The true Democrat., 1855-02-21


 tendent of the public printing. Why? Has the committee of the House of Representatives, or the Secretary of the Senate, neglected or re- fused to do the duty? l should like to know | how that is.
 My friend from Arkansas has informed the Senate that this measure is proposed with the concurrence of the Secretary of the Senate.- That may be, but it is not for that oficerto say whether he concurs or does not concur in any such measure. It is his business to execute such orders as he may receive from the Senate, and therefore take 1t for granted that it would be indelicate in him to say whether he desired to perform this duty or not. He may be anx- ious to get clear of 1t. The superintendent of public printing has very large powers now; he has great deal of business before him; and at the last session we gave him power to appoint two additional clerks. Now, if any of the gen. tlemen who have heretofore had this business in charge have either neglected to do their du- ty, or cannot perform 1t as we'll as the slpern- tendent of public printing, I should like to know the fact.
 MT. Weller. Mir. President, during this de- bate l have had an opportunity of looking at the provisions of the joint resolutions, and of cor. recting an impression which was made on my mind by their first reading I had supposed that they were joint resolutions proposing to take this power from the Secretary of the Senate, and to vest it in the superintendent of public print ing; but find, by the provisions of tbe reso- lutions, that although this work is to be placed under the direction of the superintendent, his actions are to be under the control and super vision of the committee on printing of the Se- nate. l do not see, therefore, how this power can be abused by the superintendent of public printing; because, whenever the Senate sees proper to order a chart or map to be publish ed, that work is to be done by the superinten- dent of public printing, under the direction and control of the committee on printing of this body. l cannot see, then, how any injury or inconvenience can result to any one. The su- perintendent will always be under the direction and supervision of the appropriate committee of the Senate. That is the whole proposition.
 Now, sir, have attained what l desired at the outset, tie opportunity of lookiug into the provisions of the resolutions, because 1 am not willing to take things here in generous confi- dence. Although 1 have as much respect for the committee on painting as any Senator on this floor: yet, as l have in the past committed some blunders in voting for bills for which opportunity of looking before I leap. Mir. JOHNSON. Mr. President, if the hon. orable Senator from Pennsylvania had observed the statements which were made then this sub- ], ject was before the Senate, on previous occa- ) slons, think he would have had more knowl- edge of the subject than he seems to have had on this occasion. In the first place, the rcsolu tons do not propose to interfere with the rights of any committee, either of this body or the } other House. In the meetings of the joint committee on printing of the two Houses that Was matter of contest, and 1t was feared by some members of the House committee that they would be treated with disrespect; or they thought, at least, that the usefulness of their committee would be impaired, and that thereby the committee might itself be annulled. That , difficulty, however, has been satisfactorily set } tied; but we have stricken out of the resolu- tons that provision authorizing the committee } to step outside the Halls of Congress and enter . into contract with individuals for the york;
 " hen you admit the power of a member of this, or the other House, to walk out of the | Halls of Congress and make contracts in regard to our business transactions, involving the eX- } pendlture of money, you sub ject him to a de- grading business, if not to one which may lead
 to corruption, from favoritism if not from worse } considerations. Now, sir, that was one evil
 which we designed to prevent, not that any such thing had taken place, but 1 present it t merely as a consideration which would strike the mind of gentlemen at once, as a temptation , which ought to be removed.
 l As matters stand at present, book contain ing maps and charts, which is ordered to be printed, Is put ln the hands of one committee, as far as the engraving IS concerned and into the hands of another committee as far as the printing Is concerned. In the Senate, the su- perlntendent of public printing takes charge of letting printing contracts, and the Secretary of the Senate takes charge of letting engraving , contracts In the House of Representatives the committee on printing takes charge of that printing which goes to the superintendent of public printing, and the committee on engraving takes charge of the engraving. In the Senate, the committee to audit and control the contn- gent expenses of the body settles the bills, and adjudcates and determines the validity of the , contract.
 Thus the whole matter is in great confusion, so that if you make an order at this session for documents to be distributed to the people, when r do you get them? Why sir, as to very large portion, you do not get them at all and instead ot their being printed during the session of Con- gross at which they are ordered, and being de- livered to members for distribution during that | session, they are not completed sometimes un- til the next Congress thereafter; and then the President of this body, and the Speaker of the
 House are called upon to decide whether books, which were ordered for distribution by previous Congresses, belong to the members of the Con- gress ordering them, or to those who are mem- bers of Congress at the time they are completed who did not order them, and who perhaps ne- yer would have ordered them, and who may not distribute them.
 The object of these joint resolutions was to concentrate this business as nearly as possible in the hands of responsible officer, so that it should be done promptly and rapidly, and the public documents delivered during the session of Congress, if possible, but at least before the next Congress should assemble. That has not been done heretofore; it is to be hoped that, by means of these resolutions. it may be done here after If they be not agreed to, 1 shall have :; a service thrown upon me, as member of the committee on printing, which is a troublesome and unwelcome one at best; but will try again. and see whether it cannot be done in the future. l hope, however, that this remedy will be ap- piled now.