The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1850-05-17
Che Ganfoster Ga'rtte.
LANCASTER, MAY 10, 1850.

the public printers, both State and National.-
The citizens of Ohio have been pretty familiar
ior years by-gone with the very peculiar system
Of political strategy in which tue party friends OF
Glitch "Saihmedary" have managed this branch
6f the public service here at home. The ''pre-
cedent" seems to have been adopted, with what
degree ofsuceess remains yet to be seen, o'WaS-
ington this winter, in regard to the printing OF
the Senate. The Senate and House Of Represen-
tatives, by joint resolution for that purpose, or
dered that the congressional printing should be
done by contrGct and directed the proper officers
having the business under chargeI to have it put
out to the lowest responsible bidder. This mea-
sure was adopted aud carried into effect by the
democratic majority in both Houses. Thus far
all was right-on its face, the resolution was prop
or and Just, both to the people and their repre-
sentatlves. It would all have done very well,
had its provisions been honestly entered into
aud faithfully carried out, by all the high con-
tracing" parties. The printing WIS accordingly
put up at auction at the lowest bid. Messrs
Richie & Burke, the editors and proprietors OF
the Washington Union, were the successful com
pettors, All this too, was right enough, provi-
ded it was entered into, on the part of Richie &
Burke with the honest intention of carrying out
the resolution in good faith, and in strict accord
auee with its provisions But what, are the facts,
as they have subsequently transpiredi Has the
law of the Senate been faithfully adhere to, or
has it. in effect, totally disregardedl The first
thing we have noticed in connection with this
transaction since the passage of the original reso'
lution is the pregnant fact, that the Whole print
ing of the Senate has been most shamefuy and
culpably neglected aud delayed. At last, how
ever things came to such point, that complaints
were made upon the floor of the Senate, OF the
great delay in their official printing. The whole
scheme, so artiully concocted then began to de-
velope itself The veil was lifted, and Tie dram
ais persona distinctly seen in the performance
of their accustomed parts, The Nestor OF Vir-
gna distractions and the immortal author OF the
"Bundelcund" papers, formed most plcturesqe
aud interesting tdbleaar upon the occason'-
Hints were thrown out by the personal aud polit
ical friends of Richie & Burke, that the prices at
which the printing had been taken, were entirely
too loo to allow prompt and efficient execute
of the contract. The cue being thus given, the
whole difficulty was easily disposed Of Com
mend us to one of your modern locotoco leaders
for unscrupulous adroItness in extrcating himself
or his party from the dilemma which their own
clicanery has brought upon them! Mr.. Borland,
as Chairman OF the Standing Committee on Print
ing, very demurely gets up in his place in the
Senate and reports resolution, ,annulng the con-
tract, with the very significant proviso, however,
that "aN work not get deiivered and paid for
shall receive the same rate OF compensation, by
measurement that may be by Congress hereafter
selected to perform the remainder OF the work
@: the session Now, Is not this decidedly cooii
Ho,c much of the work performed by these prIn'
ters is yet undelvered and not paid fort Why,
did not Mr. Borlsnd embody this important item
in his resolution TO use the comm'n express
ION Of one of our official magnates at Columbus
last winter, "sce think zoe see an Indian behind
this bush" But however cunningly the ambush
may have been designed the trick is loo trans.
parent to conceal the copper-coored visage of the
willy iucognito Now. this species oi artfce is
certainly quite below the dignity of the Senato-
rial toga 1t might do in the Ohio Legislature
where such things have become so common as
to form part and parcel OF the parliamentary law
governing its action; but it is disgrace to the
American Senate, where practices Of this kind
are not wont to be tolerated with ithpunity. The
Senate, we believe have not yet acted upon the
annullins resolution of Mr.. Borlard-and al
though we firmly believe this trick was original
iy intended on the part Of Richie s. Burk, we
are yet unwilling to suppose the majority in the
Senate were cognizant of the fact when the orig
nal resolution to put out the printing by con tract
was passed into law. Time, however, will de-
velope the true state OF the case in this particular
If the majority in the Senate, after what has pass
ed under their immediate observation, shall will
ingly lend themselves to the passage of Borand'l
resolution, as substitute for the original con
tract, the deduction will be irrerstable. that they
were particeps criminus in the miserable and
characteristic subterfuge of the editors of the
Union.
We have, as yetseen no authoritative statemen
as to what portion ofthe public printing has beer
deltUered and paid for, under the contract as
rginally entered into by Mr.. Ritchiee & Burke
The intelligent correspondent, however. of the N
Y. Courier and Inquirer, states that he has i
from the most reliable authority that the contrac
tors for the Senate printing "have drawn no mon
ey for the work already delipered." Ii such is
the fact, and the substitute shall pass the Senate
it will be about as neat specimen of locotocc
legerdemain as has been enacted for long time
As an Instance OF consummate juggery, it put
Signor Blitz completely in the back ground Th,
proposed rates OF compensation to be paid fo
the printing under the substituted resolutions. i
not among the least fthe curiosites Ofthis Who'll,
transaction. According to the correspondent a
bove quoted. the law of 1919 is proposed to bt
taken as a standard Of prices, with deduction o
90 per cent. Why the law OF 1871 What ha
that to do in fixing Just rate Of compensation
for work done in l850l Does not any one know
who has any knowledge at all upon the subject
tina the great improvements in the process o
printing are such that the prices paid in 1919, al
most the Dark Ages so far as the art Of printing il
concerned can form no just criterion for the price
OF l85Oi There would be just as much prophet,
in going back to 1910 to fix the value cf bushe
of salt for 1885, by deducting 90 per cent from 50
the price ofa bushel of salt in Ohio at that time
But we shall patiently wait to see what the Sen
ate will do with this precious resolution Of Mr.
Borland's.
Mr.. TILDEN, the nominee for Govern
or by the late Free Soil Convention. de-