CLARK-HARRIS-PALMER-HALL-TRAER-SKIFF.

the resolution as it now reads-to embrace all Appanoose [Mr. Harris] will be better accomthe officers without limitation.

PALMER CLARKE-SKIFF-HALL.

Mr. PALMER. Then I trust it will not pre-ject ef employing a reporter to report the pro

Resolved, that A. P. Luse & Co. be employed to print and bind the said proceedings and deAccordingly the motion to reconsider was not bates; and that they be allowed for said work agreed to.

The journal of yesterday was read and ap- tor of State, as the said parties may require proved

3

the said parties fail to perform the said work or complete the same, after the same has been commenced, they shall forfeit the amount due for work already performed and unpaid for; and the said A. P. Luse & Co. shall execute to the State, a bond similar to that required of the State printer.

Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to furnish the said A. P. Luse & Co. with the necessary paper for printing the said work herein specified, as the same may be required by the said printers.

Resolved, That the said volume shall be bound in sheep binding.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed whose duty it shall be to superintend the reporting and printing of the proceedings

and debates.

Resolved, That the said work during its progress, and when completed shall be the property of the State of Iowa.

The question was upon agreeing to the report.

Mr. CLARKE, of Johnson. I would say that I desire this matter disposed of as soon as possible, but I am not anxious to press it now, in the absence of the gentleman from Henry, (Mr. Clarke), who is chairman of the committee, and the gentleman from Scott (Mr. Ells). I would therefore move that the report be laid upon the table, subject to the order of the Convention, until those gentlemen come in.

[January 23d.

egraph for his assistants. It is of the utmost impcrthnce to him that it should be settled at once. Now, in regard to the expense of this work. Being a printer myself, I have made an estimate of the cost of a work such as is contemplated by these resolutions, and I have estimated that the cost of 2,500 copies-it has now been increased to 3,000 copies of these debates, provided they make a volume of a thousand pages, will be between $5,500 and $6,000, reporting and everything else included. That, I think, is as cheap as could be expected for a work of this kind. Now, if this matter is referred to another committee, the work of examining this subject must all be gone over again, and the deiay thus caused will very seriously affect the production of such a work as we may desire this to be. This subject has been thoroughly canvassed by the committee who have reported upon it, and they have aimed to get up a plan which will insure us a correct, accurate and creditable report. I cannot see what a new committee could do more.

Mr. HALL. If there are any gentlemen here better informed upon this subject than the committes who have had this matter under consideration, I am willing to have it referred to them. If any member can show any good reason why this report will be improved by being considered by a new committee, and will come back from that committee in a better form than it is now, I will go for the reference. I will confess that this was a new business to me, but I have acted according to all the light I could obtain on the subject The Convention has already decided to employ a reporter, and in that respect have acted in accordance with the course pursued by all State Constitutional Conventions in the Union, Mr. CLARKE, of Johnson, moved to amend at least for many years past. If we intend to the first resolution by striking out the words have our debates and proceedings reported wo "twenty-five hundred" and inserting the words must pay for them. And if we have them print"three thousand," as the number of bounded we want the work done up in fair style, and copies of the debates, &c.

The motion was agreed to.
Subsequently, on motion of Mr. CLARKE, of
Johnson,

The Convention resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee on the Debates and Proceedings.

The question being taken, the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. ELLS. I move to amend the fifth resolution by inserting after the words "wlthin thirty hours" the words "unavoidable delays excepted." As these resolutions are to be the foundation for the contract to be made by these gentle men, all saving clauses should now be put in, that they may be enabled to avail themselves of them.

The question being taken, the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. WARREN. I move that this report be referred to a special committee of three for further examination. I am told by gentlemen here who are practically acquainted with printing, that this work will cost an immense sum printed in the form indicated in this report. I hope, therefore, it will be referred to a special

not, because we happen to ie a young State, make a poor job of it. It will cost but little more to make a good job of it, than to get it up in the style of a mere journal, like that of our House of Representatives.

These resolutions have been framed to meet all the points in the case, and intended to effect all we desire. It might be that you could get the reporting done somewhat cheaper, I do not know about that.

I find that other States have paid about the same that we propose to pay. Now if we look to what others have done we will find the price proposed here to be about the same. I can say this, that assuming these debates shall be reported and published-which was the basis of the action of the committee-1 do not believe any other committee can make a report which will be of any service to the convention, different from this. I do not believe they can better the plan, or cheapen it to any considerable extent. They may cheapen the Mr. CLARKE, of Johnson. I hope, for many manner in which the volume of debates shall be reasons, that this motion will not prevail. In got up, but I do not think that ought to be done. the first place, it is necessary to settle this ques- This volume should be placed in the State libration so that our reporter may be enabled to tel-ries of every State in the Union, and in the li

commistee.

Friday,]

CLARK-WARREN-TRAER--GOWER-YOUNG.

braries of every college and historical society in the United States, so far as we can obtain a list of them, It should go into every county and township library in this State. It is a book which I think will sell, too, to a considerable extent. At first I had thought the number of copies were too large, but I think now that the number should be increased rather than dimin

ished.

[January 23d.

Mr. GOWER. I understand from the report of the committee which we have just adopted, that these reports will cost about $2 a volume, and for the 3,000 volumes the expense will be about $6,000. Now as I understand it we are called upon to vote a certain number of copies of the daily reports to each member for distribution, either twenty-five or one hundred copies.

Mr. YOUNG. As I understand it the question now is upon the motion of the gentleman from Appanoose (Mr. Harris) to fill the blank with the number "one hundred."

Mr. HARRIS. With the permission of the Convention I will modify my motion by substituting the number "fifty" for "one hun

dred."

The PRESIDENT stated the question to be upon the motion to fill the bank with the number "fifty."

Mr. CLARK, of Alamakee. I trust, for several reasons, the motion to refer will not prevail. As has been already remarked, it is of the highest importance to have this matter settled definitely, as soon as possible. It would be rather a novelty in legislative proceedings, it seems to me, to make the reference proposed. This whole matter has been referred to a committee; they have examined it and made their report and that report, as I understand, has Mr. YOUNG. I hope this proposition will been received, and the committee discharged, at least so far as that part of the business is not prevail. Whatever number of copies we concerned. Now, as the gentleman from Des order to each member, the cost to the State will Moines (Mr. Hall) has remarked, if we are sat-be something. And besides, if we undertake to isfied that this committee have not had the proper and requisite information before them, or if we believe any other committee can be raised that would have any better foundation upon which to base a report, then there would be some reason in the proposed reference,. But unless we believe that, I cannot see any advantage to be gained by the proposed reference.

Mr. WARREN. I will withdraw my motion to refer. I did not make it because I thought myself, the prices reported here were out of the way, but because I had been informed by printers who ought to know, that the committee were mistaken in their estimates, and that the work would cost an immense sum. But I am satisfied with the explanations given by the members of that committee, and will withdraw

the motion to refer.

The motion to refer was accordingly withdrawn, and the question recurred upon the adoption of the report.

Mr. CLARKE, of Henry. I would suggest to the gentleman from Jackson (Mr. Warren) or to any other member who is not satisfied with the report of the committee of which I have the honor to be chairman, that a motion can be made to recommit the report with instructions upou any matter not embraced in the present report. But I consider it as full as could be expected.

The question being taken upon the report of the committee as amended, it was adopted.

The PRESIDENT stated that there was a blank to be filled in the seventh resolution, in relation to the number of copies of the daily reports to be furnished each member by the Con

vention.

Mr. TRAER moved to fill the blank with the number "twenty-five."

Mr. HARRIS moved to fill it with the number "one hundred."

The PRESIDENT stated that the question would be taken first upon the highest number, the motion to fill the blank by inserting the number "one hundred."

distribute among our constituents 50 copies of these reports daily in addition to the newspapers we have ordered, we shall have to employ persons to do our franking, for we shall not have time to do it ourselves. I think if each member distributes ten copies daily among his constituents he will find that number amply sufficient. I do not think very highly of sending papers to our constituents in this way. We send a paper to one man to-day, to another man to-morrow and to still another the next day, and neither of them obtains a mere outline of what we are doing here. I think it is an unnecessary expenditure to frank 50 or 100 copies of this report among our constituents when it will be to them of no especial benefit. I am willing to give our constituents all the information that can be reasonably expected of us, but I am not in favor of voting money for something that will be of no especial service what

ever.

I shall

Mr. HARRIS. As to the labor of franking these reports and sending them off, that is a matter for ourselves. If the gentleman chooses to send his off separately he can do so. bunch mine and send them to some one in my district who will distribute them over the district. I desire to have every side informed upon this matter. I am acquainted with persons of both parties in my district with whom I can make arrangements to receive these documents and distribute them through the district. I do not think the labor of doing that will be very great. And you must recollect that some of us who live a great ways from here, represent 2,500 and 3,000 votes, and they are all interested in what we are doing here and they want to know what the Convention does. It is to inform them that I desire these reports for distribution.

Mr. PALMER. The members of the Legislature for the county which I represent-the county of Davis-are supplied with twenty-five newspapers each, which they distribute among their constituents: and, notwithstanding they

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PALMER-WINCHESTER-BUNKER-PATTERSON-YOUNG-GOWER.

[January 23d.

to him that his constituents should take the papers more than they do. We cannot be expected here to furnish public documents for every man in the State. The gentleman from Appanoose, [Mr. Harris, ] says that he represents three thousand voters. There are gentlemen here who represent twice that number. I represent five thousand myself, and ten organized counties. But I do not think it is necessary for me to send fifty copies of the debates to my constituents. Twenty-five copies I think will be an abundance.

thus send seventy-five newspapers to Davis says his constituents complain of not being fully county, each day, I hear considerable complaint posted in regard to matters here. I would say of their not receiving enough of this kind of intelligence concerning what is going on in the Legislature. Now, I think as much interest, if not more, is felt with regard to the proceedings of this Convention as with regard to the proceedings of the General Assembly. I have been requested by a number of persons to keep them posted as to what is being done here, and a great number have complained to me that they are not supplied at all with papers by the members of the Legislature. I think, therefore, that fifty copies of these reports will not be too many. As to the trouble and time in directing and franking them, I believe that number can be sent off in the way indicated by the gentleman from Appanoose (Mr. Harris) in ten or fifteen minutes by any member here. Let the member write upon each paper the name of each person to whom he wishes it to be given, and then have all put up in one package, and direct it to the post office from which it is to be distributed, and the whole matter will be disposed of with very little trouble, and ten to fifteen minutes each day will not be too much time for each member to devote to this matter. I am therefore in favor of the proposition to fill the blank with the number "fifty." There are aiso to be three thousand bound copies of these debates and proceedings, which will furnish each member of the Convention with about eighty copies, which will not be too many to supply to his district.

The PRESIDENT. The gentleman from Davis (Mr. Palmer) is under some misapprehension with regard to this matter. The bound copies of this work are to be the property of the State.

Mr. PALMER. That presents another reason for ordering a large number of copies of these daily reports.

Mr. HALL. For one, I would not have more than five copies of these daily reports, if they were given to me. I sincerely believe that if six hundred copies some fifteen or twenty to each member-were brought here each day, one half of them would be thrown among the waste paper. If gentlemen desire a large number of these sheets I am willing they should have my share. But I think the result will be, if we order this number to be furnished us, that we will get but a few stray sheets to send off before this Convention will adjourn, and leave here. I am willing to gratify gentlemen, if they desire this large number, but I think three hundred copies for the use of the Convention will be amply sufficient for all purposes.

Mr. BUNKER. So far as I am concerned I do not care about taking any of these daily reports of the debates. But I am willing to vote for twenty-five each to accommodate those who desire them. But I do not believe in the practice of taxing one portion of the community for the accommodation of another portion. Now whatever number of copies we take here, must be paid for by a tax upon the people of Iowa, while we will send these reports to our personal and political friends; we tax the whole community to gratify a few individuals. I shall therefore oppose the giving a larger number to each member than twenty-five.

Mr. CLARK, of A. My constituents have a great deal of anxiety to know the doings of this Convention, more than with regard to the ordinary legislation of the State. And permit me farther to say that my constituents are in the habit of reading the papers. But there is no means by which they can inform themselves of the doings of this convention, other than the journals of debates we propose to publish. It seems to me that fifty copies each,, is the least that members can send to their constituents in order to keep them well posted in the matters upon which we are engaged. I shall therefore vote most cheerfully for the fifty copies, and I am satisfied my constituents will support me in that vote.

Mr. YOUNG. I move to fill the blank with the number "ten." I think that is amply sufficient.

Now my

Mr. GOWER. I have kept the post office in my county for some twelve years, during which time I think I have seen considerable of this printed matter coming from this place and the city of Washington, and when sent in bundles. as suggested by my friend from Appanoose (Mr. Harris) they have often laid in the office a long time before they were called for, without being distr buted. That is very apt to be the case, where the population is scarce. opinion is that this convention will not be long Mr. WINCHESTER. Perhaps the gentleman in session here-not more than a couple of from Appanoose, [Mr. Harris,] has not accu-weeks, I think. These reports are to be sent to rately calculated the number of copies which Davenport, and be returned within thirty hours, will be brought here every morning for mem- "unavoidable delays excepted," which are very bers to distribute, if his proposition is adopted. apt to occur this season of the year. We will Fifty copies each for thirty-six members will make eighteen hundred copies which is a very large number to be sent off from here every day. The gentleman from Davis, [Mr. Palmer,] Q

therefore get our first sheets the first part of next week. Suppose we send them to our constituents in bunch, they will hardly get before the community during next week. Some of the