Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-03-01
Letter from Warrington.

correspondence ~ me dteInHH'" uuz'ttt'
WASHINGTON, b. c., Feb. o.. lS5S.-When
the law allowing an annual compensation to
members Of Congress was passed, 1t was
thought that the change would induce an
attention to business that would much shor-
ten the sessions of Congress bot, judging
of the future by the recent past, it does not
appear probable that the present session will
terminate before the dog days.
The House of Representatives has already
ordered so many Investigating Committees,
and nons of them yet reported. that the 10
ference is, when they do so, the discussions
thereon will consume time counted by months.
One of these committees, however, has be-
fore it a subject Of the utmost public impor-
lance. ! refer to the subject Of printing.
OF la te years, the appropriations for this Oh
iect have been enormous, and to an extent
that has attracted atten ton OF the county
leading not a few TO suppose that il is a pro
Etc source of great corruption-the only p
lief from which seems to be the establishment
of an Office where the Government can do it's
own printing and binding, even should it
cost as much a. the present system. which is
not believed. 1t would relieve members Of
Congress from the im putation of COLLISION
and dishonesty, and would. at least, prevent
a few tavorites from realizing immense for
tunes 10 a year or two. From the well known
ability and laborious habits of a majority of
the special Committee on Printing, we may
expect a report entirely changing the present
iniquitous system OF public printing and
binding.
In o great measure Congress itself is re
sponsible for much of the corruption it has
formed special committees to investigate.
They have one TO investigate the contracts,
&s. of the late Clerk, General Cullom, who,
hy-the-by, was one of the best Clerks the
House ever had. Let Congress cut off the
sources of corruption, and their agents, even
if inclined, will have no power Of speculation;
for instance, by law, each member ct Con
press is allowed an amount Tor stationary ju-
ring a long session of Congress not exceeding
$45; and by the present operation the Clerk
Of the House contracts tor such articles as
he NAV think the members want, and retails
TO the members at cost prices, which, IN most
instances, are doubtless higher than they
could obtain the same articles for in any sta
tiopary establishment on the Avenue. BY
this contract process, it is contended that a
clerk of speculative habits might, on a co.,
tr.cs of $50. 600 or 100000, realize some
thing ba nds,me; besides if the Clerk puf-
chases 500. 600 worth Of stationary, and the
members don't see fit to buy a dollars worth
of it. it still remains on hand, or squandered
who knows low. Many of the members buy
no stationary purchased by the Clerk, but
deal when aud where they please; drawing
the amount the law allows them, and dis
posing of it ae they choose. Way not change
the law, aod prohibit the Clerk from pnrchaS-
ing stationary; pay to every man the amouoi
allowed him, and let him purchase where It
suits him. lie will not then be likely to be
charged two prices for inferior articles. Inc
change will not hurt, but doubtless save much
to members, and thousands Of dollars to Gov
ernment
The appropriations now made for the con-
tinsept expenses of the House are enormous
beyond precedent. 10 fact, az at present e1-
listing, all manner CT accounts, good, bad and
Indifferent, seem to get the approval OF the
Committee of Accounts, which, ty law, is
obligatory on the Treasury Department for
their Dh HfUtut. luCie o'S
enough to prevent these abuses, and if strictly
enforced, as they should be, and all accounts
not authorized by law rejected, a third OF
the present appropriations for contingencies
would be found more than sufficient. Re
trepcbment and reform are much needed.
shall have something else to say in reference
70 this subject at some future time.
The House has passed the Indian aPPro-
n~ri.tion bill. There have been ten or twelve
sneeebes made while in Committee Of the
Whole ON the Iodisn bill, and, as the chair
man of tue Committee OF Ways and Means
stated this morning, not one word has been
said that vas german to the bill; but all tne
speeches that have been made were on q SUI
iect that was hardly ever mentioned In either
House af Congress. and that was Kansas:
II il q subject the sovereign people are get
ting tired Of, but members Of Congress dont
care for that, 60 they Gao make Bdncomos
speeches I'LL. =,
semi from the House on account OF SICKNESS
OBSERVER.