The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-28

To- ~ VII pAs.Isg : sesetstisn abctt psslt
| printing, and - : general charge that be b lay
ing about 90 looss that ] cannot see what he \
at myself Laughter.l
what seemed to BE- the desire cf the House, die
not feel at liberty to arrest the cour4e Of remari
made by the gentleman from North Carolina
The Chsir, however, the point being raised, feel,
called upon TO say, that, in his opinion. the gen
tleman is wandering from the question before
the House.
| Mr.. VENABI.E | think | can satisfy thu
Speaker that | am not wandering from the ques
| ton.
The SPEAKER The Chair is very we'll sat
isiied that the remarks of the gentleman have
been irrelevant.
Mr.. JOHN w. HOWE Will the gentleman
from North Carolina allow me to ask him ques
ton!
Mr.. vENABLE. want first to put myself
right with the Speaker
Mr.. HOWE. merely want to ask whether
we are to understand that you will not vote fol
Cass or Douglass. Laughter]
| The SPEAKER. The Chair decides that the
remarks of the gentleman from North Carolina
are not in order.
Mr.. VENABLE. And propose to show that
the course of remark which was pursuing
Mr.. SWEErSER, (nterrupting.) ask for
the enforcement of the rule The gentleman
from North Carolina being called to order, and
the Chair having decided that he is out of order
nc must take his seat, under the rule
| The SPEAKER. The Chair decides that the
gentleman from North Carolina is not at liberty
under the rules, to dis uss the presidential CUES
\
and that his remarks were consequently irrele-
want.
| Mr.. VENABLE. hope may be allowed to
proceed in order
Mr.. WILCOX. hope the gentleman will
be permitted to proceed with his remarks, aud
that the same latitude of debate will be extended
to others.
Mr. CLINGMAN Imove that my colleague
| have leave to procsed in order
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the
proposition?
Mr.. SWEETSER objected.
| The question was then taken on Mr. CLING
MANS motion; and it was agreed to.
Mr.. VENABLE, (resuming) profoundly
regret thst.I should be go unfortunate in pre-.
senting my views, as that any gentleman or the
Chair, should have supposed that was out OF
order. was arguing to show, that my obiec-
ton to the proposition to give this printing to
the particular individuals named in the resoIu-
ton, might give color to the charge that this
House were sustaining press with the view OF
giving it weight in the coming presidential cleo
ton; that this Congress was making themselves
n party TO such an arrangement, and identifying
themselves with party struggle by pensioning
press, which would be active in the formation
of public opinion. 1t seems to me that thiawas
relevant, as an argument why the printing
should not be given to Donaldson Il Armstrong
assure the House, however, that had no pur-
pose to say anything that was not directly relev.
ant to the subject before US. But suppose that
this proposition-as is not the case-limited the
committee to bargain with VIGOROUSLY cor.
rupt man--and am only putting an extrems.
case-t would then be certainly in order to say
that the resolution was wrong, because it lin.
tied the committee to bargain with very un-
suitable person. And that was the whole drift
of my remarks. Such press, fed by the gov.
eminent out of the public treasury, might sue
coed in forcing upon the country one who was
not suitable for the object in view. The consg-
mittee, in no event, should be limited by vote
of this House to any particular individual, mas
much MS it narrowed down the field Of selection,
and must result in the progress of events, in
system of favoritsm, which neither tho princi
pies of justice nor the good sense of the people
would tolerate.
When called to order by the gentleman from
Tennessee, mr. Polk | had yielded the floor
to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, [Mr.
HowE,] who asked me whether | would vote
for neral Cass or Mr.. Douglas? hope it is
not out of order to be respectful to the gentle
man, and reply-thatI drew character for
whom would not vote; if it fits no person, it
damages no one; if it does, it is his fault not
mine; but decline to make personal applica
tion-of my remarks upon the call he has made.
have now said what intended to say relative
to the Presidency, and what have said was 10
Ultimately connected with the subject matter be-
fore the House. have said it because think
it due to the country, that its representatives
should not adopt an indirect system of pension
4, ing the press. No editors of the journals of the
country should be enabled by jobs thrown in
their way to make fortune out of the treasury
for mere Iarty purposes. Iappeal to this House
to say whether it is proper that this Job should
be appropriated in the manner which this reso-
luton proposes, merely because majority of
this House have the power to do it. If the House
desires to elect public rinter, lei it be done,
and the rates and compensation fixed. But it is
certainly wrong TO do so by indirection. Every
man should have his Just dues. But If it is a
bad plan to let out the public printing to the
lowest bidder, do not adopt the other extreme of
letting it out to the highest bid err! If We pass
this resolution, and give the contract to Donel
son d Armstrong, we exclude competition; and
if they will not do it at what the committee con-
slider reasonable price, you will have no print
ing done, or you will have this subject back
again in this House for discussion. The whole
matter will have another hearing and another
discussion.
trust the time is near for us to have print
ing bureau, as part of our organization, and
the printing executed by our own employees
when the whole work shall be done by US, and
the entire matter bo under our own control
that the time is near when we shall get rid of
this job work-ihis bleeding the treasury in or
der to obtain the means of propagatng particu
lar political doctrines, and for the purpose of
controlling public sentiment. We have already
had good deal of experience in this matter.
have lately seen at least one article published in
nj oroan ind oditorialiv infroduco1. no poeea,.