Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-02-24
The Report of the Investigating Committee.

the charges alleged against the State Printer, in
procuring his election by corrupt means. The
report, after referring TO the testimony, showing
that 200 were to be paid 10 Collin McCurdv. |
g, 500 TO Thco. Fem, one fifth of the profits to
A. J. Gossbrenner, and the binding to Clyde & |
Williams in consideration of the wing votes
takes up the subject of the bond ofunion between
the Reporter, Keystone and Gazette, by which
they bound themselves to battle down the Co
| vernon, and all those who should avow prefer.
cncc for any one else than Mr. buchanan for the
/ Presidency We make room for the following
extract:
"And in the event Of said administration as.
suming ground hostile to Mr. buchanan for the
Presidency, then that paper should take decided
stand against the administration movements on
that question. This secret agreement couchcd
in cautious language, taken together with the fact
that Governor Porter had not expressed any pre-.
ference for Mr. Buchanan over the other cand.
dates for the Democratic nomination, may b.
gardrd as the first step in a formal declaration of
war upon the Exccutve.-Cnder these arrange
mcnts, the bin TO elect State Printers passed.
, dll b'ClNc Il law. nc udN Ol tllS tltttlon dI-
rived, and the first ballot was
nounccd than the existence of this secret combi-
nation between these three presses was declared
on the floor of the convention by some to whom
the secret had been disclosed. but who were
friends of the Executive, and Were unwilling To
engag, in this war upon him. 1t is due here to
state that TO the formation of this combinations
~
ful and mprccnary combinations which followed
These presses had been living upon the public
Treasury in their turn for years and seemed TO
be determined TO play desperate game TO Sc
cure themselves The main prize in the public
printing for the next three years. Finding. how
ever, after several huitlcss attempts to secure
their election their friends joined with the
friends of the other candidates, and, with the
view Of putting an end 10 this state Of things.
adjourned the convention To pass law giving all
the public printing and binding to the lowest
bidder. Such n bill was accordingly passed, and
wen, to the Executive where itrcmaincd for eight
days when il was returned with his veto. Then
the former scrabble was resumed. Adjournment
followed adjournment without an election, and
many. in consequence of the veto of the Exccu.
i tive, determined h"ncclorth to vote for such
printers as might hr most hostile to him, and
visit upon him their opposition for his veto o
d their favorte mca>nre-thc lowest bidder bill
II and no one can doubt that this feeling taker
II advantage of by such of the printers and thcir
/ borers as had large pecunary interest at stake
> and was pressrdupon members as strong reason
'i for eecting those hostile To the Governor, II
y addition to the influences already referred TO, Il
:. procure this result, there was the influence .
IS GlosSbrcnner, of York, contcnding for his one
y fifth of the profits the influence of Fem, to >"
cure his s25OO the influence of NrCurdy an,
his ncsotiators TO put into his pocket, without
it would seem from his testimony, his ow
knowledge of what had been going on, the sun
of $4,000; and the influence of Clyde Williams
- who, for their services, were 10 receive the put
l. lie binding To produce the same result also
J" was cXertcd the influence of both the companic
- owning the two German prcSscS-one of who's
= member was put forth aud was ucccs>u as ia
IT, candidate for the German printing and binding
'" These We're the combinations whose influence
were brought 10 bear in securing the election q
State Printers. Do their effects upon publ
!" policy and public morals call for a single con
~ mcnt 10 bring upon them the Indignant condcn
VI nation of every honest citizen of the Common
DC wealth But the history of this matter does ne
'' end herc-the sums of money TO be paid by
Is VI Kinlcy, were not, in any way, secured and q
the consid ration for which said money was TO
paid, was fraudulent. covnous, and illegal, al
against public policy and morals the ordiuar
-; forms OF contract would afford the payccS no :
b., curity for their money; and az it was eyidcl
- that the Governor would, if in his power, ustii
IT, himself in refusing 10 approve OF the bonds al
=, that he desired to deliver over the printers elc
to the present Legislature the printers proceed,
.n. TO consumate their arrangements with each 9th
=, in the safest manner possible by the execute
h, Of negotiable notes
rr, It became necessary that the most perfect so
bit faith should he preserved among these eonsrir
tors against the public welfare, because from Z
pa course it was apparent the Executive would pr
We sue il was necessary that that funCt.Ona
hg should be denounced in every part of {
TO Commonwealth by both political Partie. a
md as soon as these negotiable notes, To the amou
oi of -, 500, were drawn, aud safely deposited
OF the vaults of the Middlctown Bank, the work
eic manufacturing public opinion on this suhIe
on commenced, and every paper published by the
We uercenares at the seat of Government was