The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-04
speech Of Hon. A. w. venabie, OF North
Carolina, III


On he Public Printing. Delirered in dls
House Of Representatives., April 10, 1852.
! Tie proposition to recount the report Of
the Committee on Printing TO said committee,
with instructions to make contract, after add
vertisement Of ten days, with the lowest respon.
sible bidder, for the execution of the Public
| Printing, being under consideration,
+ Mr.. VENABLE said:
| Mr.. SPEAKER: | had not intended TO take
any part in the discussion Of the distribution Of
the printing patronage Of this House and the
Senate My views as to the proper mode of
disposing of that matter were freely given at an
early day OF the session. This determination was
unchanged until on Friday last, the chairman of
the Committee on Printing, Mr. GoRMAN, on
lclosing the debate which had consumed the
lpreyious days of tile week. declared that the OPP
position to the measures proposed by that COM
mittee was the result Of combination of Free
soilers and Abolitionists on the one part, and
Secessionists and Disunionists on the other, to
prescribe the Union and Republic newspapers,
because of their decided stand for the measures
known as the compromise; their loyalty to the
union of these States, and their determination
TO arrest agitation, and restore rcpose and tran
guilty to the country, constituted the head and
front of their offending in the opinion Of those
WHO HOW Ic5lolcu tHc pIOpOSltlOli 10 ulVlue Tile
printing emoluments Of this Congress between
those two journals. | felt that it was due to
all concerned that this error be exposed, and that
the facts Of the case should be placed in array
before the country | could not consent to be
silent listener to such statement, especially
as the honorable gentleman was pleased to des-
ignate me one to whom his remarks would APP
ply. have avaed myself of the first occasion,
after the previous question has exhausted itself,
4 to perform that task, and now ask the indulgence
/ Of the House whilst develop the details of the
votes given upon the report Of the committee,
present an analysis of those votes, and then leave
it to the decision Of all candid men, whether
the gentlcnan has not fallen into great mis-.
take.
And would here remark, that the fact Of an
existing combination of the friends Of the
Union and Republic is a matter apparent upon
the face of the report of the committee itself.
1t isconfirmed by the declarations of the honora-
BILE chairman, who, on this floor, avowed himself
to be party man, and that in many meetings of
the joint committee, he had uniformly voted to
give the whole printing to the Union, and that
the division OF this patronage was a conclusion
arrived at after many tie votes in the committee.
II is also most strikingy apparent from the fact,
that there is Democratic majority in both
Houses, and according to the common parlance
4 of party discipline, the emoluments should be
appropriated to the partizan editor who was so
| fortunate as to be esteemed the organ This is
the usual routine observed; ard | think may
safely say, that the Wings, being in power, have
never given an example of any distribution of
the good things out of their own party family.
| mention this not with appreciation, because
have always believed that separation of the
party press from the public treasury, was as in
dspensable to the purity of the press itself, as
| it was conservative in the administration of the
| general powers of those who conduct the de-
tails of government. But | only refer to it as
such departure from previous customs as to
indicate an understanding that both political
parties were TO be reconciled by the arrange
mem. The result was, that large amount Of
printing was to be distributed between these
two journals at price greatly in advance of that
for which the public printer, Boyd Hamilton,
had engaged to perform the work, and he was
to loose the difference thus paid to others. The
Democratic party, when formerly in power be-
came satisfied that the office and emoluments of
the public printer had become an abuse, and
abolishing that Office, enacted the present law
OF letting out the printing by contract to the
lowest bidder system under which we have
conducted that branch Of the business ever
since. As to the policy Of that measure, shall
speak presently, and mention il now as proof
that one party in power, and that the Demo.
cratic, did, with view 10 economy, abolish one
of the richest Offices within their gift and adopt
policy which promised to lessen the burdens
by diminishing the expenses of government.
Now, sir, in the face of an existing law 10 let
out the public printing by contract to the low
est bidder, the committee report a project Of
4 -
| this place, occupying the extremes of party
lines, and that TOO, when the Democratic party
is dominant in both Houses No one is so
green as 10 suppose that this is TO be attributed
TO generosity, or that il was adopted upon prn
ciples Of just and equal distribution. The
votes Of the committee show that il was adopted
| because the peculiar friends Of the Democratic
journal could not command sufficient number
Of votes for the sole enjoyment Of this lucrative
employment Upon this showing Of the case,
my friend from Mississippi Mr.. BRowEl
charged, and thought proved, that there was
coalition Of the friends Of those two papers 90
consummale this division Of the printing profits
II will be recolected that there was resistance
made 10 the whole scheme, and made most
promptly. The whole Of the last week was ex.
| hausted in The investigation, and decided vote
Of disapprobation Is found upon the records of
the House. This vote has been reconsidercd,
and now offer the resolution which ] read be-
fore commencing my remarks, as the expression
Of the wishes Of this House as 10 the whole
printing subject. The honorable chairman
Mr.. GoRMANl on Friday last attempted TO de
fend the action Of the committee, by chsrging
upon those who opposed IL here, the formation
Of coalition Of Freesoers, Abolitionists, and
Disunionists, for The purpose Of prescribing the
Union and Republic, because those journals
were the known and constant advocates Of the
series Of measures known as the compromise
acts Of the last session. The House were grave
" informed that such motives determined the
action OF those opposed 20 the proposed dstri-
button Of The printing The country was ad-
monished Of the danger which such coalition
must produce, and all Of us thus designated
were 10 be known, suppose, as disturbers Of
the peace. IF such combination existed, MIR.
Speaker, IL was produced by the instantaneous
shock which the sense Of propriety In a majori-
~ In fhis House experienced whom Tho rovoI