The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1843-12-20
CO M M U MIC TON.
From the .Madisonian Of F,idau, Dec. 8.


"PRoscRIPnoN.--It has now been nearly two
years since Congress took from the President the
power OF bestowing on Press which supported
his Administration the little Executive printing
in this city. The cause alleged in justifca lou
OF the act was, that regard for economy in pub
llc expenditures required that the work should
be given to the lowest bidder. Such was the
argument advanced by Mr. Botts the mover OF
the resolution, which cut us off with shilling.
ell, the printing toas let 10 the lowest bidder !;
and we have just been informed by the disburs-
ing officer of the State Department, that the
printing Of the Laws of the last Session, PAM
phlet form, cost the Government So So per page !;
whereas, those Of the preceding Session, under
the Old arrangement, were printed for $6 81 per
page. SO much for the economy Of MIR. Bolts"
N. B.-The resolution of Mr.. Bolts seems
10 be the more unjust 10 us, inasmuch as we had
Just purchased the materials necessary to do the
work, having been engag ed to executeit. Those
materials are now idle, and rusting in our Office"
COMMENT That portion Of the above relating
to the printing of the laws is unfairly stated, and
calculated to make the impression that the Gov
eminent pays more for printing under the con-
tract system than formerly-such is not the fact
and the reason why the printing Of the laws of
the last session Of Congress cost more than the
session previous IS this; the Department Of State
omitted to advertise for proposals to print the
laws, when they advertised their other printing,
and the printer who was contractor for the job
work, claimed and received the printing of the
laws at his own price, or at the prices he agreed
to do book work, which brought the laws at
So 80 per page. The laws Of the previous SEES
sion were done under special contract, and at
lower price ($6 81 per page than they were
ever done before. The Madisonian forgot to tell
US that the State Department have made a con-
tract to print the laws Of the present session for
80 10, which it will be seen is very considerably
lower than the lowest price named above
Letrshe editor of the Madisonian extend his
inquiries to ether jobs and other Departments,
and he will find that circulars for which he re-
celyed ten dollars per ream, are NOW printed as
well as they ever were for -four dollars, and al
other work is done equally low The records of
the Department will prove by the contract sys-
tenn the Government saves more than ffy per
land has the work done as well as it ever was.
The editor has frequently alluded to this sub
Ject,, and as frequently committed errors-one in
particular, in saying that, since the DAYS of
Washington the Executive printing was given to
the organ Of tho Administration -never until
the election Of Gen. Jackson was the Job print
ing OF the Department given to the office of the
organ, but it was always done by the various Job
offices in the city, without regard to politics
In the IN b. of the Madisonian's " proscrip-
ton" article, the editor says, he thinks il hard
that he should be deprived of the Executive
printing. after he had spurchased ~ material .
for its execution. If it is hard on Mr.. Jones,
how does il affect the proprietors oftAe several
JOB offices In the city, who not only have spur
chased material, but serveA an apprenticeship to
the printing business, an art Of which the editor
is entirely lgnoraat>