The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-27
THE DEFICIENCY BILL.

On motion Of Mr. j. CLANCY JONES, OF Pennsylv
the House again went into Committee of the Whole,
r ENGLISH of Indiana in the chair and proceeded to
consider the Bill to appropriate money to supply debcen
ces in the appropriations for paper printing, binding
and engraving ordered by the Senate and House of Rep
resentatiyes Of the SD and 34th Congresses
Mr. PHELPS of Missouri, explained that the largest
part of this deficiency had been incurred in executing
work ordered by the 33d and 34th Congresses and that
the heaviest item of expenditure arose. the Superin
cndent of Public Printing informed Congress in his late
annual report the ordering of the printing of the
observations of the United States naval astronomical
petition Chill by Lieut. ellis. He thought il
unnecessary this time to enter into any inquiry to
where the blame ought to rest for this extrsvagan
penditure IL was enough for them to know that the
printing had been ordered by joint resolution of both
houses and that the Superintendent had made the
the execution of the work Some three volumes
had already been published and he understood that
six or seven yet to be published
Mr. BURNETT, of Kentucky, inquired how much of
the amount appropriated in the deficiency bill for
work already executed and how much for work yet to
be done The House asked to vote s790 900 for de-
cencies in the public printing and he unwilling to
vote that amount unless he knew what it for
Mr. PHELPS replied that the work was in course of
publication and it would be necessary to stop it in order
to ascertain the already expended the various
parts of it, The appropriation contained in the bill
the purpose OF paying for work contracted for by the
Superintendent Of the Public Printing under the resou
ton of Congress paper furnished and for the print
ing engraving and thographing already executed and
now in process of being executed. He continued at
length showing the manner in which the deficiency had
occurred in printing Glliss report the Pacific railroad
surveys and the work upon commercial relations
Mr. c. b. COCHRANE of New York, next addressed
the committee that portion of the Presidents annual
message which relates to the Territory of Kansas Before
entering upon the discussion he stated that the whole
number of votes cast the Lecompon constitution
7l2 viz for the constitution with slavery 6l43 for
the constitution with slavery, 569-eaving majority
for the constitution it prevailed OF 5,514 OF these,
onc-ha were false and fraudulent At the election
dered by the territorial legislature, and held the
4th of January the number of votes cast against the
constitution 10 226 They had them to start with,
the grave and overshadowing vote, that the people OF
Kansas had voted down the Lccompon constitution by
an overwhelming maorityby vote of at least four to
one This the only additional act that had traspired
since the organization of the present Congress entitled
to any considerable consideration in the proper solution
of the questions presented to them On arriving at this
point the whole question made up. The result OF
the election legislative and State officers under this
rejected constitution, whatever might finally be declared
to be- was that could not legitimatey have any
effect upon the real question that pressed upon them So
far as the people of that Territory concerned it
might influence the possible consequences but could not
relieve the responsibilities of their act
Mr. c. contended at length that the constitution
illegal and should be rejected by Congress He declared
that the question upon the constitution for or against
slavery was submitted TO the people, and that
matter how they voted slavery would exist in the Terri
tory.
Mr. DAVIS, of Mississippi obtained the floor, but gave
way to
Mr. KETrr, of South Carolina, who inquired OF Mr.. {.
b. CocHRANE in order to prevent any Misrepresentation
in regard to his remarks whether not he would vote
for the admission of Kansas under the Topeka constitu
ton.
Mr. G. b CoCHRANE. If had evidence that il i'm
bodied the popular will, would
Mr.. KETTT. If the whole constitution had been sub
mitted and every vote in the Territory embracing all
the voters there had been thrown for that constitution,
with slavery expressly and unequvocay established,
would he have voted for the admission of Kansas under
that constitution
Mr. c. b. COCHRANE But for one fact the repeal
Of the Missouri Compromise Laughter
The committee then
RESOLUTIONS
On motion of Mr. WHITLEY, of Delaware, it was