Newspaper Page Text
TIMES & SENTESTEE
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA. _
SATURDAY EVENING, JULY q, 1858,
The Policy ot Public Executions.
On yesterday, James Thompson suffered the penalty
of death for the crime of the murder of Jno Calhoun. This
act of public justice was witnessed by an immense throng
of people. They came in carriages, Fwagons, on horso
back and on foot. All ages, conditions and sexes were
represented, making the most motley exhibition of hu
manity we have ever seen-
We have long thought that this mode of executing the
sentence of the law was fraught with evil to society. The
proper object of punishment is the prevention of crime.
This object is partially defeated if the circumstances at
tending the infliction of the penalty tend to mitigate in the
public mind the heinousness of the offence or the guilt of
the criminal. Those terrors with which it is the wise in
tention of the lawf to invest the doom of malefactors are,
in our judgment, greatly softened by the pomp and dis
play of a public execution. When the criminal ascends the
scaffold it is generally long after the commission of the
deed for. which his life pays the forfeit. Those who wit
ness his atonement know nothing of the enormity of his
offence or the degree of his guilt. If they had this know
ledge there is no time nor room for these reflections They
see nothing but the prisoner in the iron clutches of the
bound aud dressed for the gallows, and taking ounsel ot
sympathy, they readily transform him into a martyr. They
scrutinize [the manner in which he awaits his fate —catch
with eagerness his last words, and if from the scaffold,
which pity hath robbed of half its infamy, his eye does not
quail, nor his cheek blanch, nor his voice falter, they as
sociate with their remembrance of his fate the display of
a redeeming heroism and insensibly contract the impres
eion that death on the gallows is not such an ignominious
end after all.
Notso with private uexecutions. There is nothing in
the last act of the drama here to relieve the ‘public mind of
horror for the culprit’s doom—nothing to disconnect in the
imagination the fpunishment and thß crime—nothing to
soften or warp our judgment of the offence, or bring into
exercise sympathy lor the offender. Besides, there is
something revolting to the mind fin the contemplation of
death surrounded by the k gloomy terrors of privacy. All
this is as it should be. Death is the highest penalty
known or possible. To make its infliction of the greatest
efficacy to prevent the crime of which it is adjudged, it
should be stript of whatever surroundings may relieve its
terror or its infamy.
We intended to say something in this connection of the
propriety of ladies witnessing such exhibitions. We re
member, when a boy, we were shocked in reading that
Roman ladies attended the gladiatorial contests—saw men
hack and butcher each other, and with their smiles and
sympathies encouraged [the savage combattants. Those
ot our fair countrywomen who witnessed the tragedy on
yesterday, will forgive us for saying that, they displayed
a want of delicacy and sensibility equally astonishing,
and a curiosity.equally reprehensible. We hope our next
legislature will consider this matter, and will take such ac
tion as will deprive this morbid appetite of any nourish
ment therefter.
Hamilton Female College—Our Visit.
We had the pleasure of attending, a few days since, by
invitation,the concluding exercises of the Anniversary cel
ebration of this Institution. It is now under the guardian
ship of Messrs. Stanford and Lovelace, who, from our
limited acquaintance, we judge everyway worthy their
high and responsible position. We regret that we were
unable to attend the exercises from the beginning, that we
might convey to our readers some idea how this Institu
tion is conducted, which has risen up near us so recently.
From hearsay evidence, however, we are prepared to say,
the examinations were creditable to the young ladies,and
evinced much care on the part of the Principals, in in
structing their minds thoroughly in the [different branches
of knowledge. The examinations were concluded the
third day, as the Institution only numbers some seventy or
eighty scholars. It was a pleasant recreation to escape to
this delightful retreat—to lay aside the pen and scissors—
to bid a temporary adieu to our professional engagements,
and loiter for a season in those Academic groves and clas
sic shades.
The Concert we attended, under the diiection of Frof.
Dalkert, was a rich musical treat. Four Piauos were us
ed for the occasion, and the delightful strains which pro
ceeded from them and fell upon our ears were more con
genial to our tastes and feelings, than the sound of* proof!’
‘proof!’ which daily greet and harrass our editorial labors.
The commencement exercises were well conducted.—
The young ladies who received their diplomas, acquitted
themselves in a creditable manner. Their essays, filled
with the rich gems of golden thought, were read in a clear
and audible tone and were well received-
The exercises were concluded by a short. address from
President Lovelace, conferring the degrees and awarding
the diplomas and also an address to the graduating class.
The party we attended, the evening of the Commence
ment day at the College Hall, where we radiated in the
sunshine of the smiles of the lovely fair—and we had al
mest said, had our heart pierced through with Cupid’s dart
—“went off’ merry as a marriage bell.” Even now while
we write, we can see in our imagination, bright eyes
that met our own, peeping into our dark and batchelor
sanctum.
Let it suffice to say, our visit to Hamilton on this de
lightful occasion will be long remembered. We greeted
many friends with whom we have heretofore communed
only through the medium of our journal. It was pleasan
to shake them by the hand and discuss past and present
issues which divide the great political parties of the coun
try. But enough. The reader will excuse us lorwander
ing out of our stormy, political path on this occasion, to
dwell for a season in the haunts of smiling beauty and
joyous youth. It may have a refining influence over *our
boisterous nature and smooth the rough asperities of our
political life.
r"".^
Tax Receivers and Tax Payers.
The late circular issued by the Comptroller General—
Mr. Thweatt—to Tax Receivers, informing them of the
penalty the law inflicts upon Tax payers, who make false
returns of their property and the mauner of estimating it,
will be of service to our officers in making heavy returns
to the Treasury. Department.
We learn from very reliable authority since the
publication of this circular, that a Tax-payer of Baldwin
County who has been accustomed to give in his tax at a
certain valuation of his property, has,since the Comptrol
ler issued this circular, returned the same property at more
than double the valuation heretofore placed upon it-
So much for the energy of Mr. Thweatt who seems to be
interested in having the State receive all the money to
which she is justly entitled under the law. All persons who
have not put a proper valuation on their porperty would
do well to make the correction before the Receivers books
are closed.
The Right of Searcb Abandoned
From the news received by the Arabia and published by
us a few days since, it will be seen by our readers, that the
British Government has abandoned the pretended right
to visit and search American Vessels suspected of carrying
on the slave trade, which was set up by Lord Aberdeen in
1842 and which has sinee that period governed the # Ad
miralty in its intercourse with other nations. The Earl
of Derby, at the head of the present ministry, has officially
announced this settlementof the differences between
the two Countries. Lord Napier, the British Minister to
the United States, bas officially informed Gen. Cass of
the action of his government." : England recognizes the
principles of international law laid down by Gen. Cass to
Lord Napier in April, to be correot and that the Ashbur
ton treaty of 1842 with the United States in no wise su
percedes that law. This puts an;end to our] unhappy dif
ference with England and we rejoice that the question is
settled in conformity with the principles of sound law.
Military Institute —Commencement —We learn that
upon invitation Gov. Brown will deliver the diplo
mas to the graduating Class of the Georgia Military In
stitute at Marietta at its Commencement oh the 14th inst-
Acknowledgements.
We are indebted to our friend and patron Mr. James S.
Walker of Mulberry Grove, Harris County, for a number
ofthe largest and beet flavored apples we have seen this
season. Surely the red hils of Harris have Ivirtue in them
yet. _
Mercer University.
We have received a catalogue of this flourishing institu
tion situated at Penfield, Ga., N. M.Crawford, D. D. is
President of the Faculty. Hon. Thomas Stocks is Presi
dent of the Board of Trustees. The name of Rev. J. H-
DeVotie from this city appears among the list of Trustees.
The College numbers 122 students—See the advertisement
in another column.
Arrest of the Captain of a Band of Robbers.
The Allegan (Mich.) Recorder reports the arrest
of a man named Bell, alias Sweetling, at Pier
Cove, about twenty-five miles West of that place,
and gives the following particulars :
Bell, or Sweetling, was known to be very des
perate, and consequently his arrest had to be ar
ranged with caution. It was ultimately effected,
just as he had taken his seat at the dinner table,
by one officer seizing him around the arms, while
another rushed from concealment, and in less
time than it takes to relate the fact, ironed the
prisoner. A hurried search was made of the pris
oner’s person, but nothing beyond an old jackknife
was found. The three then instantly started for
this place ; but they had not proceeded more than
half a mile before Carpenter’s suspicions were
awakened by his elbow coming in contact with
some hard substance under the prisoner’s arm, and
it was thought expedient to make another and a
more thorough examination of his person. A halt
was made, and two Colt’s revolvers, four inch bar
rels, loaded and capped, were taken from his per
son, having been secreted one under each arm, and
a formidable bowie-knife was found hidden in his
right boot. A thousand dollars in counterfeit mon
ey was likewise taken from him.
The prisoner recognized Carpenter, and was ex
ceedingly earnest in getting a promise to be kept
out of the hands of the'mob wheffthey should reach
Dubuque. From this time he became very talka
tive and communicative. We gather from a con
versation with Mr. Garrison, the following antece
dents of Bell or Sweetling: For two or three years
he has been captain of a gang of one hundred and
sixty robbers, on the banks of the Mississippi. He
lived in a perfect palace on the lowa bank, and
passed as a retired physician, which enabled his
gang to visit him without suspicion. They owned
several boats, in which they were accustomed* to
run their plunder to a southern market. The
goods or property which was yearly stolen by the
gang, amounted to between fifteen and twenty
thousand dollars. About a fortnight ago, an attempt
was made- to arrest Swelling on one of his boats,
but he escaped after|toing wounded on the fore
head by a pistol ball. It was from this event that
he was followed. The cargo on Hie boat on which
Sweetling was acting as skipper, was valued at
ten thousand dollars. His hiding place at Pier
Cove was discovered by the interception of a let
ter.
Laws of Divorce.
We have thirty-two States, and there are almost
as many different laws of divorce as there are States
The reader may see some of these differences by
the following statement :
1. In the States of Georgia, Alabama and Miss
issippi, two-thirds of the Legislature must con
cur with a decision by the Court to make a di
vorce.
2. In Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, South Car
olina, Louisiana and Missouri, no divorce can be
granted but by special act of the Legislature ; and
South Carolina has never granted a divorce.
3. In the States of Connecticut, Ohio and Illinois,
all divorces, are total.
4. In Massachusetts,New York and North Caro*
lina, nothing but adultery is cause of divorce.
5. In Illinois two years’ absence, only, is a cause
of divorce.
6. In Indiana, w'e believe, anything is a cause,
in the discretion of the Court. In the recent Pres
byterian Assembly at Chicago, an elder from that
State rose, on the trial of Mr. Shield, and said that
as he came from Indiana, he desired to put on re
cord that Ames Dunn goes against divorce !-Cm
cinnali Gaz.
First Blood Shed for Liberty in the Revolutionary
War.
From the Charleston Mercury.
The first blood shed in defence of liberty and in
opposing English oppression at the South, the
State of North Carolina—the “old North State,” and
twin sister of South Carolina is entitled to the hon
or. It was during the gubernatorial administra
tion of the notorious Governor Tryon, the English
governor at the time, who built one of the most
splendid palaces in either North or South America,
at Newbern, N. C., with the proceeds of taxes im
posed upon the people for the purpose, and to re
sist which taxation a portion of them rebelled, just
as did the men of Massachusetts afterwards. It
took place in the year 1771, and is narrated by Mr.
Wheeler in his History of North Carolina. On the
16th ofMay, in that year, a battle was fought be
tween the American and British forces, on the
banks of the Alamance riyer,in what is known now
as the county of that name, called the Battle of Ala
mance. The American forces were called the “reg
ulators,” from their efforts in endeavoring to bring
about an equitable regulation of taxes and other op
pressive matters. The American forces amounted
to two thousand, and were headed by three men
named Husbands, Hunter, and Butler; while the
British forces, including militia called out by Tryon,
amounted to upwards of eleven hundred, and had
the advantage greatly in arms and discipline. As
might have been expected, the Americans were
defeated, after an action of two hours, with a loss
of twenty dead and several wounded, while that of
the royal forces, in killed, wounded, and missing,
was sixty-one. Mr. Wheeler says:
“Thus ended the battle of Alamance. Thus and
here was the first blood spilled in these United
States, in resistance to exactions of English rulers
and oppressions by the English government.—
‘The great Wolf of South Carolina’ showed his
blood-thirsty temper by acts of revenge, cruelty,
and barbarity. He hung Captain Tew the next
day, without trial, on a tree.”
It was in this case, as Byron truly says in one of
his poems—
“ For Freedom’s battle once begun,
Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son,
Though sometimes lost, is ever won.”
Thus we see that it was at the battle of Alamance,
and not at Bunker Hill, that the first American
blood was shed in the cause of liberty. “Honor to
whom honor is due.”
Hibernian when knocked down, exclaimed
‘Do you strike a man whenheis down? 5 O no,’
said his antagonist then faith and I’ll lay here
replied Pat.
The Crops.
A careful noting and comparison of the various
accounts of the growing crops, which daily reach
us from all parts of the country through the me
dium of a very large exchange list, has convinced
us that while the corn crop promises a more abun
dant yield in the Southern Stales than before
known, the cotton crop is very far from being so
good as the favorable spring would justify us in ex
pecting. On poor lands, particularly,—and of the
breadth of land laid down in cotton, a large pro
portion comes under this head, the lice has destroy
ed the “stand” to a large extent, at the same time,
upon rich lands, the plant under the continuous
rains has grown too rapidly to weed, to allow of
proper fruiting. With the fact before us that the
crop of the Mississippi valley will fall short from
two to three hundred thousand bales, together
with the advices from the different cotton growing
regions, we are inclined to the belief that those who
calculate upon immense crop, reaching to 4,-
000.000 bales, aie very far out of their reckoning.
It is, of course, impossible at the present moment
to form a reliable opinion as to the amount of cot
ton bales to be made in 1858, but the present indi
cations point to greatly reduced figures from those
mentioned above.
Let the cotton crop, however, be what it may,
with the certainty of il fine grain harvest and the
surety of an unprecedented amount of exquisite
fruit, a foretaste of which we have already receiv
ed in water-melons, cantaleup and peaches, we
should be abundantly and constantly thankful for
the blessings vouchsafed to us.— Mont. Confedera
tion.
From the Savannah Republican.
Terrible Affair in Florida
Four Respectable Citizens Hung by the Yigi
lants.
We received, yesterday, the following letter from
Tampa, in which is recorded one ot the greatest
outrages that ever disgraced a country of law.—
We have no personal knowledge of the writer,
and the reader will form his own opinion ofits re
liability. From recent indicatives from that quar
ter, we entertain but little doubt of the correct
ness of his statements. We cannot believe, how
ever, that mere political hostility is sufficient to
drive men to such desperate extremities.
Touching the appeal of the writer for protection,
we can only refer him to the Governor of Florida,
whose duty it is to crush out, by aid of the mili
tary if necessary, all such diabolical proceedings
and their authors:
Tampa, Fla., June 24.
Editor Republican :
Dear Sir: The existence of an “Executive
Committee” at this place is doubtless known to
you ; and as a law abiding citizen of this city I
feel it to be ray duty to state certain facts to the
world, with reference to said committee, and ask
a place in your columns for the publication of
them, as our little paper here, and in fact every
paper in this portion of the State, is either in
league or fear of their vigilance and tyranny.
This morning four of our most prominent men,
to wit: John J. Early, D’Witt Lucian, Jerome
Baker and Col. J. Alfonso Crockett, were found
hung to as many trees in the suburbs of our city.
Intense excitement exists, and many ot our citi
zens are now under arms, tor the protection of law
abiding citizens, who dare raise their hands against
these midnight assassins.
Another remarkale feature is this, every one of
these men were members of the “American Par
ty.” Is it a proscription ? Col. Crockett and Mr.
Early leave interesting families to deplore their
loss, while the death of all has cast a gloom over
this community, from which it will not shortly
recover.
They were followed to the grave by about two
hundred persons, and remarkable to say, there
were but two Democrats in fhe concourse, one of
whom was the sexton.
You may rely upon this being strictly correct;
and my excuse for thus addressing a stranger, is
but that the “naked truths might come to light,”
and these damnable assassins may receive their
just merits.
As the friend of Americans, I ask that you make
an appeal to the General Government, for protec
tion, or at least demand an investigation.
Yours, &c.,
S. T. BOWEN.
A lady tells the following story ; I had been out
to Indiana on a visit, and while there found a kit
ten which I brought home for a plaything for my
two children. To prevent any dispute about the
ownership otpuss, I proposed, and it was agreed,
that the head ofthe kitten should be mine, that the
body should be the baby’s, and Eddy, the eldest—
but only three years old—should be the sole pro
prietor of the long and beautiful tail. Eddy rath
er objected at first to this division, as putting
him off with an extremely small share ofthe ani
mal, but soon became reconciled to the division, and
quite prouffof his ownership in the graceful ter
minus of the kitten. One day, soon after, I heard
the poor puss making a dreadful mewing, and I
called out to Eddy: “There, my son, you are hurt
ing my part of the kitten, I heard her cry.” “No,
I didn’t mother; I trod on my part, and’ your part
hollered /”
Mormonism. —Thurlow Weed, in an article in
the Albany Evening Journal, says :
Within our recollection,Mormonism was a speck,
not bigger than a man’s hand. The original im
postor, Joe Smith, came to the writer of this arti
cle, only thirty-two years ago, with the manuscript
of his Mormon Bible, to be printed. He then had
but one follower, (a respectable and wealthy far
mer of Macedonia,) who offered himself as security
for the printing. But after reading a few chapters,
it seemed such a jumple of unintelligible absurdi
tias, that we refused the work, advising Harris not
to mortgage his farm and beggar his family. But
Joe crossed over the way to our neighbor Elihu
F. Marshall, and got his Mormon Bible printed.
Will there be a Second Failure.— lt appears
by the latest accounts that great fears entertained
in England that the second attempt to lay the At
lantic telegraph cable would prove a failure. A
letter to the New York Times from on board the
Niagara, speaking of the experimental trip says:
The weather was calm and the sea smooth.—
There was no swell—theship was perfectly still
I yet I must confess it was not so successful a trial
as, I had hoped and expected. Disguise the fact as
we may, there were mishaps misjudgments and
miscalculations. The cable parted at every trial,
whether new or condemned cable. On the voy
age of course, the dangers to be apprehended are
still greater—since the two ships have the same
duty to perform, and the failure on either will be
fatal to the other.
Another letter from an officer says:
To the credit of the Niagara, I must mention
that when the cable was running out at equal rates
from both ships, the break in every instance occur
red from the Agamemnon. It seems to me that
the ship does not give the matter the requisite
care and attention; besides she labors greatly. I
predict a failure on her part, though I am sorry
to think so, for I have taken a deep interest in this
enterprise, and have something at stake in its suc
cess. But after carefully watching and weighing
every thing, I have reluctantly come to the conclu
sion that a third trial will have to be made before
the cable can belaid. One thing is certain —that
if the cable is checked while it is running out ra
pidly, the job is over, for it will not bear the strain,
I have heard some of the engineers and some of
the electricians'express the opinion that it will
prove a failure.
The expedition left the 10th of June, and within
a week or ten days from that time we shall prob
ably know its fate.
U. S. PUBLIC PRINTING, ETC.
Mr. George Taylor, from the Select Committee
on Printing, made the following— Report.
PAPER FOR THE PRINTING.
The paper used by the government is now pro
cured by the Superintendent of Public Printing,
under the provisions of the law of 1852. A faith
ful observance of that law wonld secure the gov
ernment from imposition ; but your committee have
reason to believe that it is not sufficiently guar
ded in its provisions. An examination of the pa
per in the public store house has shown that lit
tle attention had been given to the weight and
color of the paper furnished under some of the
contracts. When the samples, which the law
requires the superintendent to keep, were deman
ded, it was found that they had been used as
waste paper, or for some other purpose. This,
doubtless, was an over sight in the late superin
tendent, as one of the clerks informed your com
mittee that the samples were in the office until
about the time of the appointment of your com
mittee, and were then thrown aside, as the con
tracts had been filled. In that particular, you
committee are unanimously of the opinion that
further checks and safeguards are required, both
in the purchase and in the use of the paper for
public printing. The present mode of supply is open
to great abuses, and there are few or no sufficient
checks to correct them.
The gross amount of paper purchased for the
printing of the 33d Congress was $500,456 21 ;
for the 34th Congress, $510,163 64. In addition,
the paper for the department printing amounted to
a considerable sum—about $161,209 05 during the
period of the 34th Congress.
REPORTING CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
YoiiY committee was also instructed, by the
resolution of December 18th, to inquire into the
cost of the publication of the Congressional Globe.
The proceedings and debates of Congress are pub
lished in the Congressional Globe by Mr. Rives.
He gels $7 50 per column for the reports, which
are published in the form of a daily paper, and
laid on the desks of the members on the following
day. These proceedings are afterwards made up
in the quarto form, of which Congress orders 11,768
copies, for the use b of the members. There was
formerly paid sixty cents per volume for binding
the same, but now seventy-five cents are paid for
binding, per volume. There are usually six vol
umes to each Congress; four the long and two
for the short session.
In addition to the amount paid per column for
reporting the proceedings, Congress has usually
made an allowance to the reporters; and as a fur
ther evidence of its great liberality, it resolved on
the 18th.day of August, 1856, to give Mr. Rives
one cent excess for every five pages of the Con
gressional Globe and appendix over 3,000 pages,
for the long session, and the same for all over
1,500 pages, for the short session. This gratuity
amounted to $12,655 39 for the thirty-fourth Con
gress.
The proprietor of the Congressional Globe has
a further benefit at ‘the public expense. He is
permitted to send his paper, whether in a single
sheet or in bound volumes, by mail without charge
In this singular mail facility there seems to be no
intrinsic propriety.
The gross sum paid, for the Congressional Globe
for the 32d Congress, was $176,462 08 ; for the
33d Congress $186,601 94; and for the 34th Con
gress $204,482 64. This is exclusive of the bind
ing, which amounted to $32,805 28, for the 32d
Congress ; to $52,939, for the 33d; and to $52,939,
for the 34th Congress. Mr. Rives now has the
contract for binding, and therefore receives annu
ally, for the Globe about $257,904 28, which is
the gross amount paid for the 34th Congsess. A
responsible party in this city had ofFered to sup
ply the Globe, in the same style in which it is now
furnished, at a reduction of $38,000 per annum,
and to give ample security for the fulfilment of his
contract, and out of the remaining profits he ex
pects an ample compensation. This would be
equal to a saving af $76,000 for each Congress.
The attention of your comraitee has been called
to an item of printing, in the annual expense of
advertising the mail lettings, in the papers of this
city. Your committee beg leave to submit the
following tabular statements of the cost of the prin
ting, binding, paper, and engraving of Congress
and of the departments, aud of the amount paid
for the Congressional Globe. Table “A” shows
the cost of the thirty-third Congress , “B,” that of
the thirty-fourth Congress; and “C,” the amount
paid for the Congressional Globe.
H, Rep. Com. 350 2
TABLE “A.”
The total cost of printing, binding , and engraving
for the 33 d Congress.
First Session—Senate $182,407 91
First Session—House 321,516 05
Frist Session—Department 160,000 00
Secoud Sesssion—Senate 236,627 64
Second Session—House 320,132 44
Second Session —Department... 160,000 00
Add Japan, 2d session, 33d Con
gresss, not included in the an
nual report of Superintendent 239,841 30
Cost of Pacific Railroad Report,
including engraving, executed
outside of the control of Con
gress, and under the direction
ot the Secretary of War 1,100,000 00
To complete Gillis* Report, 4
volumes 65,000 00
Total cost for two years. 33d
Congress 2,786,296 98
Add, paid for Congressional
Globe 186,601 94
Add, paid for binding Congres
sional Globe 52,939 00
Grand total paid for printing, &o 3 025,837 92
TABLE “B."’
Cost of printing, engraving , and binding for the
34 th Congress.
First and second {session—Sen
ate $248,169 40
Firist and second Session—
House 433,130 82
Department, for the year 175,334 16
mi - j q o $856,634 38
Third Session—Senate 249,793 56
Third Session—House... 404,314.12
Department, for the year 162,965 25
fT , , „ „ 817,072 93
I o complete Emory’s Report
and Commercial Relations 200,000 00
_ 1,873,707 31
Ot this total $535,185 30 is for printing.
671,372 69 is for paper
-335,402 15 is tor engraving.
331.747 17 is forjbinding.
1,873,707 31
Add amount paid for Globe 204,965 28
Add amount paid for binding
the Globe * 52,939 00
Total amount paid 2,13t,61l 59
TABLE “C.”
Amount paid for the Congressional Globe.
|32d Cong 33d Cong 34th Cong.
Reporting proceedings $28,995 04 $29,716 95 $27,489 65
24 copies of Globe and j
Appendix for each!
member of the H’si 51,336 00 51,624 00 52,056 00
100 copies for the Li-1
brary j 1,000 00 1,206 00 1,481 60
Excess of 1 cent lor;
eyery live pages ol j
Globe and Appen-;
dix-for all over 3,000;
pages for long ses-!
sion and 1,500 fori
short session j -
Additional compensa 1
tion to reporters.... j 6,900 00 10,700 00 8,800 00
! .
Same amount paid fori 88,231 04; 93,300 97 102*482 64
the Senate ‘..1 88,231 <H 93,300 97 102,482 64
| 176,462 08 186,601 94 204,965~28
Paid for binding the!
• whole number taken!
by. Congress ! 32,805 28! 52,939 00 52,939 00
i j _____
Total paid lor Globe!
and Apendix j 208,805 28. 239,540 94 257,904 28
To these amounts there mnst be added an an
nual sum of about SIOO,OOO, paid, by the Clerk of
the House of Reresentatives and the Secretary of
the Senate, for stationary, twine, and other* arti
cles, used in the folding rooms ol Congress in fold
ing and sending away the public documents, The
following statement will give some idea of the w'ork
done in the folding-room of the House: there
were 837,667 volumes of public documents fol
ded and sent to members during the thirty-fourth
Congress. During the same period there were
5,594,930 speeches folded and sent out. About the
same number of “each was folded in the folding
room of the Senate.
Under the foregoing exhibits your committee
deem it pertinent to stale, that the result of their
inquiries in relation thereto has satisfied ihem
that a saving, lor each Congress referred to, of
about three-fourths of a million of dollars might
have been effected by a proper system.
From the preceeding facts your committee feel
authorized to say that a very large amount of mon
ey is annually paid to politicians and speculators
through contracts for printing, binding, engraving,
&c., and that the mode by Which the public work
is now done not only presents opportunities for
trauds upon the treasury, but invites and stimu
lates an unnatural competition among parties who
are willing to risk their reputation in a business
promising such large gains. The injurious effects
of the present plan are twofold. It injures the
private business of the country, as stated in the let
ter ofMessrs. Arthur & Cos., it offers a premium
for dishonest speculators, and’enables to op
press the honest and hard working artisan. It
contributes very largely to lower Congress in the
estimation of the public, and thus it’mflicts a’serious
wound upon our institutions.
The public printing, binding, &-c., together with
everything else except the legitimate legislation of
the country, should be removed from Congress and
beyond congresional influences. The.great objects
of legislation, involving the prosperity and dignity
of the nation, are neglected or overlooked in the
pressure of petty details, or in races after congres
sional officials, whose love of precedent leads them
beyond the line of public economy, and sometimes
that of propriety.
To remove these difficulties, and to avoid the
large expense of the present mode of doing the
public printing, your committee recommend the es
tablishment ofa Bureau of Public Printing, con
nected with and under the direction of, the De
partment of the Interior. In this way your com
mittee believe that a large amount of money can
be annually saved. Taking the congressional and
department printing and binding and the publica
tion of the proceedings and debates together, we
think that forty per centum on ihe gross amount,
at least can besaved. This amount, for one year,
on the cost ot the usual and necessary work, would
more than pay the entire expense of establishing
the Bureau. But your committee consider this
annual saving, however important to the treasury,
to be ol minor consideration, when compared with
the many advantages and benefits to be gained
by the establishment of a printing Bureau. The
demoralizing effects of the present system of
public would be removed, while it
would relieve Congress from the imputations,
just or unjust, which grow out of the elec
tion ot its printers and binders. It would also
relieve individual members from the importuni
ties of friends interested in the publication of books
by Congress. It is a well known fact that many
ol the expensive but almost useless works recent
ly published were forced upon Congress by par
ties interested in the public printing,
The system your committee recommended has
been adopted by almost every European
nation. Iheir experience has given entire satis
faction. In Ungland the work is done by public
printers under the royal charter;- and as the par
ties are paid by Parliament for the work at certain
established rates, their system resembles our pres
ent plan, but it has never given satisfaction. In
1831, Lord Nugent and J. Vernon Smith were ap
pointed a select committee to investigate the sub
ject. Mr. Parks, the sole manager of Mr.
Clowes great printing establishment, gave it as
his opinion that a saving of one-half might be made
in the expense by the establishment of a public
printing office. The committee reported the facts,
but suggested no remedy. From that time to the
present there has been constant complaint, and a
regular succession of select committees, but they
have gained nothing but a reduction in the profits
ol the public printer, which was effected by a res
olution reported by the select committee on the 13th
of June, 1850.
Trusting in better fruits from the labor of your
committee, they beg to report for adoption the ac
companying bill, creating a Bureau in the Depart
ment ot the Interior for the execution of the pub
lic printing, binding, engraving, lithographing, and
electrotyping. All of which is respectfully sub
mitted’
A Splendid Weapon. —Several months ago, as
our readers will recollect, we noticed an applica
tion made by Mr. A. Le Mat, of this city, for a pa
tent for an improved revolver of his invention.—
He has secured his patent, and yesterday showed
us one of them. It is beyond all comparison the
finest weapon we ever saw. It is a revolver of
nine chambers, charged with conical expanding
balls, which are tired in the same manner as the
balls of the Coifs Army Revolver. But in addi
tion to these there is a large center barrel the
charge of which consists of fifteen or twenty buck
shot. This barrel is independent of all the others,
and is charged by means of a sliding hammer. The
adjustment for the discharge of the central or grape
shot barrel can be effected by a single motion in
two seconds. In weight this weapon is about
equal to the regular Army revolver, but in efficien
cy it far surpasses it.— N. O. Crescent.
Copartnership.— A colored firm in Newark, N.
J. having suffered some pecuniary embarrassments
recently, gave the following ‘notis’ to the public:
‘De disholution of coparsnips hertofo resisting
frwixt me and Jones, in de barber perfesion, am
heretofo resolved. Pussons who ose must pay the
inscribes Dem dat the, furni ose inus call on
Jones as de lurm is insolved.j JOHNSON.
%