The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-18

but one moderate sized volume This session
they make three large volumes. Also, die Caifoy-
MIA message and accompanying documents, which
could not have been anticipated, make a volume of
| 952 pages. The present contractors have printed
daily at the rate Of 900 Volumes 700 pages
EACH counting from the Ist OF January to the lst
of September, at the rate of twenty-six working
days 10 each month. This would not Indicate
aches the part Of the contractor for the public
printing. One thousand volumes per day is great
despatch
| Mr.. Speaker, wish this matter to be fully I'M
derstood by the House, because the change pro-
posed adds largely TO the price to be paid for the
| public printing. The contract price for printing
the first volume of the Presidents message and
accompanying documents. volume of $50 pa
| ges, is about thirty cents per volume. The pro-
proposed price IL about seventy-six cents per vol
ume The present price for printing the report
on the finances is about thirty-six cents per vol
ule; the price proposed is about eighty seven
cents per volume Of 900 pages. Here Mr.. Me-
w. held up and exhibited TO the House the vol
umes to which he referred.l Now, MIR. Speaker,
| submit to the House if it be possible for the
work to be executed ut the present contract prices
These prices will not much If any more than pay
| for the paper on which the printing is done. In
this view OF the matter, the committee have re-
commended rate of compensation much under
the prices heretofore paid. The lowest prices
ever heretofore paid were twenty per cent reduc-
! ton on the prices of 1873, (uness for the Thrill
\ eth COngre6S1 Inc COmmlttte now TcCotutHcHu
reduction of forty-fve per cent. on the prices of
1919. And one of two things is certain: either
| that this is a low price, the prices heretofore
paid have been most extravugantly high as this Is
forty five per cent. less than was ever heretofore
| paid, unless for the last Congress.
! MIR. Speaker, the committee have looked to tins
/ as practical question to how tn. printing can
| be done promptly, and at reasonable rate OF
compensation; and they unable to make any
suggestion better than the resolutions now under
/ consideration. No member of the committee OF
this House is practical printer, and consequent
i ly have had rely OH the calculations OF others
in part, to the present and proposed prices.
i The first resolution proposes 10 discharge VIII
| liam M. Belt from his contract, and to allow him
a compensation at the raie of As per cent. on the
prices OF 1919; which they believe will afford but
little if any profit
! Mr.. Speaker it would not be worthy of this
Government, were it to take the work OF citizen
| at less than half its cost value As an indi-
vidual, would not do il consequently, as "A
| member Of this House, cannot vote To do 1t.
Strict justice Gin sense) might say. hold the
memoriast to his contract but true justice should
be tempered with mercy and the laborer should be
| paid the value of the labor done. Much has been
said about the neglect and delay of the public
printing, but that no Improper delay has occurred
will be apparent by the statement of the work
which has been done, which Is as follows
Printed for the House.
No. copies. No. pages
| House document No. 20,
| part LIST, Patent Office
| Report printed and
ready for binder l6,4oO GIG
| House document No. 4,
| Finance Report ll,400 996
| ISee table below.
| Mr.. Speaker, something has been said about a
purpose to break down the contract system, and
| that the contract OF the memoriast was made with
a view to this object. Upon this subject have
nothing to say. 1t is enough for me to deal with
the actions of men, and leave to others to Judge OF
their motives. have taken up this matter where
found it, and have recommended to the House
to divide the public printing between the Union
and Intelligencer offices. because believed the
prices are low enough. and because know that
the work ordered could then be done for the use of
Congress 1t brings to execution OF the work
two presses, instead of one ; and further author
ICES the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of
the Senate, in the event of any neglect or delay,
! to employ other printing offices.
Mr. Speaker, if the resolutions under consldcra-
ton are adopted, the public printing, have no
doubt will be promptly executed. AT all events.
4 the Committee on printing will have discharged
its duty, and will be released from further respon-
sibility in the matter of the public printing. The
!, House now has possession of the subject, and
lean adopt the resolutions, or make any other dis
; fSsi,ion of then, that it may think proper.
| Mr.. STEVENS, Of Pennsylvania, obtained the
floor, and yielded to
MIR. M ANCt1ALlL- move 10 refer the loInt
resolutions proposed by the chairman on Public
Printing to the select committee raised to investi-
gate the of delay and the condition of the
public printing. of which the gentleman from Hi
nois Mr.. WENTwoRrHl is chairman. The sub
ject to which they relate is of vast Importance,
and the proper disposition Of it involves very
large sum of money. 1t is due by the House to
the country that the decision it shall pronounce
shall be taken with deberation, and upon a full
knowledge of the facts appertaining to the subject
In no branch ofpublic service have grosser abuses
occurred than in that of the public printing.
This subject was referred, some four months
since, to special committee, which has abor-
ously investigated the matters within the proper
scope of inquiry submitted and it is due to that
committee that the House should not act upon
this subject in advance Of their report.
4 A great number and variety of facts have been
collected and collated by the committee, which
! will tend to throw true light upon the subject
am not now at liberty to dwell upon the testimo-
| ny taken by the special committee, the conclu-
sions to which we will arrives but will say, that
in my opinion, the propositions of the joint COM
mttee suggest mode OF executing the public
! printing which is grossly extravagant, and based
| upon q view entirely erroneous. The increase of
| expenditure which they propose deem, under
the circumstances, utterly inadmssbe.
Notwithstanding the representations Of the con-.
tractor, Of the ruin by which he will be over
| whemed should he proceed with the execution of
his contracts, nothing has been elected to satisfy
me Of that fact. He may, and probably will sus-
| tain loss; but that cannot justify the House In
doing more than permitting release of the re-
mainder Of the work to be executed. 1t will not
| Justify any reclamation of damages to cover the
loss already incurred. II should be known to the
House ho,c Mr.. Belt became contractor; under what
| circumstances he bid for the public work at the
| rate Of which he now so bitterly complains; in
| fine, wheter he is an innocent purchaser of pat
ronage, without knowledge Of cor sequences to
result from too cheap bid, or whether he under
bid bona de bidders at the lettings, relying upon
the political partalites OF members Of Congress
to relieve him from dilemma in which he be-
,yrSE .at