Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-02-07
REMARKS OF MR.. vENABLE,

26h January, 1857 O." @N0 I".sat,.o,, IN do
tract Nth MeSSTS DoHeISon o. <7T"'S''1 ~ w
the Census Printing.
Mr. VESABLE Mr. Speaker, l am very mucn
-rro+;6ed-being called out of the House by busi-
ose-that returned during the discussion oil '.iiS
-,,oo+;on should have been exceedingly un"ll-
49, to have had it passed without expressing my
oninion and giving my vote upon 1t. "hen 1siy
this do not suppose that any expression =, W. 80
ION can present will control that OF individuals OF
This House. But, sir, have been at all times un,
1yillno that this subject of public printing shouG
.oa from before this House until the country should
understand. and fully understand, all that was
ronent nv this corruption fund. We have hearu
gentlemen make great objections to iettlng Tue
printing out to the lowest bidder, whlch Nus otrI
denounced all around this House as nllserao'1
failure and by way of amending 1t, IL Is ProPoseu
70 lot # ont to the highest bidder-by way OF re-
ot;o- tho House from difficulty they let 1t out to
+ha bobeat bidder that is, they limit the commit
toe thew designate the individual with whon tnat
conmttee is to make the contract, and they cannot
make contract with anybody else: Now should
suppose -- - ,,,o1o,,ron
sncb terms as the committee shall deem reasonable
ask nv honorable friend from North Carolina II
he supposes the gentlemen composing the CON-
mittee on Printing will make the contract upon
terms unreasonable and unjust to the country ana
the Government.
Mr.. VENABLE Ny gallant friend is fair-rnfnd-
ed man. l know he his no purpose, but a fSlr
purpose. Why not say, the committee snali COIL
tract with some person to do the public printing I!
Whv give it to Donelson & Armstrong? What
claims have they upon us, or upon the country !.
Mr.. Donelson has been called the administrator OF
Gen. Jackson's opinions say, he is admlnlstra-
tor not only in his wrong but in Gen. Jacksons
wrong Aye, sir, he has no claims upon me, or
upon those whom l represent felt the influence
of his power during the last summer. Will never
nav man to whip me. lean get done cheaper.
tLaughter.1 The Union paper contains the high
eat Federal Observation-Disclosures with which new
er had any sympathy, and never can have, amt
therefore it has no claims upon me. If 1t held
the best of principles, would oppose it, whether
it had claims upon me or upon those whom rep
resent 1 oppose the principles, by which the OF
fer for this printing is to be narrowed down, and
the contract given to a single individual Ii there
were one hundred men in the country who sell
bread can YOU say that the hungry shall trade on
" with one man! There can be no question up
on that subject. Why are Donelson Il Armstrong
suggested Do we mean to give away the public
printing as pension !-propose TO make the pub
lie printing tax upon the Treasury-and say that
the present system of giving of it to the lowest
bidder is bad one! can differ with gentlemen
upon principle, and respect them because they
have right to their opinions. They assert them
independently and act upon them; but can feel
no such sympathy or respect when the question be-
comes one of plumber. | know where 1t begins,
but not where it ends. Then 1 ask, is the COM
mittee restricted to a contract with Donelson IL
Armstrong, and Donelson & Armstrong alone II
that is So they have some claims upon us. Let
those claims be pointed out Let them tell the
country, and let all know how great pension
they are entitled to. Let us fix the amount, SO if
we make the settlement, we will know when we are
done paying.
If pension is to be given, let us know how
much we are giving. II the contract for printing
ia to be open to the world, open it to all competi-
ton, and give the committee the discretion to make
the contract with individuals who shall execute it
in the best manner and for the least sum. l will
60 with my friend from Maryland Mr.. Evans in
the proposition that the Government should fur
nish paper, and we should leave nothing but the
mechanical work to the printer-pay the printer
what his work Is worth, and give him fair rates. l
shall never consent to make asort of contract where
no man in this House but practical printer ever
knows how much is to be drawn from the Treasury
for the purpose of filling the pockets of one who
has, for tue time, the favor Of majority here.
The remarks made by my friend from MARYLAND
Mr. Evans deserve thorough consideration. have
seen men made public printers, the organs of par
ties, and thus fixed upon them, of whom the tabled
story of Sinbad the Sailors Old Man of the Sea ~
is very striking illustration. He first rode by
l.
They are ght gentlemen at first, but there is no
getting nd of them at last. You will find them
very accommodating IN their first essays in PLAYING
tune, but soon give you those in which you can
perceive no harmony, and which it is a great in
convenience to be compelled to dance to after them
can never consent that the funds of this Govern
ment, which have been collected BY taxing the peo-
pie, shall be taken for the purpose of giving pen
slons to any individual While l am willing to
pension the soldier, and take care of his widow and
orPhans-the reward of actual services-whe l
am willing to allow all claims of that kind am
not willing to select any individual and give him
the means OF becoming wealthy out of the public
purse, and to place him in a position in which he
has an opportunity to form public opinion, simply
because he is an editor Of leading journal dis
seminated extensively throughout the country. l
want no man to make public opinion for me, nor
do my constituents desire it. hope shall never
see the time when party ties and party allegiance
shall be so strong y fixed upon me that l shall be
willing to sacrifice principle for the purpose of ad-
vancing the position standing Of any one do
not mean, under any circumstances to give vote
IN which shall have to part with the principle for
the purpose of promoting the aspirations of any
man to the Presidency. Thank God 1 am foot
loose. represent constituency that require me
to be toot-loose, who have returned me by a large
majority. l am foot-loose, and bound bv no party
ties or obligations which require me to abandon
any principle which have asserted will take
occasion to say, while 1 abhor the consolidation
doctrines which have sDread ovar a,-or - -. e - :