Mr. MORE ILL. I desire to say a word or 2 before this shall pass from our consideration. While we are legislating for all parts of the country and for various objects. we may very well legislate a little in our own behal. In other nations, England and France, for example, the executive depts aid in making out the bills and presenting them to the various committees for their consideration. But here no such practice prevails, and perhaps ought not to prevail. But we ought to have some access to the information which is absolutely necessary for the proper preparation and consideration of bills to he presented to congress for its action. By lawt e printing reports on commerce and navigation isotfo‘1)“0 completed by the 1st of December succeeding the c ose of cachfiscal ear, and yet it is noto rious that for the last 3 or 4 years those reports have been not only one yeah but some times more than 2 years behmdhand. Yet the Journal of Commerce newspaper of NewYork city publishes iu the main the returns of lhf‘ onslmirhousr of that city. nhich t'UlIfIfl9 3/4ths of all the 'im ortations‘ of the count, in a very fiaw wee s after the close of one fiscal year or quarter. But the government here at Washington is unable or unwilling to force its officers at NewYork to make the same 'returns here thatiare given to that newspaper. Sir, for one I regard the revisions contained in this section as eminent y proper. We ought to be able to have returns here, not only upon this subject, but upon all the various subjects suggested by the Gentfrom Ohio, Mr. Gunman] in season to enable the ComWays&Means and other committees to know accurately the facts upon which they are called to legislate. And while' I am upon the floor I desire to say this in relation to the future action of the committee and of the House upon this bill. I do not propose that we shall come to a vote upon it in the House to night. There are some 3 or 4 gentlemen who desire to occupy ten or 15 minutes each in the Generaldiscussion of the bill. That discussion propose to allow tomorrow. But it is neces‘ sary that we should take a little time between this and tomorrow to look over the bill, in order to determine what were regarded as contested nestions, so that the House may know upon what amendments it will be necessary to take the vote by yeas&nays. There are also several amendments which it is proposed may be offered and voted upon in the House. An then there are some blan ksyet to be filled. Itrust the friends of the bill will allow it to go to the House, and also allow this discussion upon it. " And I trust, also, that the vote will be a lowed to be taken upon the various amendments before an test question on, the bill shall be taken.