The republic., 1851-03-20

Gle OF Mr.. hivEs, being the relief which ne
volunteers W offer Mr.. RircHrE in certain
premises:
MR.. RIvEs's OFFER OF RELIEF.
"But the reasons which he assigns for discontin-
uing his newspaper show that the justice which he
asks u the last thing he will allow to those from
whom he seeks it, So far from it, he concludes his
by doing the grossest injustice to the friends
who have gone furthest to serve him; and makes n
most disin genuous appeal to the public sympathy
at their expense, and in violation Of truth. lie
says Il repeat, was willing TO remain at my post,
though was more willing to retire. But, IN fact,
the last has become the only alternative which
was left to Congress have thrown an i'm
mense quantity of work on my hands, even in the
expiring days Of its last session, although at
tempted to persuade them TO assign the printing
ON hand to another Office In subsequent par
agraph he specifies portion Of the increased bur-
den which his cruel friends put upon him, and
which he pretends had broken him down, like the
last feather on the camels back. Here it is:
"fTHE RESOLUTION TINE EXTRA SnNArE.--We
pass over the circumstances connected with tho
resolution passed by the Senate for obtaining forty
five thousand copies OF the last report OF the Patent
Office. Il has been said that il was profitable job
70 us, and even our friends have congratulated us
upon success in obtaining it. When we tell
them that they are laboring under gross mis-
take--that we cannot. without making additional
sacrifice print the copies ON the stipulated terms
in which were obliged TO print the copies Of the
House of Representatives, which ordered un-
der our contract, and by which we bound
when remind them that these facts were made
known to several Senators before the resolution
passed, particularly to Mr.. Borland himself
the public will at once that the copies cannot
be printed for the Senate without serious loss TO
our office. Even friends may be much sur
prised as our opponents may be delighted by this
Communication
"Let me tell the public the truth about this mat
ter The friends who had supported Mr.. Richie
wanted to get rid of him, and they wish TO pay
him to go-not compel him. The first plan to
complish this was resolution to give him the
prices of 1919, less fifty per cent, for the work
done by him under his contract This can say,
certainly, would have yielded him more than
100000 clear profit; and think considerably
beyond it,, in consequence of the large number Of
extras voted. After Congress adjourned, the at
tempt was renewed in the Senate; but il was
thought too dangerous precedent for one branch
of Congress to change the price of work fixed
by the Legislative act, and the contract under it.
His supporters, therefore, sought to reach their
object by increasing the most profitable portion of
the work under his existing contract, SO to give
him considerable bonus on quitting. They there
fore gave him in the called session forty five thou
sand copies of the last report Of the Patent Office,
which with the House copies, according to his
own showing. will yield for the last session 81,
800 81 clear profit, This with his profit on the same
work for the previous session, will make his total
profit on the Patent Office job $9,6I9 74-10O. The
half which remains can be executed as Mr.. Richie
does it. and yield profit of 4.so9 81 to the prn-
ter. To one who knows the price of setting up
thousand ems. the price of rea of paper. and the
cost Of running it through the press, the proof of
this is as easy to show the cost of one hundred
thousand eggs at l2A cents per dozen. Yet in the
face of this ready proof Mr.. Richie cxclaims
against the cruelty of his friends who have he says
crushed him with a new burden, and compelled
him to resign his station.
"Well, if Mr.. Richie has been thus over
whclmed by oppression the part of those from
whom he least expected it, he shall have an offer
Of prompt relief from a quarter whence he would
least hope for it. will take the burden off his
shoulders-will give bond and good security to
execute the Patent Office report on better paper,
in better time, and in better style than he has
ecuted the portion already done, and 30 save him
from this last calamity. Nay, more, will give
him 8 900 for buckling this burden on my back,
although III somewhat inconvenient for my office,
not now engaged on Congress work, to undertake
the job. make this offer when pay twenty per
cent. moro to journeymen printers than paid
when the greatest portion of Mr.. Richie's contract
was executed. There other printers in this
city, who, believe, will give still more for the
privilege ofrelieving him. fear Mr.. Richie, like
the old man who invoked death to come and relieve
him from the load upon his shoulders, now that
deliverer unexpectedly appears, will excuse him
self by saying that his burden was about to slip
away from him, and he only called for help to fix
it on his back"
Thus stands the matter between the two
metropolitan organs Of the Democracy :"
1t is important only as "type." The
quarrel spreads further and cuts deeper than
mere contest about the public printing. The
immedicable wound which dstresses Mr..
RIvEs was inflicted by Mr.. Polk, and ven
geance upon Mr.. RrrcHIE is merely vicarious
satisfaction. What unguents Mr.. PoLK's min
lister to Berlin may be able to apply to smooth
and soften the difficulty, remains to be seen.
We doubt if the change in the direction of the
Union will heal the troubles that were caused
by the abrupt dismissal of Mr.. BLAIR from
post which he had so long maintained with so
much fidelity and courage.
The Consul at Paris.
Il