The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-21
THE DAILY UNION.

without printer fos a month rather than 10 20 into
the election. Did not his whole course--his whole
argument TO what must be the resulthis ealcula-
ZION as to what would be the profits Of the printing
that II was out of the power Of the House 10 affect
IL He also noticed the effort Of Mr. ID. TO introduce
resolution before the printing of tho Patent Office
report was ordered TO limit the profits upon that
document TO $1,000, and this after his committee
was organized, and whilst they were investigating
the subject. These attempts, he argued showed
conclusiyey that the gentleman did not believe they
could pass resolution having a retroactive opera
ton.
But again' II they had right TO go back, and re-
duco the prices Of printing on much they have
already executed, he defed any man, who under
stood the commoRest principles OF law, to say why
they could not 60 back and make Blair & Riyes
disgorge portion Of what they had received, and
more especially Gales q Seaton, who are at this
very moment executing very large and exceeding
ly profitable job ordered by the last Senate at the
rates Of 1919. As he was told, they were at this
momen, at work receiving 20 per cent. more than
Richie q Iielss and yet these rends Of Gales n
Seaton came here and made hue. and-cry about the
prices which were now paid TO the printers Of the
present Congress. Would the gentleman agree TO
insert In his bill provision operating retrospective
ly upon this job Of Gales & Seaton Ia the same man.
ner as upon Richie q Heissl Why, il any man
was to make this proposiIion-he was about TO use
expression which would i'll become the decorum
OF this House-but following the example of the
gentleman from Kentucky he would say that il this
proposition was made the whole sty would
have been in uproar, none Of its inmates
squeaking louder than the gentleman from Ken
lucky, in those tones with which they were so ia
miisn No; be should vote for no such PROPOSE
ton; he shosld make none; he came here TO legis-
late as nm American statesman not to gIatfy any par
tisan, personal feeling he had none against these ed.
h.. hal h. u. III Il
gratifying IT, he should try that would be more
becoming. These gentlemen were now doing the
work 20 per cent less than Gales Il Seaton ever
did, and per cent. less than Blair & Ryes; and yet
they had all this cry about il.
Mr.. Is. did not hesitate then TO vote for these
printers, with the distinct understanding that no
future reduction was to be retroactive He said
with a distinct understanding because he came
now to state what he had stated on a former oeca
sion, that an effort was made to get him, as friend
OF Richie q Heiss, TO pledge them that they
would submit TO a retrospective reduction. He
positively refused for reasons which he stated to
the gentlemen who urged him to it-oDe Of which
was, he did not think the gentlemen ought to agree
TO commit themselves TO the tender merces Of a
committee, at the head Of which was the gentleman
from Kentucky and another was, as he then stat
ed 20 the chairman Of the Committee OF WayS and
Means, who would recollect it, that II such a propo.
sition was agreed 20, they would have the sub Jet
up here eiernally, as subject Of partisan discus
sion, and as a means Of striking at the printers
whoever they might be, who were elected by the
opposite party, or who might be obnoxious to
them from any reason.
He had stated that he voted for these gentle
men with the distinct understanding that there
should be no reduction to have a RETROSPECT
tive operation; because he did not believe, nor
did he now believe, that they were making
the enormous profits that have been represent
ed. And he begged leave to say, without mean
ing any personal dlsrespect for that COMMUNICATION
most Of them he had great respect-that in the
whole course OF his life he had never seen or heard
unfair statement Of a case than the report Of
that committee contained In inquiry into this subject
of printing they had first before them John c. Rves
who had had great experience in this matter; also
the foreman Of Gales & Seston's Office man Of
some twenty years experience in the business-and
MIR. Trenholm, foreman Of Richie & Heiss's print
ing ofice-a gentleman who might not be known
to many members Of this House, with whom Mr..
B. had very little personal acquaintance, but from
from that little he undertook to say he was as in
tellgent, as accomplished printer TO be
found in the city of Washington. IL had rarely
been his fortune to meet with a gentleman with
whom short acquaintance had left more favor
able impression on his mind as alphabetically gen.
tleman and scholar. The committee had these
gentlemen before them, and the testimony Of every
one Of them was discarded and that Of MIR. Gideon
holm says - ." i
Mr Towers estimates the cost to the printer Of 81 oos
copies at S30TI6
Now the cost Of tro items asa, viz; psp.r and pre.
work would amount to about s3o,iso.7
Thus il is shown in this estimate of Mr. Towers
20 much relied on, that everything is omitted be-
rides paper and presswork, viz ink stitching fold
ing, wear and tear, &c, &c.
Mr.. Rives says the compensation is not too high
He proves his sincerity in this by showing that he
declined in the 9Th Congress to lake the job at the
reduction at which the work was now done Gales
Seaton did take it, and according to the statement
IF MIR. Rives they could only make one per cent
lnder the reduction Of lSl9-under which the pres
mt printers were now executing the work of Con-
sress. Here is what Mr. Rives says:
II think that the House of Representative. had re-
ueed the prices Of printing the 10th Con
yress they now2O per cent below the prices
liked by the joint resolution of Congress passed in isIa
would have deliberaed some time whether MIR Blair and
Myself should take it, and am not sure that the deibera
ion wou Id have induced to take it, though Il is proba
bls that would have taken it TO have kept others from
letting It, Tor no other reason Messrs Gales Seaton
hen proposed to execute the printing OF Congress for 70
cent less than the prices fixed by the Joint resolution
law OF session precisely 10 per cent less than
hose named in the joint resolution of ise and therefore
re exactly the same for which Messrs Gales seaton
proposed to execute the printing Of the Goth Congress
They estimated thenand swore to their estimate If re-
the prices fixed by the joint resolution Of 1919 and
Consequently that they would make only per cent BY
Necutng the printing on the terms they proposed They
eged and perhaps the only one proposing
do the printing low, that they did to Keep their
vorkmen employed for the benefit of their printers
vho would be thrown out Of employme otherwise"
When the next Congress Qhe NTH met. both houses
assed resolutions in advance Of their electng printers
ucng the prices 20 cent below those fixed by the joint
esolution of 1919 As those resolutions passed
allied Messrs. Gales Seaton and told them that MIR
lair myself would be candidates for either house
nd that would not do the work for those prices il
should offer i 10 Mr. Gales replied that he did
know what TO do lie said his friends in Congress had
mainly Instrumental in having the resolutions passed
hen the election came Messrs. Gales Seaton
lected printers for both houses without opposition If
ecolect right They the printing OF both
and heard nothing about the prices of
printing until the last night OF that Congress when
argued that the printing could be done for the
ces they had been required TO do it, and the 20 per
restored TO them by inserting clause in OF the
preparation bills to that effect
when the next Congress Che 2s,h) met, Mr. Rair and
self elected printers to the House and Messrs
ales seson elected printers 10 the Senate. The
ouse reduced its prices Is per cent which the
had paid to for the 26th Congress The Senate did
nduce its prices hut paid TO Messrs Gales seston the
rjces fixed by the joint resolution of 1872
Near the chose Of the last Congress Che 18Th there
clause inserted An Of Che appropriation bills which
law reducing the prices TO be paid for the printing
Congress 20 per cent below those paid under the law
'Is therefore the lawful price is 20 per less
the printing of Congress eIscRS for except
Blair Rives and per cent less than they paid