The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-05

Upt the organization be effected the speakershp Of the
House win BIO exercised by the Clerk Of u last Congress-
Mr. James G. Allen, formerly member Of Congress- nom
Illinois, who holds his once until the election Of hs sue
cessor.
SUBORDINATE oFrICEs-THE CLRRKsHP.
Next in order, after the election Of Speaker comes that
Of Clerk For this position there half dozen promi-
nent candidates Aessrs Allen (he present Cork) For
ney CLERK in the Thirty and Thirty third Con-
gresses), Underwood (exmember from kentucky, Hoa
man lex member from Maryland), French Of Washing
ton (who held the position many years ago), aod
Others among the number The salary Of the Clerk
So 400 per annum but he has the giving OF contracts
for stationery, binding, furniture, embellishments aud
contingencies Of kinds the income Of the office de-
rived from all sources legally and illegally, estimated
at from thirty to forty thousand dollars year.
BEARER OF THE MACE.
The position OF Sergeant is or at e has been,
equally lucrative. This official is the paymaser Of the
meage and compensation Of members. During the first
two months Of the Thirty fourth Congress-while the
House was unorganized, and while no money could
be drawn from the Treasury for the purpose-,he
sergeantaArms raanagedso supply members with funds
all the same II was said tina. wildcat banks in
Pennsylvania supplied that official with bills TO any
amount allowing him per centage for putting them 10
circulation and that he also allowed liberal per
centage BY the members to whom he anced funds
He thus not only made profitable cperao hu. also in
sured his own reelection. He may have Similar OPP
portunity this Congress- There Is any number of can
didates for this Office the eoluents being larger than
those Of the President OF the United States For every
witness that is subpGnaed to give evidence before
mittees the receives messengers mile
age and per dem although Of witnesses may be
moned at the same time and place and by the officer
TO put stop to such exerbtant allowances; bat,
wherever public funds are in question, there always
mode Of evadng the laws Tie Office of the bearer
therefore the object of many politician aspiring to be-
come suddenly wealthy.
DooRKEEPER, POSTMASTER ETC.
As the other subordinate offices OF doorkeeper post
master, &C. they all eagerly sough. for, because
though the salaries nomnaly small the pickngs
supposed to BIO quite handsome. These pckngs ought
TO be oil Topped off, fair salaries paid and the officials
appointed, as in the Senate, during good behavior
This would insure better and honester class Of officers
and would diminish the unseemy scramble for spoils thai
prevails at the opening Of each Congress The political
managers expect however, by the udcious bargaining
or Of these offices and the public printing to win the game
Of the Speakership for their respective sides.
TIE PUBLIC PRINTING.
Next the Speakershp the position Of public printer s
regarded as most important By remarkable arrange
ment on the part OF the two houses, the public
documents that printed for the one body are
also printed for the other, and paid FOR by each
as II they were distinct jobs. OF the composition
work s done but once, the being virtually the
printer Of both houses although each considers
sary to its dignity to elect public printer. The men
elected-usualy halfs:arved, fussy little editors
from the South and West-sc out the job to practical
printer-Wendell, for instance-who does the work.
charges for double composition and pays ten twenty
thousand dollars month TO the nominal printers for
their interest The sum out Of which the national
treasury is swindled for printing ranges a. from
two TO three and hak millions each Congress
The work would be done in national printing bureau for
half million Why it so done2 Let Congress an
The contest for this Eat job hes between Rves Of
the Globe WENDELL who has done the printing Of the two
last Congresses Forney who insists either the printing
the Cerkshp in exchange for three four anti ecomp
ton votes which he is said his pocket and
Of hungry editors from the East tho was
and the South. Thorow Weed Is said have lrger IN
the pie, going snacks with Wendell the latter boasts
that he will win as against Rves because he s willing
pay i've dollars for every pcayuns test Rves would gay
60 much for the spois.
NEW ARRANGEMENT OF TIE HALL.
An innovation on the old system Of seating members il
the Hall is 10 be experimental this session. ex
pense Of members Of the lower House. a. the close
last session special committee, headed by Mr.. Miles, o
South Carolina, reported in favor of removing tie COM
Portable desk and chair which each member had assigned
to himself and replacing hem with rows OF seats To
accommodate members who have to carry en- corres-
pondence during business hours large writing tables are
placed IN various positions outside 0! the ranges of seats
This innovation, which made at the expense Of sevc
raj thousand dollars will hardly prove very acceptable TO
MEMBERS and will probably operate to the retardng Of
business in causing members to absent themselves In
the House Of Commons from which the dea Is rro we'd
less than forty members, of six hundred constitute
quorum here no business be transacted without the
presence OF one hundred ard nineteen members. Toe
consequence will be that the House will ind i.se oener
than before without quorum
PUBLICATION OF DEBATES.
The debates Of Congress have BEEN for ever twenty
years. published 10 full IN the Confessional Globe new
system devised though established at last Cen
gress, which TO make the reporters officers OF their
respective houses and 10 have the reports printed and
published by the public printer, BY National Printing
Bureau. The House therefore struck ont Of the Civil A
preparation bill the usual items for the reports When
the bill went before the Senate that body restored the
item for its own reporting, but did interfere with
that Of the House. The latter body agreed the Ssna.es
amendment, but It then Of It's power 10 Put the
there provision made for the official reporting OF the
Senate Tor next session. there provision for tina. Of
the House. The difficulty however, is easily remed.ed,
as the item be placed N deficiency bill. The
HxRAID's arrangements for reporting viii be more cam
plete than they ever were before.
ANALYSIS OF BOTH HOUSES.
The Senate is composed Of sixtysx menberg-txo for
each State There however, several vacancies IN
the body The vacancy made by tho death Of Senator
Broderick Of California, has been temporarily filed by
the appointment by the Governor Of State Of Judge
Haun, native Of Kentucky. The appointment only holds
good however, until the meeting Of the California Legsa
ture, which will be called upon 10 elect successor to
Brodcrck There also vacancy for the SteHs Of Min
nesota, Oregon and Texas respectively. All Of
the present Senators were in the last Congress ex-
ccpt seven These Messrs Anthony, CT R Z
Grimes; Of Iowa; salisbury, Of Delaware Powell q Ken
tucky Ten Eyck Of New Jersey Hemphl. o. Texas, and
Haun, Of California Messrs Grimes and Powell have
been Governors Of their respective States the other five