The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-06-18
WHOLE NO. 359.


power IL will be recollected that, in the latter
part Of January, the subject OF printing was be
lore the House. The printing Of the Senate,
the House, and the Executive Department.
would, in all, amount TO probably 100000 pei
Congress During the last few years most ex-
traordlnary change in the monetary transactions
OF the country has taken place. Property and
produce have fallen nearly one-half, and, Of
course, our printing could be obtained much
cheaper than formerly. The prices at which
our printing had been done were fixed in 1919
more than twenty years had made great improve
ments in the art of printing. | was informed
by gentleman who had spent twenty or thirty
years IN the business, that the press work con
stituted in 1919 little short of one-haf of the
whole labor of printing and that the improve
ments since that period had diminished the la
Dor in press-work at the rate Of serenity fire per
cent. Under these circumstances, | was per-
fectly conscious that great reduction in the cx-
pense OF printing ought 10 be made, particularly
as there were so many candidates for the Office
OF Printer, all Of whom appeared anxious TO OBJ
tain the appointment. Added TO these facts, we
had the report of a respectable committee, com
posed mostly of friends of the Administration
which showed that the printing of neighboring
State is executed at forty fre per cent. less Than
tre are paying With these facts before me-
opened a correspondence with several gentle
men who had been long engaged in the business
Of printing and understood, as believe, the va
lue of that kind Of labor. My object was 10 oh
tain from each a statement Of the amount for
which he would do the whole public printing
now done in this city when compared with the
prices of 1919. The offers varied from fme,ty-
ire TO forty per cent reduction from former
prices. This, il will AT once be seen, would save
to the peope Of this nation from ONE hundred 10
one hnndred and sirty thousand dollars per
Congress. If we had proceeded to the election
of printer according TO the previous usage Of
Congress- the person elected would thereby gain
legal right TO receive compensation according
to the law Of 1919. The Clerk had for some
time employed the printing Of the House to be
done not by the person who would do il the
cheapest, but by the editors of the Globe, at
price probably Of at least thirty per cent. above
what other printers were willing and anxious TO
do It for. The authority of the Clerk to do this
had expired, and il appeared that one party Were
anxious TO elect Blair & Rives printers without
qualifying the prices at which they should do the
work The other party appeared equally anxi
Gus to save the money. In truth, sir, without
any clrcumlocuton, it appeared TO be the object
OF one party TO give this sum Of one hundred
and sirty thousand dollars 10 Messrs Blair d.
Rires, over and above the real value Of printing
while the other party appeared equally anxious
to save II 10 the nation. | speak OF appearances.
will not charge any man with improper inten-
tons will give facts, and leave the People to
Judge for themselves. The Globe, in the mos
unblushing manner, urged upon the majority o.
this House the necessity Of electng its editor,
printers in order 10 sustain their paper. They
did not disguise the object of their party, and
will not. The time having expired during which
the Clerk was authorized TO obtain the printing
the able chairman of the Committee of Ways
and Means, made a most pathetic appeal to the
House to authorize the Clerk to continue the
printing upon the former terms. He introduced
his resolution TO that effect; but most unfor.
tunately FOR his party, omitted TO call the prevlouf
question. ! had drawn up substitute directing
the Clerk to have il done by such person as would
do it " nth The least eapense 10 The Gorern
memn This substitute offered as an amend
ment. Some little confusion appeared on pre-
senting il, but il was adopted No sooner, how
ever, had the Speaker declared the result than
my colleague from the Hamilton district, moved
a reconsideration Of the vote. Here, sir the
democracy of my colleague and myself came in
contact NV efforts and Intentions were TO sdre
the money!; as TO ms intentions do not Judge
his efforts appeared TO be 10 eire he moneyto
Blair 4. Rires. Certain it is ,he opposed, with
his voice and his vote, the resolution to have the
printing done by the person who would do il for
the least money, and then voted for Blair and
Rives printers. Yet his motion TO reconsider
failed bv small majority, and the resolution
thus amended was adopted. Proposals were, |
believe, that very night or perhaps the next
morning, handed to the Clerk, Offering to do the
printing at prices averaging twenty five per cent
deduction from what we had paid under the law
of 1919, and the most undoubted security for its
faithful performance was offered Still further.
will remark, that one of the offers alluded to
was from one Of the political friends of my col
league.
Sir, crisis had arrived. We had adopted
the resolution, and if Messrs. Blair & Rives per
formed the printing, under il, they must do so
upon as favorable terms as others would do it
They could receive nothing beyond fair and
honorable profit for their labor They could not
receive the public treasure without considera-
ton, or for extra copies of the Globe. II was
said that great confusion prevailed among the
ranks of the Administration party. ''Rumor
with her thousand tongues" spoke Of q certain
partu caucus, convened that evening or the
next morning, at which ways and means were
devised to avoid this rctrenchment which had
been adopted OF this fact know nothing cX-
cept from rumor. However, if no such caucus
were held, gentlemen of the party have now an
opportunity TO deny their participation in it. Ii
is nj least certain that the next morning mo-
ton was made to reconsider the resolution which
had been adopted the day before. And here
came the test of all our professions about re
trenchmem and reform. II now gave an oppor-
tunity for every member Of each party to show
his constituents and the nation his views in re-
gard TO the abuses complained Of. The result,
though disastrous TO the cause of reform, was n
proud one for the Wings. On that occasion er-
ery Wing voted against the reconsideration
and erery Administration man voted for it
Sir, the facts stand recorded, and will remain in
all coming time as proof Of the sincerity OF
the Administration party; and will show 10 the
People of this nation who il is that would tax
the many to support the fer; who are willing
to tax your constituents and nine, Mr. Char
man, TO support paper which they hold IN con
tempt.