Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-11-12
To tie Edifers Of "a, Vh,s ,

Gentlemen I'll perceive you begin TO resume
tho discussion Of the "Organ" subject. which is
destined al no very distant period to attract large
share Of public attention. Perhaps the following
suggestions may not meet with your entire dis
appreciation
The Moniteur and Journal des Debats, in Paris,
are literally the Organs" of the French Govern.
meut, ut this time, and the former has been, you
very well know, Tor fifty years, through all the
changes which that Country has experienced.
understand that the materials of,he printing offices
where they are issued, are owned by the Govorn-
ment, just posts, arscnals, ships, guns, or any
other species of property is owned. Upon a
change Of Administration, the Editor goes out AS
regularly as the ministry TO which he is attached.
Sums of money are appropriated in the same IMAM
ner, and by the same authority to support them,
with other institutions Of public nature.
In this country, the constitution provides, that
no money shall be paid for any purpose, but in
consequence Of specific appropriation made by
Congress, and that appropriations for one object,
shall not be applied to another. Every year Con-
gress is called to appropriate certain sums for
public printing. Ii has never, believe, been
asked to make one for the support of an ORGAN.
If the President were to apply the appropriations
of the Army and Navy to the support Of n News
paper, what would the public say Yet he has
fully as much authority to do the one, the other.
There is a certain specific sum voted for public
printing What authority has any man to apply
that specific sum to the establishment of a News.
paper, more than he has to appropriate the Army
and Navy fund TO the same purposel lift is said
that the paper is established merely out Of the pro.
ceeds Of the public printing, then say, it is an
useless, and most unwarrantable waste OF the pub.
lie money.
You have singular fact connected with this
subject, Immediately before your eyes. The late
Globe was established IN the year 1881. 1t had
been in existence fourteen years at the time OF
its decease. From the best information | can
gather, it was printed at a dead loss of $4,000
per annum, thus sinking in fourteen years, sl4O,
900. During portion of that time, it did not
print for the Senate. The clear profits of the two
editors, during that time, could not have been
less than six hundred thousand dollars, that is to
say, about $40, 900 per dnnum. Add to this the
ten thousand sunk by the Globe and you have So.
900 per annum. Now make very large es-
innate, when put the average of the public print.
ing down at Sl5o,000 per annum. Here then is
clear profit of thirtyfve per cent the most tre-
mendous business ever done, in this or any other
country, for the same length of time, on SO large
a scale.
Now, gentlemen, | will venture TO say, and
leave it to any printer in the city Of Richmond,
that there i, not practical printer, in all this
country, who would not undertake to do all this
printing for consideration not exceeding Sly per
cent, upon the annual appropriation, and an al
lowance of two and half per cent for the wear
| and tear of his materials. hold that any printer
| whould be glad TO undertake it for 100000, in
Gliding every thing. The necessity of sustaining
an Organ out OF a purse not appropriated by
Congress, has thus cosi the country $4,000 per
annuni more than it should have done, and judg.
| ing from appearances, is yet to cost untold and
unnecessary hundreds of thousands. The very
sum of money annually sunk by the Globe, would
have been sufficient to have paid the printer hand
| somely for his labor.
hold the appropriation of money designed for
| one purpose, to the execution OF another, to be q
fragrant violation Of the Constitution. liz it b,
commended that it is not such an appropriation
then it must be admitted that the waste has beer
Pro1igatc beyond example.
/ contend, gentlemen, that if there be any ne.
cessity for all Organ" the course pursued, in
order 10 lis establishment, is radically
wrong. Let the necessity he candidly discussed
let all the arguments, pro and contra, be fully un.
dersood, and then if the decision be favorable to
such an establishment, let Congress appropriate q
sum Of money for ha SPECIFIC purpose. Let the
Government own the type, it owns other pub.
lie properly; let the President appoint the editor
as he appoints othsr public officers; let Congress:
settle the salary, it settles the salaries OF other
functionaries. A salary of two thousand dollar.
will command the very best talent in the LocotocC
party and instead Of witnessing in n press, which
from its position as regards the President, must
attract large share Of attention, foreign as vel
as domestic, the deplorable spectacle of servilC
imbecility, which has rendered the present "Or
gan" the theme of universal derision, we might
| expect to see principles even if wrong, maintain
ed with vigor which would not he dscreditable
, 10 the country. TYPO.