Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-04-13

u Several of our cotemporaries, without we APP
prehend, very critical examination, have pronoun-
ced the law providing for the publication of the Re-
vsed Statutes, manifest violation of the constitu-
ton The law in question provides that the copy
right oil the Revised Statutes, for the space of two
years shall be secured to tine commissioners to re-
wise the laws or some suitable person appointed by
then-that they shall be printed in a certain style,
and the state will subscribe for and take 1000 co2its
at price therein specified. Now, ifthis be viola
ton of that part of the constitution when says that
all printing required for the Of the state shall be
let by contract to the lowest bidder, then the con-
stituion has been repeatedly violated since being
framed and these publishers have, themselves, been
reapng the fruits of the violation, without warn
ing voice a note of Indignation The bill against
the state for newspapers alone, during the late
sion, was over $4,000. If all printing to be paid
for by the State comes within the purview of the
constitution, how the conc fusion be avoided
that this is violation of that instrument; yet we
belle every printer in the state ourself among the
number, sent in bills for printing at their prices
without saying word of the necessity of having
the work done by contract By the lowest bidder.
The Legislature has also, from time to time, drec
ted the publication of the laws in certain papers and
have allowed the publishers prices for the same. If
this printing required for the use of the state,
how could it have been consitutionay done with
out being let to the lowest bidder; and yet the Ma
olson Argus aud Democrat have both put III bills for
publishing the laws at the extravaganza rate of so
cents per folio, and had tnem allowed and paid with
out murmurng word against the constitutiona!ity
of the measure. A law also passed at the close
Of the session directing the Governor to publish in
such papers as he saw fit, certain laws. The pint
ers to whom these laws sent, WILL we apprehend
publish them, and send OH their bills at their own
prices without urging the necessity of letting
out the work TO the lowest bidder. Laws disposing
of the manuscripts of the decisions of the supreme
court, precisely similar to the law dsposng of the
copy of the Revised Statutes, were passed, and we
have not yet heard voice raised against them.
Daniel H. Chandler has the copy right of the deci-
sons of the supreme court of the state, and the state
subscribes for and takes 100 copies at SO per copy,
after the shall have been printed directed.
If these copies required for the of the state
how could the state constitutonally get them with
out having them printed by the lowest bidder. A
law too passed, providing for the publication OF
certain laws in the German and Norwegian angua-
ges, and appointing certain gentlemen to do the
work at specified price, and yet we hear not d
word of the unconstitutionaty of this BILL We are
not claiming that all this furnishes undoubtcd evil
dencc of the consttutionay of the bill in ques ion;
we merely wish to show the recognised understan-
ding of that feature of the constitution, acqucsced
in thus far by all authorities as we'll as the public
opinion of the state. There are many features oil
the constitution which experience has demonstrated
can be observed only in the letter; and if the con-
stituton Is to be construed in manner to declare
this bill unconstitutional then the state cannot
stitutonal!y purchase an almanac, nor book fol
the library, nor newspaper, without first letting
the contract for the same to the lowest bidder