARSHALL, of kentucky,) and
which he proposed to submit n substitute for
the bill heretofore reported to the House, and now
pending.
MIR. MARSHALL, of Kentucky, said that the
bill agreed upon covers over twelve pages. The
hrst section provides for the repeal Of the contract
system. He was thoroughly satisfied, from the re-
suits OF the experiments made, that this ought to
be done. The contract system was entered upon
under the idea that there would be economy and
perfect fairness in competition for the work. but in
poses the election of public printer There were
but two modes suggestedto the committee, name
~, the election OF printer and the establishment
of Government office. The present proposition
combined elements deduced from both Of those
plans. He repeated, the bill proposes the election
of public printer by the two Houses not only to
print for Congress, but for the Executive Depart
ments. In addition, there 10 to be a superintend-
ent of printing appointed. to stand between the
public printer and the Governmental practical
man, TO inspect the work. and in whom is imposed
the obligation not only to see the work executed,
but that it be done with neatness and despatch.
The bill defines the duties generally of the super
Intendent. As to the rates, 1t was difficult to as
certain what should be tie prices paid. The com
office, the practical printer Of the Republic, Mr..
Rives, Mr.. J. +. Towers, and the forenen respec-
lively of the National Intsiigtnc and the Southern
Press, and had agreed on the prices of 1919, with
reduction oftwenty per cent. or more from them
about fair remunerative prices. The Govern
ment is to provide the paper, which is to be mat
ter OF contract.
Messrs ORR, CHANDLER. HAVEN, CLING
MAN, and FLORENCE, made few remarks rela-
tive 10 the prices for composition Tor type setng;)
the last named gentleman giving notice that he
should offer an amendment making some provi.
sion for the present contractor for the public print
ing; ~
subject, and had come to the conclusion that the
establishment of Government printing Office was
the best mode. He believed they were not now
prepared for it, but would be five years hence
The present plan alone remained for adoption, and
Its details were as fair "a any which could now be
mr. CLINGMAN said a great deal of valuable
time had been consumed on this subject during
the present year, and that the session too far
advanced TO justify any further consumption Of
time. The public printing had been neglected.
They had asreport from the Committee on Public
PTning proposing to remedy the evil; substi-
tute had been offered by the gentleman from New
York, (Mr. JEsKiSs;) and, in addition, they
bad report from the select committee, and
ther than leave the matter IN its present condition.
he thought it would be better to pass Of these
plans The House, be trusted, would now come
TO q vote, and sustain the previous question.
MIR. ORR said that by referring to the debates it
would be seen that the gentleman from Kentucky
(Nr. DARsHALL) and himself had for the last
three years been strenuous advocates for the en-
forcement OF the contract sysem; but he had be-
come perfectly satisfied, from the surrounding cir
cumstances during the present session, that this
was impracticable. and WAS Of opinion that the bill
ought to be passed.
Mr.. HAVEN wished to be understood that, 30
far as expenditure ia concerned, the bill reported
by the epeca! committee proposes to increase, and
not to decrease, the expenditure above the con.
tracts entered into by the Committee on Printing.
some time since, with Gideon and Company and
Doneaon and Armstrong. The Joint Committee
on Printing made provision three months ago to
remedy the failure Of the contractor to execute the
printing, and the gentlemen whose names he had
Just mentioned had entered into bonds for the
cution OF the work at prices below those provided
in the bill reported by the select committee. With
those existing contracts, if this bill should be
pasaed, the door will be open to those gentlemen
for DAMAGE In bis opinion, none Of the plans
now before them should be passed.
Mr.. CLlNGMAN replied to an allusion made to
his former course upon this subject and then
moved the previous question: which was seconded
ayes O., noes SO.
An amendment then made to the bill orig-
ginally reported by the Committee Printing
(Which proposed to repeal the present contract
system, to elect public printer to execute the
vork-the white paper to be furnished by the Gov
ernment-and to fix the prices TO be paid, &c.)
The substitute for this, proposed by the select
committee, which Mr.. MARsHALL, of Kentucky,
explained ut previous stage of the proceedings,
then agreed to-ayes SO, noes not counted.
The House then rejected the substitute of Mr..
JENkrSs, heretofore ofered-yeas 40, nays 90
which provided for the selection by both Houses
OF superintendent Of printing, a practical
printer, to generally supervise and procure the
work, purchase all paper for the printing, sc.
The bill, amended by the substitute reported
by MIR. MARSHAL, Of Kentucky, from the select
committee, was then passcd-yeas 81, nays 56-as
follows:
YEAS.-Messr, Aiken, Willis Allen, John
Appleton, William Appleton, Thomas H Bayiy,
Bocock, Bragg, Breckenridge, Briggs. Busby,
Thompson Campbell, Caskic, Chandler, Chastain,
Churchwell, Clark, Clingman, Cobb. Colcock,
Daniel, Dawson, Dean, Duncan, Durham, East
man, Edmundeon, Ficklin, Florenoe,T. ID: Full
Ter, Gamble, Gaylord. Gentry, Hamilton, Isham
G.. Harris, Sampson w. Harris, Hendricks,
Hem, Hibbard, Houston, Howard. IngersoIl,
Jackson, Andrew johnson, George w. Jones,
Kuhns, Kurtz. Landry, Letcher, Lockhart, Hum
phrcy Marshall, McLanahan, McMullen, Nc
Nair, Mcqueen, Meade, Millson, Henry Moore,
John Moore, Murphy. Murray, Nabers, Ode Orr,
Penn, Phelps, Polk, Richardson, Riddle. Robie,
Rose, Savage, Schermerhorn, Scurry, David l..
Sen Origcn S. Seymour, Shelton, Smith.
Richard II. Stanton, Abr'm P. Stephens, Stone,