Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-04-13
COAST SURVEY REPORT.

# 1T. JOHNSON, of Arkansas. Some time
 =, bv order of the Senate, the following re-
 l,,;on was referred to the committee on print. 7Pemlued Tbat, in addition to the uspal num-
 .r of copies of the report of the superintendent
 4 inc coast survey for the year 1857, there be
 %rinted ten thousard copies, five thousand copie.
 l. tbe use of the Senate, and five thousand & .:ss for distribution from the coast survey of
 oa. and that the same be printed and bound
 % b the plates, in quarto form; and that the
 Fl r;ptipo of said plates shall be done to the sat If,ction ofshe superintendent of the coast sur # The committee have instructed me to report.
 nlace of that resolution, the following:
 # P,solgsd. That, in addition to the usual mum
 sor of copies of the report of the superintendent If the coast survey for the year 1857, there be Knitted five thousand copies for distribution from {be treasury department; and that the same be Tinted and be bound, with the plate-, in quarto
 prm; and that the printing of said plates shall be
 one to the satisfaction of the superintendent of %be coast survey
 This. it will be perceived, changes the course &h;ch has hitherto been adopted by the Senate Il regard to the printing of this report. By the
 psoluton of the committee on printing, we de-
 line to recommend the printing of any of the &past survey reports for distribution by members n Congress. We dc this upon the ground that Il is work entirely of a scientific nature. con- kected with commerce and navigation: and all 7be pumbers which are transmitted bv members Af Congress to the interior States are lost to the buhic service. For these reasons, the commit 8ea think that the distribution of work of this &haraet.r should not be made in this way. and Ihat he only point from which they can pr1per- N be distributed at all is from the executive de- 9arment of the government.
 The committee propose that this distribution 1ha be made under the authority and direction pf the secretary of the treasury. Heretofore. ln number of instances, Congress has chosen b deal directly with the subordinate bureaus of the departments, thus building up an immediate Connection on tn ir part with Congress- and re- bevng the secretaries from that responsibilitv which they owe to the public, and passing it to parties over whom we have no immediate iuris- Fiction. We have authorized, by the practice hitherto adopted, the distribution of five thou band of these documents by the coast survey of. ice The treasury department is the depart bent to which the coast survey office or bureau belongs. There should be some regular svs- em established for the distribution of these locuments, if they are to be distributed. The Apartment itself being made responsible, can llwavs be reached by Congress, and the method may adopt for the distribution of the reports ,l the coast survey can always be control ed, lnd can be corrected by Congress, and it will be the proper subject of animad version in these balls whenever the distribution may be unsatis actorv
 The committee are very well satisfied that, if Ehe secretary oi the treasury be made responsi- ble Tor he distribution of these documents he Y Ill take counsel with the coast survey off ce b that there will be regular system adopted, Rnd there Wl'l be an existing responsibility Throughout the whole year on the part of the snperlt tende't of the coast survey, and an au- thorty Tn operation all the time-that of the Ireasrry depArtment-to see that this public business Is properly conducted Although docu- nertS hitherto have been printed by Congress, aud furnished for he Use of subordinate bureaus Tet the committee de not believe that to be the ,orrec practice; but think th.t if any copies are o be distributed in that way, they should be Urnlshed to the heads of the departments, who Sll naturally consult with those bureaus, and equlre them to adopt regular systems, and the apartments themselves will be liable to us for he proper discharge of the duty of dstribu- ion.
 It IS under these circumstances that am d- ected to report, that in addition to the usual lumber ot copies of the report of the superin- endent of the coast survey fer the year 1857, here be printed five thousand copies for distr- 'ution from the treasury department; and that hey be printed and bound in quarto form, with he plates: and that the printing of the plates hail be done to the satisfaction of the superin- endent of the coast survey. Hitherto these publications have extended to ten thousand opleS. The committe regard the five thousand opies heretofore distributed by the members of he Senate, as little better than thrown awav- here Is a great and general outcry against the Xtrnt to which the public printing has gone: md the committee think it appropriate that we
 mould cut oft that portion of It which seems to )e comparatively of no consequence If the senate shall believe that ten thousand copies mould he printed, the committee think those en thousand copies should all go for distribu lou to the secretary of reasury's department, so hat they nlay be carr ed directly and properly nto he channels of business which they are to facilitate or effect ask that the eSolution, as reported by tue committee, may De adopted.
 The VICE PRESIDENT. The resolution will be read
 he secretary read it, as follows:
 Resol,,ed, That in addition to the usual num- per oi copies of the report ol the superintendent )f the Co tst survey for the year 1857, there be ornte'l five thousand copies for distribution from he treasury department; that the same be print sd and bound with plates, in quarto form; and 5ha5 the printing of sad plates shall be done to
 he satisfaction of the superintendent of the coas survey.
 Mir PEARCE. If the Senate desire to re. trench in the matter of printing, they will find me very zeaious in cooperation with them or that subject; but am not desirous of reducing the lumber of copies of the coast survey report Is proposed by the Senator from Arkansas. know that there Is an immense demand iol
 them. 1 know that nat demaEd is not wholly 2onhhed to the Atlantic coast, or that portion oi the country which Is watered hy rivers flowing in the Atlantic or the Gulf. 1 know that even in the interior States there is some demand for these cuments know that ;n every report think may say, which comes from that coast survey office, there is very valuable information even to those residing in the interior. l believe we no where find such data for the correction oi the mague ic variation as we do In the coast survey report, particular attention having beer pad to that lcct. As for the rest, supp St 1t Is lot so immed ately interesting to those ir the interior as to those on the coast; but there is very great demand for them, as said before 1 know that the demand on me is very great fol them. Still, am very willing, if the Senate think we should not be the distributors of a document like this that it shall be referred to others; but l know that there are nearly ten thousand names of persons connected with ouI navigation, and deeply interested in all the mat ters of which the coast survey report treats, to whom the documents are distributed by the of the coast survey.
 Now, sir, how shall we effect better distri button of these documents by referring it to the secretary of the treasury? Every one knows that that officer is so burdened already with rht business which is devolved upon him inevitably that the vast portion of that which is the pro- per business of his department is performed by other heads and hands than his own; and if you were to assign him this duty of distributing the coast survey reports, he would turn it over tC some subordinate clerk It is likely the distri- outing would be better effected by him than b, the intelligent head of the coast survey office