The daily union., 1852-09-03

under general law You had 10 pass special law re-
curing and authorizing the service. We now simply
ask mat the Mississippi river and the Ohio river may be
placed on The same footing with all other streams and
land routes ~ The country, and nothing more. IL pro
poses 70 put out at conrac.not BY private arrange
men but IN manner that will bring about competition.
and secure the service al reasonable rate.
M, boRLASDs amendment was agreed TO, as modified
by striking out from Nashville to Cairo"
The bill was reported TO the Senate amended the
amendments were concured in and ordered TO be en-
crossed. and the bill ordered to be read third time
pRIsTE6.
The hour Of half past two having arrived the Senate
as in committee OF the whole, resumed the consideration
Of the bill to provide for executing the public printing
aud establishing the prices thereof and for other pur
! Mr.. SMITH. Three separate and distinct accuse.
tons--i call them ndictments-were preferred against
me in the debate OF this morning and ask now, Mr.
President that may be heard in reply.
In that debate for the purpose of addressing the
Senate on the merits OF this bill and meant 10 conhne
myself strictly to the consideration of its merits did
not travel out OF the record. did not occupy The time
against any member of this body. But the from
Indiana Mr.. RRI0HT1 chose to pursue different
course Iha, senator in great hurry to get this bill
through he wanted to hush il up and. by way oil ex-
pedlng its passage, he undertook 10 arraign before
the Senate and before the country with having been
guilty OF gross inconsistency OF conduct with respect to
this BILL The first Inconsistency with which he charges
is an old acquaintance of mine This is not The first
time that the senator from Indiana has stood up in his
place, and made the same accusation against me on that
very point.
The first accusation is, that l. in the first session of the
last Congress- took the ground in the boadest TERMS that
the whole system of letting out the printing OF Congress
and OF the departments by contract 10 the lowest bidder
was vicious system, and that ought 10 be entirely
pudated. lthink il was longer ago than January,
1884, that the senator made this very charge against
and believe that he then read the extracts which
he has read this morning from the Congressional
Globe. for the purpose OF supporting it. replied 10
the charge then, and believe that my reply was salts
factory TO every one except the senator from Indiana
conclude il not satisfactory to him, the senator
repeats that accusation and exactly upon the
grounds as upon The previous occasion. This is what
call indictment number one Then, not satisfied with
this accusation, the senator, by way OF expedltng the
passage of the bill still further brings forward another
charge Of Inconsistency he says that, as member OF
the Committee on Printing, was willing to contract,
and did contract, TO let out the printing OF the House
OF Representatives and Of the Senate for the residue of
this Congress- just about the terms which
toned in this bill, and that turn round and state
that those prices are exorbtant This is indictment
number two. To support this charge, he calls on my
give his testimony; and the senator from Arkansas
stands and delivers his testimony IN presence OF the
Senate. When intinated, as did, that intended TO
ask for hearing on this second Indictment well as
on the 6rst, thought il would take rabe time
to 90 into the whole question: and believe said that
il might occupy half day, there is very lile doubt that
il would il went into all the facts And then we have
thrust the country aud the Senate another charge
that am making speeches here not for legitimate dis
cusson not for the purpose OF referring to the merits OF
the bill, not tor the purpose of vindcating myself from
unfounded accusations but that addressing the Sem
merely for the purpose OF preventing action this
particular bill This is indictment number three Well,
il compelled by the circumstances OF the case 10
cupy some little tme--and shall occupy
sonabe portion OF the time of the Senate in showing that
all these three charges are utterly unfonnded and II ac
ton this bill 10 delayed, ask who is 10 be held
sponsbe for il shall ask whether that senator TO be
held responsible who charges me with misconduct a
member of this body, whether the responsibility
me because stand up here TO answer in my own
defence
will now take up indictment number one The in.
dctor is the senator from Indiana, Mr.. BRIGHT, and
the party accused has pleaded mot guilty. to the charge
We have heard il made by the senator frsm Indiana
have heard the proof that he adduced, and lei us
hear the proof on the other side. have said that this
accusation is old acquaintance oil mine and TO show
that such the case, will read extract from the
port Of the Senate debates the 18th OF January last
addressed myself to the Senate on the question OF the
disposition that should make OF the printing OF the
returns OF the last census, and insisted that II should
be put into the departmental printing and let out to the
owes, bidder My remarks were not very protraeted
but after they completed, up the senator from
Indiana and he told the Senate and the country ha, the
from Connecticut IN bis mode OF
treating this subject and read as he has done to-day
The last Congress Let see what he said on that occa
sion;
''The honorable senator Mr. sNrral certainly orgets
that the last session OF Congress he himself proposed
the Committee Printing 10 give this very work 10 the
Republic. Hot haste Ii was not too early at the last
sion Of Congress TO agtate the question "
Here the accusation made by the honorable senator is
that l. in the Committee on Printing IN the last session
oil the last Congress- proposed that Congress should give
the printing OF the census returns 10 the Republic To
this replied as follows:
AS the honorable has attended any Of the
meetings OF the Committee Printing, | presume he
makes the statement that in favor OF giving the
priang Of the returns to the Republic on the
Ihorty Of others All have to say Is, that the gentleman
Is entirely msuformed.
"Mr BaIaur IL am not correct hope the chairman
OF the Committee on Printing will correct me
I" Mr.. BoRLASD. presume the statement OF the senator
from Indiana ade Information received IRON
lie is misaken, however, in supposng that said the
senator from Cnneccut proposed TO give THIS printing TO
the Republic. did that the senator from Connecticut
IN favor OF the proposition made by the superintendent
OF the TO leave the printing to him, and have exc
cuted at that time Whether be would have had II done
at the Republic office elsewhere, do not know But
the superintendent OF the did wshand
that subject bsore the oommiteeo be peruted to
have the printing execued no might think at that
time The committee decided that OF tnat
could be entered uto because the census bill ITSELF
after providing f the execution Of the preliminary print
ing required that the report of plan for publishing the
should be made Congress at the present session,
and that the printing OF the should be done
as this Congress should direct Therefore, they did not
feel arrangement give their
anything OF that kind then understood tho
from Connecticut and understand him, TO have
been IN avor oil the arrangement proposed by the superin
tendent Of the census
Mr. Swlra. wish TO say a word on this subject II Is
very unusual believe, to bring into the Senate conversa
tons In the of the com mittees of this body.
"Mr. BRIoHr refer for my information 70 debate that
collateral question the last session have
not the debates be fore me, but think that can turn
the m and ,t the honorable from Connecu
expressed preference at that time for giving to the
gentleman who has charge Of the Census Bureau the py
eQs OF making for this printing, The inference
follows, matter OF course, that would have taken the
direction which Indicated
s,Mt SMITH | do know what the gentleman may
nd recorded in the debates OF the senate having been