The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-18

party IMAM LIS COntfhct sy s'ou io' s"o o~oc~ssS"
of the public printing, and opposition to its be-
stowal, at unnecessarily high prices, upon parti-
ian politicians in payment Of psrtizan services.
1t is to be hoped that what this " small section
of the party" requests will not be granted, and
that the law, in its spirit as well AS its letter,
will govern our disposition of the printing.
The report now before objects TO the in
structions Of the House, that they contemplate
the exercise of power which the House does
not possess. The committee assume that the
House printing and the Senate printing each are
Joint matters and that, therefore, the House
cannot dispose of its printing without the con-
sent of the Senate. But the arguments they
use in support Ct this, are sophis zeal. AS the
House pays for its printing out of its own con.
tingent fund, it is not easy to perceive why we
should not control its disposition, especially
under the circumstances now presented, and
when we propose to dispose of it in accordance
with the spirit Of the existing law. IL is surely
our duty to guard our contingent fund, and all
other government funds intrusted TO our guar
dansbip, as far rs possible, from unnecessary
expenditure II the other branch of the legis-
ative department do not choose to exercise a
viglant watchfulness over their contingent fund,
but permit it to be squandered for the benefit OF
partisan politicians, or in payment Of the ex-
travagant wine and cigar bills of an advenlurer,
who may wish to draw upon our gullibility for
his own purposes, their example, to say the least
of it, does not recommend itself for our adoption
II we have not The power to order reletting
of our printing, then neither have the Joint com.
mittee the power to do, as it is admitted they
have done, namely, constitute themselves the
House and Senate portion each a separate com
mittee, each to have the entire control over the
printing of its respective body. In taking such
action, the committee assumed power, the
possession of which they now deny to the
House, and OF necessity to themselves. They
assumed that power when hey thought it neces.
sary for the progress of a particular plan which
they had in view; but they now deny the same
power, when its denial, under changed circum
stances, is equally necessary TO the completion
of their plan. They make the House and Senate
printing each joint or separate matter-sep.
arate to-day, joint tomorrow, as their will or
their plans may dictate.
Mr.. STANTON, of Kentucky, Gnterrupiing. J
The gentleman makes statement, which am
sure he makes under a Misrepresentation, because
the Joint Committee on Printing has never
divided itself
Mr.. FITCH. Then the report before us is
again at fault.
Mr.. STANTON. | will state to the House
what the joint committee did, and then the gen
teman will see whether tho report is at fault.
The report states the facts precisely as they were
The Joint Committee on Printing appointed the
three members of the House, who were on that
committee, subcommittee, and the three mem
bers of the Senate, who were upon that COM
mittee, sub committee, simply for the purpose
of performing a little portion of the labor of
that committee; and that labor was, to ascertain
in what respect the public printer was in default
in regard to the printing for either House. 1t
was to be reported to the joint committee; and
no action was to be had by either sub committee.
independent of the action of the Joint commit
tee. We do not pretend to be independent of
the joint committee at all. Merely as matter
OF convenience, we are required to perform a
portion of the labors which it would be useless
to require the whole committee to perform
What we do we report to the joint committee.
1t would be incon.enient for the whole commit
tee to go to the printing office TO ascertain how
much the printer is in default
Mr. FITCH Now, sir, if they have not made
this division, how came the House portion of
the committee to say that they had nothing TO
do with the Senate printing, and were not re.
sponsible for its bestowal upon the Republic
and that the Senate portion had nothing to do
with the House printing?
We were told a few days since by member
Of the Committee on Printing of The last Con
gress, that it was usual for each portion of the
committee respectively to report to their bodies
the number of extra copies of any document
they deemed it desirable to print Thus far and
no further the independent action of each nor
ton OF the committee has hitherto extended
But here we find case of independent action
covering the whole ground for each portion of
the committee not only reports the number of
extra copies, but selects the men and fixes the
prices at which the printing is to be executed.
Mr.. STANTON. The gentleman places me
in the position of having stated facts which |
now deny. have submitted to his misunder-
standing of the report; but the fact is that the
House committee did not say that the Senate
committee have exclusive control over the Sem
ate printing, or that we have exclusive control
over the House printing. But say, that with
three votes IN the Senate, p1rt of the committee
acting against us, our three cannot control
matter any more than the three members of
Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. m.
pointed by the House, can control the three
members appointed by the Senate for the same
purpose; and therefore, by agreement, we d.
vide the business, each taking certain part
Nor can the House any more instruct the Joint
Committee on Printing than it can the Regents
of the Smitl sonan Institution.
Mr. FITCH. The genteman's comparison
of bis Joint committee with the Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution does not hold good
The cases are not parallel. There are other
gentlemen belonging to the Board of Regents
than members of Congress, who could give the
casting vote, and control the action of the
board in the event of any disagreement betwe,
the House and Senate members. But the state
ment just made by the gentleman [Mr. STAN
TON confirms what have said relative to the
division and separate action of the Committee
on Printing. Neither the House nor Senate
portion constituted majority they we're
equally divided; they could not agree, and
neither could control the other on the Joint com.
mittee. Instead, however, Of reporting, as all
other joint committees do, that they could only
agree to disagree, ard asking instructions, or
asking to be discharged, they each undertake
separate and independent control of the print
ing of their respective bodies. They can agree
upon this separate action, and so report but
now deny that any such action has been had
SO far as concerns TIE power in the House to
al f1, r. al r