The southern press., 1852-04-10


law officer, the Attorney General, and as under
stood by its own Secretary of State. Nay, the
Secretary of the Treasury, as we are now bound
TO presume, is ashamed to decide against US
since he does not decide at all. Even the Pres
ident shelters himself against the accusation Of
fragrant violation of the law, by protesting
that he has no right to direct his cabinet officers
to execute Ibis law faithfully. Under all these
circumstances we submit to our Southern Dem
ocratic friends, whether we are not right in
standing aloof from Democratic party, which
contains an element so hostile, proscriptiye and
bitter towards us, as TO secure the ostracism ota
the Southern elements of that party from all
honors and emoluments, even by Wing coal-
ton, except on the most abject and ignominlous
submission.
For ourselves, we do not hesitate to say, that
we accept the notice this proceeding has 81 en-
us, and if it is consummated, we shall do all in
our power to shatter such hypocritcal, bgoted
and imbecie concern to pieces. We know pre-
cisely how this thing has been done, we know
who did it, and we rather think we can crush
the hopes Of the schemers. AS for the Union,
it may get this job--it may ive-but such
life, for an organ of Democracy Why, it had
better have milestone tied round its neck and
be thrown into the sea-
We supposed when this thing was announced,
or was pending, that the committee had legal
authority, at least, for such responsible proce-
dure. We have, however, been astonished, on
consulting the law, to find that as much violence
has been done TO the law as to usage, and to
the trust reposed in the party -majority Of the
committee.
The authority on which this transaction is
based is the joint resolution approved August 3
1886:
SEC. 2. And be IL further ReSolred, That
committee consisting of three members of the
Senate and three members of the House of
shall be chosen by their respect
i've houses, which shall constitute Committee
on Printing, which shall have power to adopt
such measures as may be deemed necessary 10
remedy any neglect or delay on the part of the
contractor TO execute the work ordered by Con-
gress, and 10 make a pro-rata reduction in The
compensation alLoioed, or to refuse the work al
together should it be inferior to the standard
and in all cases the contractor and his securities
shall be held responsible for any increased ex-
penditure consequent upon the non performance
Of the contract.
1t is evident from this that the Committee had |
no right to elect printers for the two Houses Of
Congress, even in a case of total default by the |
contractor. In such an event. report TO the
wo Houses was the proper course.
But we observe that Governor Blows, Of
Mississippi, has called the attention of the
House of Representatives to this extraordinary
by resolution offered yesterday,
(Which lies over as follows:
Resolped by The Senate and House of Repre-
'entatires Of the United States Of America, IN
Congress assembled, That so much of the sec
md section OF the act of $40, as authorizes
he joint committee Of the two Houses Of Con.
yress to remedy delays and neglects of duty on
he part of the contractors for the public print
ng, or the printing Of the two Houses of Con
yress, by taking the work out of the hands of /
,uch contractors, and giving it TO other contrac-
,ors, be, and the same is hereby suspended, and
in all cases when there is neglect of
duty or unreasonable delay in the execution and
delivery of printing ordered by either House Of
Congress, il shall be the duty Of the joint CON-
mittee aforesaid, to report such neglect or delay
10 the two Houses, and be governed by such
directions as may be given by Congress.
We are glad this movement has been made
in TIE House, and we hope similar one will
be made in the Senate. We shall then see
who's who, and what's what