The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session Page: 13
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CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
Was carlsmly a aseless expenditure. He had in-
tended to meve that no additional numbers be
printed with the documents; but, on conversing
with the members around him, he found it was the
usual -practice; and lie wished to state, that it Was ill
conformity with the wishes and opinions expressed
by others that he refrained from making his motion.
He, therefore, seconded the motion of the gentle-
man from Virginia, [Mr. Wise.]
Mr. PAYNE said, so far as his feelings were
concerned, he should prefer a larger rather than a
smaller number; and yet he hoped it would not be
supposed that he should favor any useless expendi-
tures. He would state, by way of justification,
that he looked upon this message as one of the most
important that was ever sent to an American Con-
gress. It touches on matters of vital importance,
and the people should see what tlie Executive thinks
on those questions. He was of opinion that the
expense of printing extra copies of this document
could not be better incurred; it was an expense
which ought to be incurred, and, if he were to
gratify his own feelings, he should vote for 20,000.
Mr. WISE observed that, as there were '& great
jnany new members, they were not, perhaps, aware
of the great importance of the documents. The
message, without the documents, was not so impor-
tant; and the printing of a large number of the mes-
sages alone, would, perhaps, be a somewhat useless
expenditure; but when they had supplied the offi-
cers of the army and navy, and the heads of the civil
departments, who were all interested in the subjects
therein contained, the House would discover that
10,000 copies would be found scarcely adequate to
supply these and the wants of their constituents.
An old custom had been to print 15,000 with the
documents, and 5,000 without. Another had been
to print all with the documents, and none without;
he was now requested to increase the number, and
he would take the maximum number—15,000, and
omit the printing of any without the documents; re-
marking that, if 10,000 was not too many in times
past, 15,000 would not be too many now.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON moved to amend the
motion by the addition of a clause, to the effect that
the work be executed by the printer to the House,
hereafter to be elected.
Mr. BELSER was in favor of the proposition of
the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Wise.] He
had listened to the reading of that message with de-
light'. He would not now say that lie agreed with
it in all the doctrines there advanced; but on this
question of Texas and Mexico, he was glad to see
that the Executive exhibited a proper spirit. It
was by far the most important message that, for
the last 20 years, had been submitted to the Con-
gress of the United States; and he wished the
largest number to be printed, that it might go to
every pait of the country. Disguise it as they
might, the question there involved was to be met;
and its discussion must come up before Congress.
Mr. BARNARD rose to a question of order. If
they were to have a discussion on the merits of -the
message on the motion to print, he muat insist on
the proper order of business, and a return to the
subject which had been already partially discussed.
He'aHuded to his motion for the correction of the
journal.
Mr. CAMPBELL reminded the House that
sometime* delay had occurred m the appointment
of printer; and "lie thought it was of little conse-
quence to the country whether A or B printed these
documents.
[Cries of "Question," "question."]
The SPEAKER then put the question on Mr.
Cave Johnson's amendment, and it was carried.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON then proposed further
to amend the.resolution, by striking out 15,000, and
inserting 10,000.
Mr. BELSER said he was opposed, as he had
before stated, to the proposition of the gentleman
from Tennessee [Mr. Johnson.] He was m favor
of a greater number; and he should, therefore, sup-
port the proposition of the honorable gentleman
from Virginia [Mr. Wise.] He would here take
occasion to repeat, that he admired the spirit of the
message, more particularly that part which related
to our intercourse with Mexico; for, as he had be-
fore intimated to the House, it was a question in
which his constituents felt a deep and an abiding
interest.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON here consented to with-
draw his amendment.
Mr. BELSER said that he would propose ilicn
to amend, by striking out 15,000, and. inserting 20,-
000; for the question to which he had referred
was highly important to every section of the Xlnion.
It was a question which involved the commercial
intenSsts of this country.
Mr. BARNARD again rose and renewed his
question of order; and, after a brief conversation
with the Speaker, he ceased to press his point.
Mr. BELSER resumed: ana said that he under-
stood the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. C. John-
son] had withdrawn his amendment, and then he
(Mr. B.) had • proposed another. And he wished
to be informed whether he had the right to make
such a proposition as was involved in his amend-
ment; for, if he had the right to make such a prop-
osition, most certainly he had the right to state
the importance of the question to which it referred—
the dissatisfaction of the gentleman from New York
notwithstanding. If the message were as import-
ant as he thought it was, then he had the right
to state that fact to the House as an argument
in favor of printing the larger number: but he was
not going into the merits of the question at that
time; though, whenever^ the proper time should
come, he should be prepared to discuss it to the best
.of his abilities, be they humble or otherwise. That
portion of the country which he had the honor to
represent on that floor was deeply interested in the
matter contained in this message; and he would
take occasion to say, that, if the measures contem-
plated in that message be carricd out, they must be
for the weal or wo of this entire country. The
question relating to Mexico and Texas was destined
greatly to affect the commercial interests of the
country—more especially the cotton-growing States
of this country. He represented one of those
States on that floor; and he wished to have a
larger number of the message printed, that it
might find its way into every section of the
country, that the people might read it and de-
liberate upon it, and then instruct their repre-
sentatives in regard to it. He would, therefore,
submita proposition to print 20,000 copies—not for
the purpose of expending the treasure of the coun-
try, for he was as much disposed as any gentle-
man to limit the expenses and to husband the re-
sources of the Government—but because he thought
this message was one of an important character,
embracing, as it did, doctrines the most vital—per-
haps the permanency of this Government.
Mr. HOPKINS said the gentleman from Alabama
had proposed a larger number than could by any
possibility be necessary—a larger number than was
ever before ordered. The usual practice had been
to print 5,000 with the accompanying documents,
and 15,000 without; and he feared lionoiable
gentlemen did not comprehend the expense
of printing so large a number of such a document.
They did not, «m fact, know how voluminous it
was; it might make a volume of perhaps 400 pages;
and of such a book, 20,000 copies had certainly not
been ordered during the last eight years, nor did
he think it had been done since the establishment of
the Government. He should prefer the adoption of
a resolution m the terms used m 1839 by the gen-
tleman from Virginia, (Mr. Wise;) and he would,
therefore, make that motion, which was, in sub-
stance, a proposition to print 15,000 copies without
the accompanying documenls, and 5,000 with them.
Mr. STRONG again urged upon the attention of
the House the fact that the President's message
would be transmitted to the people through the or-
dinary channels for the communication of intelli-
gence—the newspapers; and hence the uselessness
of printing the message in such large numbers.
The SPEAKER then put the question on Mr.
Belsf.r's proposition; and it was negatived.
The motion of Mr. Hui>kins was next in or-
der.
Mr. R. D. DAVIS moved to strike out 15,000, and
insert 10,000, which was agreed to—107 voting in
the affirmative.
The motion, as amended, was then agreed to.
The number ordered was, therefore, 5,000 with the
accompanying documents, and 10,000 without the
documents; the whole to be printed by the printer lo
be elected hereafter.
On the motion of Mr. CAVE JOHNSON,
The House then adjourned.
House of Representatives,
December 5, 1843.
Gentlemen: In the proceedings of yesterday, as
published in the Globe, I am represented to-have
said, in attempting to offer the resolution that I of-
fered in relation to the organization of the House,
that my "object was merely, to>ho\v |li^tjit>'t..^.
was contemplated by me, in the-presjeftt stfte the
House;" instead of which, I said, in sufataiiefiY'tiisit
"I did not contemplate or expect any.actioa
resolution, in the present, unorganized stale; ©f die
House, except by the general consent-of the mem-
bers elect, which, it was evident, could' not-be ob-
tained; but that I wished to-read it, if for.no oiher
purpose, at least to indicate to the country thp
course which, undqr the circumstances, I thought
was best to be pursued."
By publishing the above, you will much oblige
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOiJN CAMPBELL.
EniTOP.s of the Globe.
IN SENATE.
Wednesday, December G, 1843.'
The following Senators, in addition to those an-
nounced heretofore, appeared in their seats * in the
Senate to-day, viz: Mr. Henderson and Mr. Walk-
er, of Mississippi.
Mr. BUCHANAN presented the memorial of
Mary Reesidc, of Philadelphia, representing that
her husband, James Reeside, on a suit with the
United States for the settlement of his accounts with
the Post OfRc.e Department, recovered a verdict of
$188,496 06 in his favor; and praying Congress.to
provide by law for the payment of that sum: ord$i>
ed to lie on the table.
The following resolution, submitted by Mr. Tar-
pan on yesterday, amendatory of the joint rules of
the two Houses, was taken up and adopted—viz:
Resolved, That there shall he a Joint Committee on th«
Library, to consist of three members on the part of the-Sen-
ate, and three members on the part of the House of Repre-
sentatives, to superintend and direct the expenditure of the
moneys appropriated for the library, and to perform such
other duties as are or may be directed by law, •
Mr. WALKER gave noticc that he would, on
the earliest day practicable, ask leave to bring in a
bill to red lire anil graduate the price of the public
lands in favor of actual settlers.
Oil motion by Mr. MILLER, leave was granted
to take from the files of the Senate certain papers in
support of the application of Jonathan Freeman for
a pension.
Mr, HENDERSON gave notice that he would,
on to-morrow, ask leave to bring1 in a bill to con-
firm the survey and location of claims for land in
the State of Mississippi, east of Pearl river, a d
south of the 31st degree of north latitude.
On motion by Mr. EVANS,
The Senate then adjourned.
tJOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
"Wednesday, December 6, 1843,
The minutes of yesterday were read.
Mr. MILTON BROWN introduced his colleague,
Mr. Juiin B. Amie, who was qualified, and he then
took Ins seat.
Mr. JOSEPH R. INGERSOLL introduced his
colleasrue, Mr. Andrew Stewart, who was qual-
ified, and he also took his seat.
Mr. CROSS introduced Mr. Jgiim b. Dawson,
of Louisiana, who was qualified, and took his seat.
THE AMENDMENT OF THE JOURNAL—
THE PROTEST OE THE MINORITY.
The SPEAKER announced the order of business
to be the unfinished business of yesterday.
Mr. DROMGOOLE inquired whether the ques-
tion of amendment of the journal of yesterday
would not take precedence of the amendment of the
journal of the preceding day. A proposition had
been made by the gentleman from New York to
£et a ceilain paper on the journal of the House;
and before the House had decided that question, the
Clerk had spread it at length here; he therefore
wished the journal of yesterday to be corrected, be-
fore the House resumed the consideration of the
proposition to amend the journal of the preceding
day. They were getting involved ami entangled by
these irregularities, and he hoped the House wouli
pause, and set itself right, before i;om<^ further.
Mr. BARNARD said he iVlt no embarrassment
or entanglement. He, however, merely rose to ask
for the yeas and nays on the question.
Mr. DROMGOOLE still further enforced his ap-
peal to the House.
The SPEAKER explained that, being1 without
rules for their guidance, lie had taken the previous
practice as his precedent.
' Mr. BARNARD said, it was true that the paper
which he presented was on the journal w sht*
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United States. Congress. The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session, book, 1844; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2367/m1/37/?rotate=270: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.