The southern press., 1852-01-07

The Chair laid before the Senate commun ca
ton from the Navy Department. covering petit
ton from certain officers of the Navy serving
the Pacific coast, praying for an increase of their
compensation.
THE TREASURY REPORT.
The Chair laid before the Senate the annual re-
port Of the Secretary Of the Treasury Ordered
10 be printed.
Mr. HUNTER moved that 10 900 extra copies
! Of the report te also printed for the use of the
Senate.
Mr. BRADBURY suggested, for the consdera-
| .ion Of Senators, the expediency of getting up
compendium Of all the annual executive docu-
msnts, striking out all the matter which is not
generally useful and retaining only that matter
. which Is really valuable and interesting to the
| public at large.
The ten thousand copies Of the Treasury report
were orde ed to be printed.
| Petitions were presented by Messrs. SEWARD,
WADE -ArcHIsoR, RUsK, PRATT, SUMNER, WHIT
CONS, FisH, PEARcE, A. c. DoDoE, and other
Senators, comprehending variety of subjects,
but generally in reference to claims against the
government
Reports from committees were made, and among
them,
Mr. HUNTER, from the Committee on Finance,
reported back the bill appropriating $1,000 to
| pay the temporary expenses consequent upon
the late burning Of the library of Congress, and
with an amendment appropriating SIC, 900 for the
pure hase of books for the said library.
Mr.. HUNTER offered a resolution, instructing
the Committee on Public Buildings to inquire into
the expedency of making certain temporary
rangements for the accommodation of the library
of Congress.
CENSUS PRINTING.
On motion of Mr.. BRiGHr, the Senate took up
the special order of the day, the joint resolution
providing that the joint committee of the two
houses on Printing, be authorized to contract with
| Messrs Donaldson and Armstrong for the execu
ton Of the printing of the work Of the census of
1850, upon such terms may be deemed reason
able
Mr.. B0RLAND moved to amend, that in
stead Of the Joint Committee on Printing, the Sec
rs9ary of the Senate and the Clerk Of the House
be authorized to make the specified contract Mr..
b. said that this amendment was not intended to
defeat the resolution. He was in favor Of it, but
he wished it to be in proper FORM Message
from the President of the United States This
thing Of going out of the Senate to contract or
make bargains, or chatter for the public printing,
it was O part of the proper duties Of the Com
mittee on Printing to undertake this extraordinary
task. The committee could not properly be
charged with it they were not so well qnalehed
to make the contract, as the Secretary of the Sen
ate and the Clerk of the House. For himself, he
asserted that he was not competent to perform the
duty.
Mr.. CASS argued that the committee very
properly the authority to be appointed to make
the contract, and that they would find little diff
Mr.. BRIGHT said that the effect of transfer
ring the work from the committee to the secretary
Of the Senate, and the clerk of the House, would
be to put this job of the census printing to the
lowest bidder, and we had had sufficient expert
ence in this contract printing to know that If the
I work is given out to the lowest bidder, it will not
be done in proper manner, and it will not be
2 done in time. The work, to be useful, should be
executed and delivered to Congress when required
: for the purposes Of legislation. The system of
L. 10 fho lpuyn dor has Cn M.
pletely failed ofmeeting this object. Besides this,
the committee could make contract which would
secure the faithful execution of the printing, and
upon terms which, though they might be reason
able, the clerks of the two Houses would not dare
to make.
Mr.. BORLAND repeated his objection TO the
extraordinary drudge,y which, by this contract,
it was proposed should be thrown upon the COM
mittee. Nor did he know why the ministerial
\ officers which he suggested could not dare to make
the contract which the committee might make.
Mr.. GWIN contended that the COMMITTEE on
Printing was the most appropriate committee to
which this duty could be assigned. With regard
to the labor. they would be relieved by the gen
tlemen to whom it was proposed to give the
work, who would no doubt furnish the commit
stee with all the necessary facts and figures for
correct understanding ofthe subject, as far as they
might require to be informed.
Mr.. CASS supported the views Of the Senator
from California, maintaining that the duty of
contracting for this public printing should be as
signed to the Joint committee on the subject. He
also contended that the committee could make
more favorable contract for good and punctual
work than the secretary Of the Senate, and the
clerk OF the House, would feel authorized to
make.
Mr.. BoRLAND in reply, said he could not un-
derstand the force of the argument, that the com
mittee could go further in this contract than the
secretary and clerk 1t enigma to him
which required explanation. He thought from
their experience and knowledge Of printing that
they were the bestqualifed persons for the duty.
MIR. BRIGHT said, he could explain this enig-
ma The effect of the amendment would be to
throw the work into the hands of the lowest bid
der, because the secretary and clerk would not
like to assume the responsibility Of giving out the
, work at more reasonable prices, and essential to
its faithful execution. lie then adverted to the
working of the contract system, showing, in add-
ton to bad paper and bad printing, and always
behind the time, the contracts were openly yio-
lated, in paper of quality much inferior than that
agreed upon. For example, where 1t had been
ream. fimsy article had been furnished worth
only four dollars and even low as two dollars
and half 10 the
Mr.. UNDERWOOD thought, that these were
precious confessions, yet he did not know why
the public printing could not be executed by con-
tract even with the lowest bidder, when all our
bridges, public buildings and public works, of
r various kinds, executed under that system.
MIR. PRATT suggested, that there would be
less difficulty upon this subject if it were not for
the consideration Of giving out the public printing
as a reward to public presses.
The debate continued by Messrs. BADG Err,
GwM, CLEMENS, BoRLASD, BRIcHT, and A. c.
DopGE, when
Mr.. BORLAND withdrew his amendment, but
gave notice that if this business were thrown upon
the hands Of the committee, he should not serve
with them in the matter He knew his incompe-
tency for this important duty, and could not un
dertake it.
Mr.. ATCHISON was about making sugges
ton in behalf of the Senator from Connecticut,
when
Mr. SMITH said lhat he had some views and
suggestions to offer, which, from The ateness Of
the hour he would prefer to withhold TIL to-mor-
row. He moved, therefore, that the subject be
postponed till tomorrow at one o clock, which
was agreed to, % to Is.
A message from the President was read, endors
ing report from the Secretary OF State, IN refer
ence to the Cuban prisoners lately released by the
Queen of Spain, and asking Appropriation to