The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-10-05

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ad ss " hs ss g ns
e. a s q ss soR Of d.
D.. Ain vol, y. S67
This provision 10 the same as tina, providing for the
printing Of The fourth census and gives discretion
to the Secretary Of State but commands him to direct the
printers to Congress TO print three thousand copies OF The
census returns when they should be furnished BY tbs
msrshals Of The States and Territories But let US look
the act Of 1882 providing for taking the sixth census.
which 10 the only act which Mr.. Orr pretends to have
seen.
On the Sd March, 1889. the providing for taking
the sixth census was approved The eleventh section Of
that act contains the following provision s Y
"sEo ~ dad 6s q fsrtAr enacted. Tina, when the
the Office the Secretary Of State by the mashals the
State: and Territories he shall direct the printers 70 Con-
Claws Y 81, 9th vol.p. 1861 M
These the words Of the act Of 1889. Like the pro-
visions in the bills OF 1920 and $780, they give no
discretion the Secretary Of Stale They say emphat
cay that the returns printed sfor the use OF
Congress- and not Of the departments They deny to the
Secretary Of State all control over the matter. and give
him no right TO enter into any contract whatsoever,
He is ordered to direct the public printers do the work
and, have before said Congress- thereby claimed
the right to force the printers, under their en-
gagemsnts to print the reurns and this is equivalent
an acknowledgment that the printers had the right to
demand the work. under their engagements, portion
Of the congressional printing. Yet with these facts,
prominen; and easy Of in the laws Of the United
States, staring him in the face. Mr. Orr, Of South Caro-
lima, has felt himself at liberty say the House Of
Representatives that The priting Of the retuyns
does not constitute part Of The printing Of NE too houses
Of Congress" and that at falls under The head Of de-
partment printing" But he is not content with this.
He goes further and declares that 1889 Congress d.
reeted Ms then Secretary Of State arith The
public printers to The neat Congress for the printing Of
these returns, and. conformity tO that act, The
printing srseuisd BY The printer 10 Congress- and moi
oticio."
The printing Of the census blanks always consid-
cred department printing, because all the laws
have required the Secretary Of State to furnish those
blanks to the marshals Of the States and Territories.
But we have shown, by reference to the laws passed
anterior to the present contracts that the Secretary Of
State has had any discretion allowed him with
gard to printing the returns he has never been
allowed to enter into contract" he has never been
allowed any agency in selecting the person to do the
work, or any discretion in fixing the price The public
printers have always performed the work. and been paid
for it, according to their agreements, public printers;
and this Mr.. Orr cannot deny.
There is another fact in this connection which should
not be overlooked. An act approved September /,
s4i amendaioy Of the act Of 1867 which pro-
vides-
Thar the Secretary Of BE- and he hereby asthor-
lied to printed tUenty houstd copies Of the COM
ptnnm abrdgmenf Of the srh csrsns by coSmftss and
yinepa fotens together Dah the fables Of dporfionme as
prepared The Department Of State for me OF Congress
II will be that this provision authorized the Sec
rotary 10 cause the census compendium 10 be printed.
while it did not restrict him the that he
was restricted with regard the returns He
not specifically commanded direct the public printer to
do the work. though the printing ordered for the
use Of Congress" Mr. Webster was then Secretary Of
State and he gave the printing Of the compendium
to Mr. Allen, one Of the proprieiors OF the Madsonan
Messrs Blair Rives were at that time the public print.
ers and they claimed the right to that work Although
Mr. Allen went print the compendium, according 10
the construction Mr. Webster placed upon the act Of sil
Messrs Blair Rives in defiance Of that construction
proceeded to execute the work. They did execute
il, and Congress received il and paid them for it.
We think that no candid mind can now question for q
moment that the printing Of the returns has al
ways been regarded congressional printing We shall
next show that the contractor in whose contract are
interested was entitled TO the printing Of those returns
The printing for Congress is divided into five classes
Mr. Towers is the contractor for classthat embraces
nothing but bills and joint resolutions Mr. Trenholm il
the contractor for another class which embraces nothing
but the journals OF the two houses. Mr.. Belt is con-
tractor for the other three classes which OF en-
brace all congressional printing, except the bills, joint
resolutions and journals. He had, therefore, perfect
right expect the printing OF the returns for he
could not possibly anticipate that Congress would pass
ez post aefo law depnving him Of that printing Had be
received it, and had il been paid for according the
Of his contract there would have been loss to the pub
lie printers.
There are other points in Mr.. or's speech which de-
serve notice bat we will have opportunity to notice
them when we comment on Mr. MarshaPs remarks
We therefore close this article with the assertion tina
Mr. Orrs statement, that Mr. Tenholm's contract for bind
ing the extra numbers taken for exclusive benefit
cannot be sustained even by the evidence taken by Mr.
Wentwonh's committee. In this connexion the record
shows anohe fact that the former contractor received the
b ndng OF the regular numbers OF the documents PRINTED
by him az an incident to his contract and that he under
let the work. and cleared six thousand dollars by IT, Tha
work the record also shows has been taken from III,
present contractor although his contract entered nic
under the same law that Of his predecessor
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