The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-28
Deferred Debate.
House OF REPRESENTATIVES, Jan. IS, 1852.
pRINTINC nE TUE CCNouo

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Jan. 26, 1852.
PRINTING OF THE CENSUS
Mr.. GORMAN, from the Committee on Pub
lie Printing, reported the following Joint resolu.
ton:
Belt resolved by the Senate and House of Rep
resentatiuss of the United States of America in
Congress assembled That the joint committee
on printing be directed to contract with Messrs.
Donelson & Armstrong for printing and binding
the Census on such terms as they may think
reasonable and proper, the work to be executed
under the direction of the Secretary of the In.
terror, and to be paid for it progresses by the
head of the Census Bureau, with power to abate
from the amount stipulated if the work when
executed shall prove deficient or below the
standard which may be agreed upon.
The joint resolution was read first and sec.
ond time by its title.
A discussion having arisen on this resolution,
Mr.. VENERABLE said: Mr.. Speaker, I am
very much gratified-being called out of the
House by business-that returned during the
discussion Of this question. should have been
exceedingly unwilling to have had it passed with.
out expressing my opinion and giving my vote
upon it, When | say this, do not suppose that
any expression of opinion can present will con.
troll that Of individuals Of this House. But, sir,
have been at all times unwilling that this subject
Of public printing should pass from before the
House until the country should understand, and
fully understand all that was meant by this cor.
ruption fund. We have heard gentlemen make
great objections to letting the printing out to
the lowest bidder, which has been denounced,
all around this House as a miserable failure
and, by way of amending it, it is proposed to
let it out to the highest bidder-by way of re-
lieving the House from difficulty they let it out
to the highest bidder; that is, they limit the
committee; they designate the individual with
whom that committee is to make the contract,
and they cannot make contract with anybody
else. Now, should suppose
Mr.. GORMAN. The contract is to be made
upon such terms as the committee shall deem
reasonable. ask my honorable friend from
North Carolina if he supposes the gentlemen
composing the Committee on Printing will
make the contract upon terms unreasonable and
unjust to the country and the government?
Mr.. VENABLE. My gallant friend is fair.
minded man. know he has no purpose, but a
fair purpose. Why not say, the committee shall
contract with some person to do the pubs
printing! Why give it to Donelson a. Arm
strong! What claims have they upon us, or
upon the country? Mr.. Doneson has been
called the administrator of General Jackson's
opinions. | say, he is administrator, not only
in his wrong, but in General Jacks wrong.
Aye, sir, he has no claims upon me, or upon those
whom represent felt the influence of his
power during the last summer. will never
pay man to whip me. | can get it done cheaper.
laughter The Union paper contains the
highest federal Observation-Disclosures with which
never had any sympathy, and never can have,
and therefore it has no claims upon me. If it
held the best of principles, would oppose it,
whether it had claims upon me or upon those
whom represent. Ioppose the principle by
which the offer for this printing is to be narrowed
down, and the contract given to single individ-
ual. If there were one hundred men in the
country who sell bread, can you say that the
hungry shall trade only with one man! There
can be no question upon that subject Why are
Donelson & Armstrong suggested? Do we
mean to give away the public printing as a PEN
sion propose to make the public printing
TAX upon the treasury--and say that the present
system of giving it to the lowest bidder is bad
one? can differ with gentlemen upon prin.
ciple, and respect them, because they have right
to their opinions. They assert them independ-
emily and act upon them but can feel no such
sympathy or respect when the question becomes
one of plumber. / know where it begins, but
not where it ends. Then ask, is the committee
restricted 10 contract with DOnelson e. Arm
strong, and Donelson g. Armstrong alone9 If
that is 80, they have some claims upon US. Let
those claims be pointed out Let them tell the
country, and let US all know how great pension
they are entitled to. Let us fix the amount, so
IL we make the settlement, we will know when
we are done paying
If a pension is to be given, let US know how
much we are giving. Ifthe contract for printing
is to open it to the world, open it to all compe-
ttion, and give the committee the discretion to
maka tho contract with individuals vvbo obs n /