The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-15

~ tnU Ixst eoSSlOn, W4Il demonstrate all the ms
terial facts then stated, togsthsr with other,
which will convince the House that nv feeling
then were tempered much more with mercy 1
him, than justice "a tbs country. He has foun'
time to prepare q pamphlet OF ssvsnty six pages
which each member has received, but has hs,
no time, or perhaps less inclination, to furnisl
the House with summary Of the work ACTUALLY
executed, with the cost OF labor and materials
II no had devoted himself to make an exposition
OF his losses, specially, he would have under
stood much better their extent, and this House
could have acted with much more judgment il
voting him relief, for then members could have
known what his losses were, and how much he
was entitled to receive to make him whole II
there member on this floor who has data which
will justify him in fixing the amount at $1,000
or $2O,00Ol The special committee have more
knowledge on this subject than any other single
member, and am very sure that some Of that
committee do not estimate his losses very heavy.
1t he retains the unreasonable charge Of 3d.
900 for printing ten thousand copies Of the opin-
ions OF the judges, pamphlet of one hundred
and eighty pages, is tolerated in charging for
double composition of the same document, "Or-
dered at the same time by the Senate and
House," If no deduction ia made by Congress
for inferior paper used in violation Of the letter
OF his contract whereby he saves 100000; and
he realizes a net profit of $4,000 on binding
the documents, MS he surely will--then have
no hesitation in giving 1t as my opinion, that he
will lose nothing, if his business has been con-
Quoted with ordinary prudence Ii Mr.. Richie
has fulfilled his contract in strict conformity to
it's specifications, and made no charges other
than those authorized by it, his losses would
have been about $4,000. BY departing from
the contract in so many essential particulars, he
saves $4,000, and secures himself from general
loss on the work. | gave an intimation to this
effect at the last session; and the fact OF Mr.
Ritche's declining or neglecting to state his ac-
counts, and show his losses item by item, (and
ne is the only person who could make such an
exhibit, no, other having access to his books and
accounts,) confirms me in the impression, that
his losses are trifing if anything, and that he
will be much more likely to succeed in passing
his relief bill BY relying upon general decara-
ton Of losses, whereby he can excite the tender
comparisons of the ''liberal and magnanmous,'
rather than resort to that antiquated and cruel
mode of obtaining relief, by making fair ex-
hibit of actual losses, and then let the measure
of relief equal the loss. 1t seems now, that a
government contractor evinces the utmost YER
dancy in merely demanding restitution of his
losses by hard contract; the progress of the
age writes him down a fool if he fails to make
fortune out Of losing bargain with the gov
eminent. For one of these contractors, after
fun knowledge that the work was taken very
low, said to X. Woodward, upon being inter-
rognted by the latter how he expected that
money could be made out Of the contract? re-
piled, that he would not take $4,000 for the
contracts" Woodward inferred from the con-
versation, that it was expected that Congress-
would relive the contractors.
Mr.. Speaker, this brings me now to consider
the report submitted by the Committee on Print
ing have very great respect for my friend
Mr.. McWILLIE, the chairman of that commit
tee, rs well as the other members, and would
defer most respectfully to his opinion upon
question with which he is familiar. He has,
however, not taken any testimony as to the ac-
tual loss sustained by the printers to Congress,
having of necessity to depend alone upon the
exaggerated anticipation of loss which the con-
tractors have 80 industriously circulated through
every aisle in this Hall. Besides, no member
OF that committee is practical printer, nor have
either of them been heretofore connected with
the printing business. Their brief service on
that committee is the only schooling they have
ever had and | submit, the course is not as ex-
tensive as the one which the special committee
have taken. cannot, therefore, give nv assent
to their report, and will now proceed to give my
reasons for opposing it.
| The bill proposes to pay the contractors for
all the printing Of the Thirty-tirst Congress ex-
ecuted, and to be executed, the prices of the
Joint resolution Of 1919, dcducting fifty per cent
therefrom. How many members here know
anything Of the prices of 1919! Does any
member give vote satisfactory even to himself
which annuls n contract voluntarily entered into
by the government and the contractors, and sub
stitutes in lieu thereof a scale of prices which
they do not understand, adopted more than thirty
years agoN What if one Of your constituents
should solictan explanation Of your vote, could
you give him information Suppose the inter.
rogatory is propoundcd to you: How much did
you give Mr.. Ritcnie TO make up his losses! No
member on this floor can answer the question.
You do not appropriate money to carry on
any Of the departments of the government UNI
til the proper officer submits estimates which
inform you the amount demanded in figures
and the objects and purposes for which it is to
be expended But you are to depart from this
wholesome practice annul a solemn bonded
contract made by parties who were able and
willing to contract, and who actually did con-
tract fairly-neither party being overrenched or
printed proposals; without figure or fact
showing necessity for abrogatng the contract !;
no evidence Of loss to one Of the contracting
parties but broad assertion, and set up in its
stead compensation you do not understand.
and vote away the money Of your constituents
with no conception of the amount, especially
when the opening Of the bids for the printing
of the next Congress on Saturday. the 9th in.
slant discloses the remarkable fact that n re
sponsible man offers to do the work embraced
in Belts class, No. 5, at even less price than he
ia now paid and it is understood that two re-
sponsble bidders have offered proposals less
than Is paid for the other classes under the ex-
listing contract Is the House prepared for such
blind and unprecedented legislation! Are you
determined TO be liberal and generous to these
contractors, and unfaithful and forgetful of your
constituents. Let me conjure gentlemen, if
they desire to become distinguished for their
libsrality, to draw their drafts on'their own re-
sources. That will give them the most feeling
appreciation Of the virtue they would aspire to;
hut as npents let them snare the funds If THAR