The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1822-01-22
LfE1-B GAZE IlPRa


OCCUPIED mas undoubtedly cost the Stale as much ~
would the printing for the whole year II qutsia,
Of very small Importance the people Of this sls-
whether man another does the joh-ther osf,
consideration il who viii DO il the cheapes. n the hqff
II every subject ~ this trivial consequence " w w
made pdrsy question and divide rila hDlses Wlff--
reference 60 the merits Of the case. pav eAnecf
state OF things deeply TO regretted and session wv
alm0stintemiaable engih- Let rs look All the history
Of this controversy early in the session COMMITTEES
was raised in ca1h branch b. usual. I'D cnntrarturA
some person 20 40 the necessavv printing for tho
state during THE current year Some tine after wv
committee tad been appointed il discovered hvte
supporters Of TIE ministry. that majority ~ this con-
mittce was composed Of Wingatonians; ttcy inmr5-
acly resorted 70 sta'agem 70 defeat teir opetionst
obtained order in the house that previous engaging
a Printer they should report their dones fothat lAd1
The course pursued by TIE csrmtfre was prrfccr
airthey sent 10 each oftlie prinfrs n memorandum
OF lie printing which would be required and roques,ec
them 10 place their terms against each item and WI
turn he proposals ssoted 70 the committee. This uas
complied with by all Of them, except tire printer w
Argus
But the ministry having succeeded II the notion TX
the committee 70 report, and not contract the CHAIR
man reported certain proposals fom three persons il
this town, which sealed and of whose contents
the committee were ignorant II was then moved hv
Mr.. Clark, that the seals should be broken and thg
terms read This being done il appeared that cur FRO
prosals amounted 10 1857 3D. and those Of the priny
tiers OF the Statesman 70 $3.50. III making our es-
tHhdtC w CdlCuiittA tit Pltt OF lAS payer and the
abour, and added that small sum for or services
profit upon the work. The idea of an agreement or
understanding between the Statesman and ourselves
as i nsinuated in the last Argus is ahsHl-Hc we're
wholly ignorant q their terms, until the seal brok
en- M the LEGISLATURE X does not appear 70 our minds
At all surprising that persons of trade in est-
mating the value Of their ah0ur item by item should
come within $50 Or go % the same result. But il
wouli bc very suTprizng that where a rob was 10 BE-
given 10 person who would M IL Cbeapeyt ppr
IN as
another should still raise bis an hg auouu
ana thus voluntarily deprive himself Of the work Yer
such IS the conclusion the Argas would draw against
Us because approached q near chose az the
Statesman. Tho printer Of the Argus declined naming
any sum- brit offered 10 10 the work for reasonable
compensation.
II may Ne permitted ~ make conjecture "
the reasons which induced him 10 decline specific
proposition, N addition 70 THAT arising from an under
standing. that he should leave the subject opcn anf
give pretence 70 b. friends 10 offer motion fnr
choosing state printer by ballot II would be that BIZ
bill for last years services being unlquidateI ana
amounting to over Sl2O0 ne would by STEERING re7-
sonabe terms subact ims-fto the yUsricion al hay
ing overcharged his labor for last wear and the con-
sequent reduction Of Ills bill or eee hr 20 much above
terms q the Others destroy al hope Of succeed
ing 10 the appUinment--for he could not with any
face offer terms which should approach the other two
without the imPtatiUn az having presented trur1pec
up hi % the legislature for last years services.
the report being read motion immediately
nothing further should be done BY them: and what
they bad already accomplished should he act aside H
the suhect remain where il was before the committee
was raised. This motion didnot succeed IN the house
mt IN the senate passed almost unanimously n was
returned to the house. hut tRrv adhered 10 their fol-
mer vote, on the ground that il was more economical
70 maze conactandi If contract were 20 he made.
commltce was the most suitable body 70 effect fhlg
ooect-anf tbs present one having had the sub
Ject under consideration, and being possessed or fac
were better qualified than another to make good lar
gain This committee having been raised.by the con.
current vote III tie two branches could not ~ dis
charged WITHOUT IKE VOTE which being refused on tue
part or the house. they consequently retained the now
eFs with which they were originally invested tbsv
therefore proceeded in their duty and made a con-
tract win the who offered 70 do the work IN
the lowest terms, who were the printers Of the States
man.
ThoucA we were deprived Of the ich which we
should have liked very WELL ~ ibis decision Of the
committee cannot possibly perceive how they could
have discharged their duty otherwise than they did,
because after they had declared their determination
contract with the person who weuld offer the lowest
terms, we know Of no principle w which they could
avoid the obligation Aud though scrie NAV complain
because they have been deprived Of The work ar
prehend the people viii not sympafh7e with them,
when il is considered THAT the amount Of the contra
Tor the current year bur little more than half tile
amount ot The last years bill fnrsmilar services
re are not IN all cases fond Of cheap things sBcs
as cheap governors. cheap judges. t2c.-for we wish
mat ui"Ss VINO Work Ter the public should Re VIZ
paid that good men may be induced "a accept Of re-
sponslble stanonsi but in mechanical ahour il i
great recommendation, IN opinion that be who
works ior the state should work cheap-that Tie should
not hli ms pockets unreasonably Of the state ex
chequer-
This then Is the history Of tic much aga'ed Nue'4
ton' tho Is to DO The state printing ?-And sii tAf
arguments upon the subject throwing aside raFiT m-
tuences, comes to this simple nuDo iiien whether
y better 70 contract before hand Or ID appoint rf-
son 70 % the work and leave his account for slss
qUcnt settlement.
The Iiallowell advocate has undertakes 10 n
wity at our statement Of the votes for Govern
or but as he does not attempt TO DENY thatHe
used che word majority in IFS correct sense W
shall leave the writer Of the remarks al the sai-
isfaction which tie may derive from his vii
while We confess ourselves very we'll confent'e
have the truth conceded TO vs.. We have heart
Of some men, who being unable ~ ray m ac-
count when It was presented, cuntriEed 10 lausa
at i, as the I-ydans are sail to have inYentea
gaming ~ season oftamne. tu 5ppeasd bur
ger; 50 tile writer In fhe Advocate being mi
BE 20 controycFt eur definition Of majority hs
tiought u an allowable cNI e,liunt W make Q lrl
n 4 : We are UNIV iiling 10 disturb the gcDtt
Heams Complaceucv.
To what he saws about TIE 7rtic'p Which ny "
extracted irum Boston parer, noticing II
votes on city government, VIC only refsl
That we TO not consider ourselves aCc0untaa
Tor m improper uso Of language in any qlo
ION from other journals. nor that We have
thority to alter il.