Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-10-19

holm and Belt, and If the work al
ready executed has subjected Mr.. R.
10 loss, / have no hesitation in giving
the opinion that just and fair con-
struction of these. contracts would
impose a still greater loss had he
been required to execute the census
printing under these contracts. The
work is rule and figure, BREWER, and
there is no clause il either of the
class embraced in Mr.. Ritchie's con-
that would render such an enormous
profit as ii is insisted he would have
realised by thejob. If am correct
in this opirion, then Mr. Ritchie
has not been injured by the action of
Congress, insiructing the Secretary
of Interior to contract at his dis
crction, for the printing of the census
returns.
But, sir, there are other consider
ations why these contracts should
not be abrogated, or if abrogated.
why we should not pay supposed los
ses and gratuitous profits. There
can be no question, that at the time
the bids were made, these contract
ors, as well as Mr., Ritchie, knew that
the work could not be performed
without loss. The declarations Of
Messrs. Trenholm and Richie, made
only few days after the contracts
were declared, are conclusive of the
point. They conceded that they had
taken the contracts loo low, but that
they would go on and execute them,
and rely upon Congress to make up
all losses. Mr.. Trenholm, when in
terrogated why he had taken the
contracts at such low rates, replied,
that it was expected there would be
a Democratic majority in the present
Congress, and if so, they would be
relieved by Congress, the contract
system would be abolished, and Mr..
Richie would then be elected public
printer at former prices. Now, with
all these facts known TO us, with
what grace can they come to this
house and ask to be relievedl They
cannot, truly, plead any misfortune,
Mr.. Trenholm has the reputation Of
ranking among the best and one Of
the most intelligent printers in the
city; he was a good judge OF the work
having been many years connected
with it, and knew well what prices
would remunerate. The contrac-
tors were neither ovcr-reached, de
cesved nor defrauded. They all knew
Wendall & Van Benthuysen, their
predecessors, and the first contrac-
tors under the new system, had sus-
tanned a heavy pecuniary loss, rem
dered more oppressive from the fact
they were compelled TO fit up and
furnish all the materials, types, pres
ses, &c, necessary to commence and
carry on the work. And notwith-
standing all this, they contracted, de-
liberatcly, to do the work at less pri-
ces than those paid Wendall g. Van
Benthuysen. The contract of the
latter firm, being the first, was mere
experiment; and ifyou relieve the
present contractors, who had the
benefit of their experience, and who
voluntarily placed themselves in
position where loss may ensue, you
can no longer, in justice, refuse to re-
fund every dollar, with interest there
on, TO Messrs. Wendall & Van Ben
thuysen.
DO you propose to establish the
principle that all contractors in the
employ of the Government, who,
from want of judgment or through
folly, selfishness, or other cause, in
volve themselves in difficulty and are
threatened with loss by carrying out
faithfully the stipulations of their con
tracts, are to be thus summarily re-
lieved by Congress; if so, you will
soon destroy all fidelity in your con-
tractors and bankrupt your Treasury,
But, sir, the loss in this case is
greatly magni6ed. Mr.. Ritcilie un-
derstands the philosophy of taking
care of himself as well as most men,
and whilst should regret The serious
loss his friends anticipate, | shall show
that he has made some profit on some
branches of the contract, which will
go great to supply what has been
lost on other branches. For printing
ten thousand copies of the opinions
ofthe opinions of the Judges of the
Supreme Court in the case of the
City Council of Boston VS.. Norris,
making a pamphlet or volume of
ISL pages, he has actually received
$l2.5O0. But this payment has been
made,as / believe, under a most ex-
traordinary and illegal construction
of the contract. The actual value