The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-07-24
congressional Printing.

AuDNS VI tNNNuAihZ WutNAis % NAft ~ - 49,
there exists indispensable ne ,
oesstty Tor a thorough aad radical reform.
Some years ago, indeed, this necessity was
cenclusiyelv shown IN an elaborate and lu-
cid Report 10 The Senate, from Commit. !
tee OF which Mr.. Morehead, oil NY. was
Chairman. We then INSISTED on the pro-
priety OF change IN the manner OF execu.
ting the pubic printing, 10y the adoption of
the contract system, applicable to every
other branch Ct the public service, which
would necessarily bring ebout, by The com
petition II would create, fair relation be.
tween the labor and the price, and what Is
even more desrable than that, effect d..
lincal Press. Tne importance OF the pro-
posed reform, in both Of these aspects, can
not fail 10 strike tie mind OF the most So
pericial observer.
We dsclaim, 10 the outset, being iuilu-
enced, in the slightest degree, by any feel.
ing OF hostility 10 the gentlemen who now
hold the Office OF Congr ssional printers. II
the present system is 10 continue, &c know
of 10 one whose ualinng devotion TO his
party better entities him 10 the enormous
perqllsites than the editor OF The Union;
and for ourselves, we have not The slightest
wish to transfer the advantageous position
10 any other individual Of his party.
1.-THE present prices Of Printing are 10 be
always pad-prices by which Bialr aud
Rives wore 10 brief period converted from
bankrupts into mtilt0nGries-we have no
objection to continuing the office 10 the
hands of Mr.. Richie, MS long as the party
20 the euccess Of which ne has devoted his
time and talents, retain their ascendancy.
But system caunot be right which ena.
bles man thus speedily 10 accumulate a
fortune, by eyorblanl charges against The
government, and more especially when
that man IS 10 be regarded as the ORGAN Of
the Executive and tie champion and deen.
der of the Party whose will alone const-
tuies the tenure Of his office. We are Ut.
terly opposed TO The policy Of pensouins a
Press TO vndica,e The conduct OF those who
pension it. The editor may be man Of
unques,loDabe integrity and Of equal hrm.
ness but, when such great inducements
served, and TO eUlogz and defend men, OF
equiVocal professions and measures OF InJu.
rious tendency, the temptation TO be silent
when be should denouncc, and to defend
where he should attack viii be too often
irresistible even for such man. These
influences, indeed, not unfr' Quenlly operate
impefceptIbly TO him who IS their slave.
At all events, our memory furnishes US with
but one SIGNAL instance Of the exhibition
Of a stern and lofty Independence on the
part Of the individual holding the office Of
Printer TO Congress, That individual was
Gen. Duff Green, who, although we have
often differed with HIN in opinion, deserves
honorable menuoR 10 this connection. But
what was the penllyl The office was Ia.
ken from him and gtvon 10 another, who
would be more ser7lle, or as his proscrbers
SAID, more cons!stcn! The men who Law.
ished upon him the public treasure could
not brook The idea that be should canvass
their conduct with the spirit Of free man,
conducting a free Press. Aud such, We
hazard nothing IN saying, would be the fate
of the editor OF the lmon now, were he, BY
accident, 10 differ ff0u. the Executive uDou
any leading measare-ss he ola upon ,t,.
Sub. Treasury question IN l-37--and exert
the influence oil his press 10 defeat II. A
new journal would al once spring into eSls.
tence, and become the rec peut both OF Ex.
eculive favor and Congressional patronage
Just as BIalr Il Ryes superseded DJli
Green, when the latter ven,ured to ques-
ton the infallbilly OF Gen. jackson. The
force Of these remarks may perhaps be
more accurately appreciated by glance at
some Of the pccn'ory results Of the exist.
,ng system.
In May last, Mr.. French, the Clerk Of
the House of Representatives, (as we are
told by the Washington correspondent, Of
the Baltimore Patriot basng his opinion
upon the amount actually paid to Messrs.
Blair & Rlves, q, The corresponding SEES.
sion Of the last Congre Sc, estimated the
sum necessary for The payment Of tue prIn
tiers al the present session al y 600 dol
lars. the bill OF Messrs. Ruchie d Hess
up to the lst Of March, (lhree months a
mounted TO So 100 dollars. The Iloust
having appropriated only sac, 600 to thu
object, the balance due them was 8 | ) 100
Besides this, Mr.. French states that Mes
statement OF r. I'll. .tss4i. have presented him
printing Of the Report Of Commissioned {
Patents SCI, making sum Of SIS
527 necessary to balance lLeir account u
10 the lst Of March, and pay for the print
ing Of the Report. Since the ST Of Marc
much extra printing has been ordered az
It is the opinion Of the Clerk, S65 600 s
low estimate for the additional payments
be made. Mr.. French, therefore asks f
this additional appropriation. Even NJ
johnson, Of Tennessee-nol apt to be sta
tied at aDy thing done by his parly--wt
not prepared for this exhibit. " Here, n
eaid was the sum Of $50 900 TO be pal
for the printing Of the House Of Represel
taiives, over and above the Sum paid iC
the printing Of The long session Of the la
Congress F; and, tbs. Too, after a reducuo
OF ) per cent had been made upon the pr
ces Of Messrs. Blair 81 Rives This, h
exclaimed, was specimen Of modern deu
ocratlc economy % If however the ptr