The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-05
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY,, February 4, 1852

The SPEAKER reported message from the Pres
;dent, with accompanying reports from the Heads
IF DEPARTMENTS, all of which were referred to APP.
pirate committees. -
The House then proceeded to take up the bills
an the SpEAKER's table, which were all disposed
20 MOST of them being read first and second
time Among the others was the bill granting to
every man or widow, who is the head OF fami
lv I6O acres of the public lands; which Mr.. john,
SON. of Tennessee, moved to refer to the Commit,
tee of the Whole on the state of the Union, and
that it be made the order of the day Tor the hrs'
Tuesday in March, which was agreed to.
The bill to regulate the publication of the laws
Of Congress- and the public advertisements, being
the last bill on the table, was then taken up Ihls
h;ll WAS reported upon adversely by the select
committee, to whom it had been referred.
Mr.. SMART, of Maine, expressed his regret
that the bill came before the Rouse under sach
unfavorable circumstances; and went on to eX-
Main its provisions, witch are that the two week
iy naners in a Congressional district, having the
greatest circulation, shall be entitled to the publ
cation of the laws; and that the putlie advertise
ments shall be inserted in one or more of the daily
napers. The object of the bill, he said, IS to DIS
connect the press from the government. lie wish
cd ~ draw the attention of the committee, he
sa;d to the circumstance that the tendency of the
nresent order of things is towards Capitalization,
10 which he was opposed lie then alluded to
the immense patronage exercised by the govern
Ynent through the CuslOHl-Houst VI A'eW yin,
where more than thousand persons are employ
ed whose salaries average $1,000 each. The mum
her Of publishers Of the laws OF Congress throueh
out the Union he estimated at l20O Inc inhu
ence thus created lie was DESTROYS oftaking away
To show that the plan at present pursued ooes
not contribute to a knowledge of the laws being
disseminated among persons who are called upon
10 obey them. He stated that IN the state o
Maine the internal circulation is 81 900, but Mr.
Webster had selected as the paper IN which to
nublish the laws, the Christian Mirror, when mas
= circulation of only 2000-thus limiting TN
knowledge of what laws are passed to q few ORTIZ
odox Congregationalists.
Mr. HARRIS, of Tenne ssee, said when he re
nor,ed the bill it was his intention to have moved
70 Law il on the table, but as the gentleman. from
Maine was not in his seat, and being aware tina
he wished to address the House upon the subject
he declined doing so at the time. lie then called
tho attention of the committee to the difference
in the expense in the course proposed by the pres
ent bill and that at present pursued Under TIT
hill there would be two publications IN each con
cressional district, instead of each Stately which
the expense would be increased from si2,uoo pc
annum to 400 ,0O0-making difference OF soo,ooo
wear. Every gentleman who had considered I'M
sub;ert he said, must be satisfied that there
very little utility in publishing the laws, as every
man who " ants TO know any thing Of law will g.
20 LAWYER AS to the eXecuiiyeinhuence. Whici
The gentleman from Maine seemed so much Z
dread. il must be apparent even to himself, that
under the system be proposes, II would DE IN