SENATE.] French Spoliations.—General Appropriation Bill. [JUNE 19, 1834. of adjourning at once. They had now nearly arrived at it sufficiently, and as the measure would not pass the other the close of the session, with the Post Office, the general House at this session-[Mr. WEBSTER said he did not beappropriation bill, and much other important business, lieve it.] Mr. T. said it was his belief, and for these reastill before them. This was a question of great impor-sons he was in favor of a postponement. If he now voted, tance, and the claimants had suffered by a long delay; but he should vote against the bill. Mr. P. had not examined the case fully; he had not made Mr. SPRAGUE thought that if the Senator would turn up his mind on the subject; and he thought the time spent his attention to this subject till to-morrow at 11 o'clock, upon it would be precious time thrown away, which could he would be entirely satisfied as to these claims. They not be spared from other important business. Mr. P. did not require an extensive investigation-the principles would therefore reluctantly vote to postpone the subject. were plain-and were those of common honesty. Mr. BIBB, also, had not had time fully to examine the The reason why there had been no treaty providing for subject, and he thought it would take him some time to these claims was, that, according to the decision of a jumake up his mind on the right or wrong of the question. dicial tribunal, they had been released by the United The provisions in the treaty of 1800, in relation to these States in the treaty of 1800. If this had not been done, claims, had been expunged, and later treaties had not indemnity would have been provided for under that treaty. provided for this description of cases. The question of Mr. TYLER denied that the case was very plain in favor indemnity rested on the course which the United States of the claimants. The case would open all the questions had pursued in relation to these claims; and if, on an ex-of national law. When the convention sat, the case was amination of national law, Mr. B. should be convinced of reported to a committee of the Senate, and they reported the justice of the claims, he should be disposed to vote in against it. Another communication was afterwards made their favor. The great amount of the claims could not to another committee of the Senate, and that committee alter the principles involved in the question, but it impo- made a report corresponding with that of the former. sed on him the task of examining the subject with more The votes in the House of Representatives were currently care and diligence. It was not pretended that there against the claim up to a certain time; which time he did would be any compromise on the claims; if part of them not remember. This claim, like old wine, had improved were allowed now, they must be all ultimately allowed. by age, like other claims. In the present hurry of business, he was, therefore, in favor of a postponement. Mr. CLAY would express his thorough conviction that the claimants had a right to indemnity to some extent, a right which was founded on the principle, that a sacrifice had been made of their property, for the advantage of the United States, by obtaining from France a relinquishment of the guarantee made by the United States in the treaty of 1779, to the possession by France of the West India islands. On that ground the United States had yielded up these claims on account of spoliations. These claims, being once relinquished, the United States could not again set them up against France; the claimants therefore had a just right to compensation to some extent, from the United States; and that extent must depend on the estimated value of their chance prior to 1800, of ultimately obtaining indemnity from France. To this, at least, a satisfactory appropriation might be made. But, under present circumstances, Mr. C. thought it was better to defer the subject till the next session. Mr. CHAMBERS reminded the Senator from Kentucky, that he (Mr. C.) had brought this subject forward early in the session, and had delayed it for the purpose of per mitting the consideration and passage of his resolutions; and to what extent this was a generous return, Mr. C. would refer to his own candor. Mr. CALHOUN would have examined this case with great care, if he had supposed that it would be taken up the present session. But he had not sufficiently examined it, and other Senators were also in want of information; he therefore hoped it would not now be pressed. Mr. BENTON, alluded to documents in relation to this subject, which had been recently published by order of the Senate; he had not read them, and at present there was not time to read them. The question on postponing was then taken, and the result was YEAS. Messrs. Benton, Bibb, Black, Brown, Calhoun, Clay, Forsyth, Grundy, Hill, Kane, King of Alabama, King of Georgia, Leigh, Linn, Mangum, Morris, Poindexter, Porter, Robinson, Swift, Tallmadge, Tyler, White, Wright.-24. NAYS.-Messrs. Bell, Chambers, Clayton, Ewing, Fre- GENERAL appropriaTION BILL. The Senate then resumed the consideration of the bill making appropriations for the civil service of the United States, for the year 1834. The question being on the last amendment reported by the Committee on Finance, as recited in yesterday's debate Mr. SOUTHARD moved to amend the amendment, by adding the words "And provided further, That the said collectors, naval officers, and surveyors, shall render an account quarterly to the Treasury, and the other officers herein named or referred to, shall render an account quarterly to the respective collectors of the customs where they are employed, to be forwarded to the Treasury, of all the fees and emoluments whatever by them respectively received, and of all expenses incident to their respective offices, which accounts shall be rendered on oath or affirmation, and shall be in such form, and be supported by such proofs, to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, as will, in his judgment, best enforce the provisions of this section, and show its operation and effect." The amendment was accepted by Mr. WEBSTER. from the enacting words to the word "that," in the 58th Mr. WEBSTER did not expect that public necessary business should give way to this, but he insisted that there was no propriety in giving any other private business a preference. The settlement of the question had been long delayed; the parties were growing old, many were "And be it enacted, That, in no case, shall the compen. dead, and were represented by their wives and children; sation of weighers, gaugers, markers, measurers, or ap: the claims were just-the next session would be short, praisers, whether by salaries, fees, or otherwise, exceed and he therefore hoped that the measure would be now the sum of two thousand dollars per annum; nor shall the permitted to proceed. He thought the examination might be made with very great readiness. Mr. TALLMADGE remarked, that his constituents also were interested in this subject; but he had not examined union of any two or more of these officers in one person entitle him to receive more than the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars per annum. And provided, also, That no officer shall receive, under this act, a greater salary Mr. BIBB moved to amend the bill, by increasing the pensions granted to twenty dollars per month, in each case. The circumstances attending the unfortunate occurrence, by which these French seamen lost their lives, were such as to call for larger pensions than were given under the regulations of the navy pension fund, which he believed were somewhere about ten or twelve dollars per month. The motion was rested by Mr. CLAY on the enormous increase of officers in the custom-house at New York, and Mr. SOUTHARD said that the committee, in framing the general suspicion that the officers had been in the this bill, had taken the recommendation of the President, practice of contributing twenty-five per cent. of their sal- as perhaps the safest guide. The amounts of the pensions, aries for political objects. It was contended, on the other to be sure, were not large, but they appeared to the side, that, supposing there were abuses in New York, it committee to be as large as could be expected, from the would be too hard to make all the custom-house officers nature of the case. He thought, however, if the pen in other ports, where there were no abuses, or suspicions of abuses, suffer because of the irregularities in New York, in the same proportion with the guilty. Mr. CLAY finally, at the suggestion of Mr. WEBSTER, and, on his assurance that the subject should be looked into at the next session, withdrew his amendment. Mr. SILSBEE then moved to strike out the words "weighers, gaugers, markers, measurers, or appraisers, and to insert, in lieu of those stricken out, the words "any other officers than collectors, naval officers, and surveyors;" which motion was agreed to. Mr. WEBSTER moved an amendment, to insert an appropriation to cover sundry small claims; which was agreed to. sions were to be increased, if they were not to be granted in the ordinary way, they ought not to be taken from the navy pension fund. Mr. CHAMBERS would suggest to the Senator from Kentucky, whether it was not better not to press the second reading at this time. He threw out this suggestion that the bill might be printed before further amendments were offered. At present he doubted the propriety of taking these pensions out of the navy pension fund. Mr. BIBB had no idea of taking this money out of the navy fund at all. A fund set apart for the peculiar benefit of American seamen, ought not to be diverted from its object on extraordinary occasions. Besides, he thought, by making the appropriation d'rectly from the Mr. WEBSTER then moved, in compliance with a re-treasury, and to a larger amount than usual, it would be quest from the Department of State, to increase the con- manifesting, on the part of the Government, a degree of tingent fund for that Department, by adding $6,000 for sympathy and liberality suited to the object, and in concarrying on the statistical examination ordered by certain formity with the example set by the officers and crew of resolutions of Congress, of February, 1833, and March, the American frigate, who, he learned, had promptly sub1834; which was agreed to. scribed the sum of five thousand francs for the relief of the sufferers. Mr. WILKINS moved to amend the bill, by adding an appropriation of $5,100 for completing a Digest of Commercial Regulations, ordered by the House of Representatives in 1851, and which has been prepared by General Smith, of Baltimore; which was agreed to. Mr. BIBB moved to amend the bill by introducing an appropriation of $400 for recording the proceedings of the Supreme Court. Mr. CHAMBERS also doubted the propriety of taking this money from the navy pension fund, which he conceived set apart for the peculiar use of our own seamen. He also was in favor of some amendment that would increase the amount of the pensions. Mr. SOUTHARD said he had no solicitude whatever as to the manner in which the appropriation was made. Mr. WEBSTER called the attention of the Senate to It would make no earthly difference to the pension fund the contract made by the Secretary of State, under the or to the treasury, from which source these pensions law of last session, for the publication of a Documentary were to be taken; as, from the manner in which the fund History of the Revolution. He stated the nature of the was constituted, the treasury was bound to make good contract, which was for 1,500 copies folio, and might any deficiency that might by any means occur in it. He be continued to fifty volumes. The committee had sent moved, however, to lay the bill, for the present, on the for the contractors, and struck down the number of cop table; which motion was agreed to, ies to 1,000, and limited the number of volumes to twenty, at furthest. Mr. WILKINS made some additional remarks, corroborating what had fallen from the chairman of the Committee on Finance. Mr. FORSYTH asked what progress in the work had been made by the contractors? He had heard that the work would cost $300,000. In a subsequent part of the day, the bill was again taken up; when Mr. BIBB moved to amend the bill, by directing the pensions to be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, instead of out of the navy pension fund, making the pensions double the amount paid to American seamen and their families, in cases of death or wounds in action, but otherwise directing them to be paid under the regulations of the said navy pension After some remarks from Messrs. CLAY, SOUTHthe amendment was agreed to, and the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. After some further observations by Mr. FORSYTH, Mr. WILKINS, and Mr. MANGUM, who moved to ad- fund. journ, Mr. WILKINS gave notice that he should to-morrow ARD, CHAMBERS, TALLMADGE, and MANGUM, move to go into Executive business. FRIDAY, JUNE 20. PENSIONS TO FRENCH SEAMEN, &c. A bill granting pensions to French subjects accidentally killed by discharging a salute from the United States frigate United States, in the harbor of Toulon, having been reported and ordered to a second reading, Mr. SOUTHARD hoped the Senate would, by general consent, permit it to be read the second time at once, for the purpose of expediting its final passage. SALES OF PUBLIC LANDS. Mr. POINDEXTER, from the Committee on Public Lands, who had been directed, by a resolution of the Senate, to inquire into certain frauds said to have been committed in the sales of the public lands, made a report thereon, in part, accompanied with sundry documents. Mr. P. said he now laid before the Senate all the evidence the committee had been able to collect during the present session. Immediately on the Senate's instituting SENATE.] Sales of Public Lands.-General Appropriation Bill. [JUNE 21, 1834. He made some ex the inquiry, the committee had caused commissions to is the settlers, he knew nothing of it. sue, for the purpose of collecting testimony, directed to planations, to ward off suspicion of wrong from the offiindividuals in Mississippi, which did not reach them until cers of the Government, stating that there was a scheme two months after they were sent from hence. The clerk to buy lands under fictitious names, and that it was to deof the committee was willing to make affidavit that he, on feat this scheme that an immediate deposite was demandthe first of April last, directed and put into the post of ed. He (Mr. B.) had been consulted by the register, and fice here, five letters to individuals in Mississippi, and advised this course. here was an answer to one of them, dated at Clinton, Mr. POINDEXTER asked his colleague if he recolJune the first. lected any thing about an address to the company. Mr. BLACK replied in the negative. He was not present. Mr. P. here read the letter, by which it appeared that the gentleman did not receive the letter directed to him until the day previous to the date of his answer. He Mr. POINDEXTER said that the committee had rementioned these facts, Mr. P. said, for the purpose of ex-ceived the highest testimonials of the character of the plaining why the committee were unable to report in full. deponent. One of the depositions taken by the committee was from Mr. FORSYTHI suggested, that, as individuals not cona Mr. Emanuel Rowe, a gentleman of integrity and re-nected with the Government, and said to be respectable, spectability, and whose character was vouched for by the were implicated in the transactions, it might be prudent honorable James Barbour, of Virginis, and his brother, to withhhold the printing. Νο the honorable Judge Barbour. He wished this deposition Mr. CLAY hoped the printing would be ordered. to be read, in order that the Senate might have some idea one who looked at the subject, could doubt that there had of the kind of frauds that had been practised on the pub-been great and shameful frauds. He thought the doculic at their land sales. The deposition of Mr. Rowe was then read. Mr. FORSYTH said that the deposition which had been read exhibited some extraordinary facts. He had no objection to printing the affidavit, and thought that the Treasury Department ought to be put in possession of the facts, in order that it might take some notice of them. ment ought to be printed, so that every member of the Senate might be in possession of a copy. He did not despair of the practicability of preventing combinations in the purchase of lands. Gentlemen ought not to give up the subject. He saw no reason, in what had been said, that the documents ought not to be printed at present, lest injury might be done to some individuals; but he thought that the public good ought to be a paramount consideration with gentlemen. He trusted that something would be done to put an end to these frauds, and that the gentleman from Georgia would lend his assistance to effect that object. Mr. PORTER would be very unwilling that the depo sition should be printed without his having made a single remark. He did not intend to impugn the general correctness of the affidavit, but with respect to one individual who was mentioned, Mr. Ellis, he was a person of A further conversation between Mr. POINDEXTER great respectability and honor. He (Mr. P.) should and Mr. BLACK resulted in an admission from the latter, think that that gentleman had done nothing more than that the case stated by the deponent, in which the regis put money into the hands of an individual to buy lands. ter and receiver were involved, did not appear to be that Mr. Ellis was not a man who would act in such a manner in which he had been consulted. as to deprive any man of an equal chance of purchasing lands. The printing was then ordered. On motion of Mr. WILKINS, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of Executive business; and, when the doors were opened, adjourned. SATURDAY, JUNE 21. GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL. Mr. POINDEXTER said that the honorable Senator from Louisiana would observe that there was not a word said in the affidavit against Mr. Ellis. It only represented him as the agent of the Louisiana Company. The com. missions which he (Mr. P.) had forwarded to Mississippi had been detained two months, instead of arriving there in twelve days. He thought that something should be On motion of Mr. WEBSTER, the general appropria done by Government to put an end to these frauds; and tion bill was taken up, with a view of acting upon the he considered the suggestion of the gentleman from amendments. Mr. W. said, that after the amendments of Georgia perfectly correct-it was right that the facts the committee had been gone through, with such others should be laid before the Department, so as to give it an as might be proposed by members, he would move to opportunity of making an inquiry on the subject. postpone the bill until Monday. Mr. PORTER believed that the sales of the public lands offered the strongest temptations to commit frauds. He was glad to hear that there was nothing said in the affidavit impugning the character of Mr. Ellis. Mr. KNIGHT submitted an amendment, authorizing the construction of a small building, to be connected with the wall of the custom-house at Providence, Rhode Island, to be paid for out of the sum appropriated for the custom. Mr. KING expressed his opinion that it was utterly im-house; which amendment was agreed to. possible to prevent speculators from purchasing the lands. Mr. HENDRICKS submitted an amendment to provide The Government had passed laws, and every thing had for the construction of a permanent and conspicuous landbeen done that was thought calculated to put a stop to mark, on the line dividing the States of Indiana and Illispeculations, but all without effect. If it could be as-nois, on a point near lake Michigan; and certained that the Government officers had participated Mr. WEBSTER, at the request of the Department in these frauds, then they ought instantly to be dismissed. of State, submitted an amendment, appropriating $92 50 Mr. FORSYTH had some doubt as to the propriety of for a balance remaining due for the publication of the printing the documents, inasmuch as they were of an ex Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States, from parte character. He thought they ought not to be pub-the peace of 1783 to the 4th of March, 1794; which Ished without first giving the persons charged an oppor-amendments were also agreed to. tunity of being heard. Mr. FORSYTH moved to amend the bill, by striking Mr. BLACK had no objection to the printing; but he out the appropriation for the Documentary History of the thought that the deponent must have been, in some degree, deceived. He knew some of the persons named, and believed them to be highly respectable. If there was any such combination, and such requisition made on United States, to be published by Peter Force and Matthew St. Clair Clarke, under a contract with the Depart ment of State, made in pursuance of the act of Congress of March, 1933, and to insert in lieu thereof, an appro JUNE 21, 1834.] General Appropriation Bill. [SENATE. priation of $15,000, to remunerate Clarke and Force pense cannot exceed $300,000; and that will only be refor all expenses incurred by them hitherto, under said quired by small annual appropriations. It was indispen contract. sable that this should be done by the Government, as no private means would be found competent. The works ordered by the British Government to be printed, were not of equal importance to this work, which has been undertaken, and in which expenses have been incurred by the contractors, on the faith of the Government. He wished that the present appropriation should be passed, and that Congress should act hereafter as the execution of the work might justify. Mr. FORSYTH said he had been induced to submit this amendment, under a sense of justice both to the contractors and to the United States. He believed, with the Committee on Finance, who had examined into this sub ject, that the Secretary of State had far exceeded his authority in entering into this contract, and had not only mistaken the law, but had not the slightest idea of the expense to be incurred under it. There was, in fact, no knowing to what extent the contract, as originally made, Mr. FRELINGIIUYSEN considered that, as this was not might be extended. It might run from one up to two an original question, but that it was a contract sanctioned millions of dollars. It was true, the contractors had en- by law, and executed by a very distinguished officer of tered into supplementary stipulations with the committee, our Government, who was entitled to respect and confiwhich would bring down the expense to somewhere about dence, the least that could be asked was to make the ex400,000 dollars. There was no member of Congress, he periment. The first volume was now ready for the press. believed, who ever contemplated any thing like such an This work had been under the consideration of the Comexpense at the time the law was passed. Fifteen thou-mittee on the Library two or three times, and there was sand dollars, it was believed, would be sufficient to in- but one opinion concerning its value. The work was of demnify the contractors for any expenses they had hith-high importance; and if he had to select between 300,000 erto incurred; but, if it should be found at the next ses- dollars and twenty volumes of this work, he should not sion of Congress that they had incurred a further damage, hesitate between them. Very proper reference had been it would no doubt be awarded to them. It was proposed made to a great work printed by the British Government, to have the subject further examined into during the re- every set of which cost two hundred pounds sterling. A cess, and either to rescind the contract, giving such addi-set of that work had been sent to the Congress library, tional compensation as might be deemed just and proper, and an agent been instructed to send over to England the or to carry it on with suitable restrictions. names of the colleges in this country, and twenty-four Mr. CHAMBERS said the subject of the contract did names had already be n sent over, to each of which colnot seem to be well understood in the Senate; and this leges a set is to be presented. Such are the endeavors of misconception was likely to lead them to refuse to do an the British Government to extend the knowledge of the act of plain and simple justice. He then gave a history principles on which it is conducted. He culogized the of the application for this contract; and stated that the character of Mr. Livingston, and called on the Senate not usefulness, the importance, indeed the necessity, of this to do him the injustice of violating a contract, of the work, had been established by sufficient evidence. The valu- of which such a mind as his was fully competent to Secretary of State had been empowered, by a law of be a judge. Congress, to superintend the work; and, in fulfilment of Mr. KING, of Georgia, said he should vote to strike out his trust, he had compelled the contractors to conform the clause from the bill, and should then vote against the their estimates to the standard of a similar work on anoth amendment of his colleague. He thought there was no er subject. The contract only gives to the contractors more authority in Congress to set up a book shop, than the price of printing and the clerk-hire. It was denied to set up a milliner's shop, to buy books for members, by the contractors that they had ever contemplated an ex- than to buy bonnets for ladies. He referred to the contension of the work to the amount, as had been charged, stitutional powers of Congress, and declared that from of more than a million of dollars. Under the limitation none of them was this authority derived. He expressed imposed by the Committee on Finance, it is believed that his belief that the work, if authorized, would cost the the work can be scarcely completed, and it will be indis- Government three or our millions of dollars. He dispensable to exclude all unnecessary material, and super-claimed any intention to throw censure on the contractors, fluous expenditure. Only such documents as are indis- but was of opinion that the contract was erroneously and pensable to a collection of materials for the future histo- unconstitutionally entered into, and that the Secretary of rian of this country, can now be included. State had been taken in. Mr. C. then handed in a paper from the contractors— which was read. Mr. HILL said: Viewing, as I do, the practice of supplying members of Congress with books at the public exMr. SOUTHARD then expressed his hope that there pense to be an enormous abuse, I have, ever since I had would be no difficulty about this item in the appropriation a seat in this body, and whenever I could get an opporbill. He could not approve of Congress making light of tunity of recording my ay or no, voted against every proptheir own contract. He thought the contractors had act-osition for furnishing them. My first attempt to obtain ed in the most free and liberal manner. They had sub-a vote in this body against this practice, at the session mitted to restrictions which deprived them of some of the two years ago, was scouted as "miserable parsimony," advantages of the original contract. But his principal by one Senator near me, [Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN.] I then objection to disturbing the appropriation was, that, as opposed the purchase of a book, published for the benefit one of the parties, Congress had no right to interrupt this of the Bank of the United States, containing what purcontract. He looked also at the importance of the work, ported to be a legislative history of the rise and progress which was more than that of all the printing which has of that institution, in which many of the most important been done for the last five years, and which had cost much speeches and proceedings are entirely omitted. The bank more money. He complained of the general ignorance book, it is believed, was published at the instance of the which prevailed in this country of the principles and mo-bank itself, which liberally paid for its share of the edi tives connected with the Revolution, and thought that the tion. But the new members of the present Congress, as documents which shed a light on these points should not well as of the last, have all been furnished with the same be suffered to perish, as they must, unless now collected. book; and I presume, so long as any books shall remain in As yet, there is no history of our country. We have the hands of the publishers, all future new members will some histories, but they do not show the foundation on be hereafter furnished. That book, made up of extracts which our institutions rest. No expense should deter from newspapers, may be really worth, as other similar Congress from publishing this work. But the total ex-l books are sold, from one to two dollars. The price paid SENATE.] General Appropriation Bill. [JUNE 21, 1834. for every book taken by Congress is five dollars. The printing could be done for in any other city of the Union? book was printed by certain pet printers of the bank in This price was not fixed by Mr. Livingston. A Secretary this city, (Gales and Seaton,) and so long as those printers of State (Mr. CLAY) under the last administration, made can have access, so as to introduce a short resolution, the first contract for publishing Diplomatic Correspondproviding for payment out of the contingent fund, through ence, having found a resolution of Congress, which passed some member of either House of Congress, so long each several years before authorizing, or supposed to authorize new member will continue to be supplied with every book it; and the contractor (Mr. Jared Sparks) for the pubthey shall have on hand. lication of a few volumes, sold his privilege to a second person for the trifling profit of ten thousand dollars! The price of that first contract is made by law the basis of the contract for the Documentary History. Mr. Livingston made the contract as the law required him; he could not limit the number of volumes, because the law did not limit it. It is now said that the Documentary History of Matthew St. Clair Clarke and Peter Force, provided for by an act of Congress, and for which the bill under consideration appropriates thirty-five thousand dollars, will cost a vast sum of money-half a million of dollars is the lowest calculation, and some say that it may cost a million and a half. An attempt is made to make the late Secretary of State (Mr. Livingston) responsible for the rate and enormity of this contract. Rather should the blame go to the Congress which passed the law than to Mr. Livingston. 1 well remember when that law passed this body, although it is very probable that other gentlemen recollect little about it. All the facts in the case do not show themselves upon the Journal; and it is my misfortune that they do not. It is now understood that the contractors are willing to limit themselves. The price of publishing a single volume of fifteen hundred copies, is calculated at 22,900 dollars, and other expenses will make it 25,000 dollars. The contractors will limit themselves to twenty folio volumes as the minimum; and these twenty folio volumes are to cost 500,000 dollars! Of what value, think you, Mr. President, will be a Documentary History of the Revolution of twenty folio volumes? It would be as ninety-nine grains of wheat in one hundred bushels of chaff. There were two propositions considered at the same time, both of them, I believe, reported on, and sanction- The extra printing-by extra printing, I mean not any ed by the Library Committee, for extensive jobs of print portion of that printing daily ordered by the Senate, coning. One was, on the proposal of Duff Green to publish a sisting of distress petitions, with the names; other petistereotype edition of the Laws and Treaties of the United tions and memorials, reports on the Post Office, &c., conStates, at the rate of two dollars and fifty cents per vol stituting what is annually published in several volumes, as ume; and the other Clarke and Force's proposal to print the Journal and Documents-the extra printing of books and furnish the Documentary History of the Revolution. merely for the purpose of furnishing members of ConBoth propositions were hastily urged through the Senate. gress, voted by the Senate at the last session alone, would Duff Green's job of stereotyping the Laws (which was amount, if all the propositions had succeeded, to a greatarrested in the House of Representatives) would have er sum of money than the whole expense of a single year cost the Treasury from one to two hundred thousand dol- of Mr. Jefferson's administration. Besides the enormous lars; other printers had proposed to perform the work at job of Clarke and Force, and the vote on the proposition less than one-half of his price. The mention of this fact to stereotype the Laws, there was another job voted to appeared to have no effect on the vote of the Senate. I Duff Green for printing the Land Laws, which is introduasked for the question to be taken by yeas and nays-it ced in the present appropriation bill, amounting to fortywas so taken, and you will find but seven Senators (Ben-two thousand nine hundred and sixty dollars; and a resoton, Black, Dickerson, Foot, Hill, Robinson, and Wil-lution passed for the benefit of Gales and Seaton, allowkins) voting to sustain me-twenty-five voting against my ing them further to extend their compilation of Congresmotion to lay the bill on the table. sional Documents eight volumes folio. If these eight folio Immediately after this, the bill making provision for volumes cost as much as those contracted for by Clarke the publication of the Documentary History of the Revo- and Force-and as yet I have, after diligent inquiry, been lution was taken up. Mr. Foot, of Connecticut, was in unable to ascertain what Gales and Seaton are paid for the chair. I asked for the yeas and nays on the question, this work-that additional job to them will amount to two Shall it be engrossed and read a third time? Without hundred thousand dollars. It is true the contract with waiting to call the attention of Senators to the question, them is only for seven hundred and fifty copies instead of the chairman declared the proposition for the yeas and fifteen hundred; but I understand they publish an addinays was not sustained; and both bills were considered in tional seven hundred and fifty copies, to supply members Committee of the Whole, reported, and passed on by the of Congress hereafter. Already has the supply for ConSenate, in less time than I have been speaking about it.gress run out; and at this session a resolution has passed, Ever since that time, I have deemed it a work of superer-authorizing the Secretary to purchase more for the supply ogation in me to oppose any proposition for printing or of the new members of the Senate. furnishing books for the benefit of printers in this District I may safely say that the books furnished to members and have contented myself with giving a silent vote of Congress (and cach new member at the present sesagainst them whenever I could obtain an opportunity. sion has already been supplied, to the number of about Mr. Livingston ought not to be blamed for the contract seventy volumes) cost twice and in some instances four made with Clarke and Force. The fault is in the law, not times the price of books of equal size and superior value, in the contract. How could Mr. Livingston limit the that are to be obtained in the most of our cities and number of volumes, when the law was without limit? He towns. Gladly would I return every book I have received was taken advantage of by the contractors-he could not and pay for their transport back to the seat of Governbe supposed to know that an increase of the number of ment, if the money could be returned to the Treasury, copies, or the increase of the size of the volumes, would which has been abstracted to procure them. These make an enormous increase of the price. Clarke and books are held up to new members as an appeal to their Force knew well enough how they were cheating the cupidity. It is said at once that all the old members have public, as well when they smuggled the bill through the received them and that the new members ought to claim two Houses of Congress, as when they made the contract them of course. And so soon as you receive a copy of with the Secretary of State. Why did Congress legislate the common plunder, so soon, in the estimation of some in the dark on this subject? Why did they pass a law re-gentlemen, are you precluded from voting against others quiring the Secretary of State to contract for an unlimited or yourself receiving more of that plunder. I found a amount of printing, at double the price which the same portion of these books tied up in bundles and leit at my |