Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1851-03-08

UCe8, FeOTudTy IL, 1851, on the Bill
to AndemnJy the Public Prii,iter.
Concluded. +
1t has been said that the census
printing was taken from the contrac-
tors, out of which they expected to
make up all losses. Nov, sir, / re
iterate the assertion, that that print
ing could not have been consid-
cred as belonging ca o1fci TO the pub
lie printer, and Twill apply two tests
which will show that the present con
tractors themselves could not have
reasonably anticipated it, Suppose
the printing had been let, class each
to five contractors, as it might have
happened. When the contract was
given to the lowest bidder, who would
have been entitled to the census prin.
ting as public printeN The contrac
tor of class No. l would have been
as much entitled 10 il as No. 9, and
No. 3 have had equal CLAIMS with
either, and so on; The proposals re-
CURED separate bids on each of the
FIVE classes, and the lowest bidder on
each to be the contractor of that class.
Now, with what reason could the
present contractors anticipate, with
with SO much confidence as greatly
TO reduce their bids, that they would
get all the contracts, and thereby be-
come er obFcio the census printers??
No human foresight could have anti
cipated the result of the various bios,
(and be it remembered, there was a
number Of bidders on each class0 un-
less they played with stocked cards
The sequel showed that such vision
ary and haphazard calculation, if in
deed the. census printing was ever
thought of by them in framing The
bids, was most readily frustrated.
They did not get all the classes-one
class was assigned to John II. Tow
ers, who has promptly and faithfully
executed his contract. Is he not the
public printer as well as these con
tractors3 And if the census printing
belongs e.r o1fcto to the public printer,
is not Mr.. Towers as Justly entitled
to claim it as Mr.. Ritchie? What
rule ofjustice or fairness would give
Mr.. Ritchie the census printing as
public printer in preference to Tow
ers? The latter has entered into
bond to execute all the printing in
the first class, and is entitled to ali the
privileges and immunities Of public
printer. The printing ofthe census
blanks was done by the public prin-
ter in l940-then one printer did all
the work; but how did he get the lob!
Not ee 96fcio as public printer, but
by clause in the act of 1889, which
directed the Secretary of State to
haze The printing eaecaded by the pub
lie printer. The other test which |
applyto this case, 10 annihilate the
pretence which has been set UP, that
Congre SIS has violated the contract
on its part, and cannot, therefore, de-
mand its performance blythe contrac
tors, is to refer the House 10 the man
ner of paying the census printer in
1910. I 1t was not paid for by the
officers Of the House; the accounts
We're not audited by either the Com
Mittee ON Printing Or Accounts. On
the contrary, sir, The accounts We're
youched, audited, and paid for at the
Department, in the same manner as
all other department printing.
It's then, very apparent, Mr.. Spea
ker, that the colnplafit set UP by.
these contractors, that the census
printing was their legitimate right
under the contract, is an nafterathought
they never were entitled to it,
and when they bid they could not
have framed the bids with reference
to it. t
Another cause Of alleged complaint
by Mr. Ritchie is, that the binding Of
lleTegular documents was eE oJecso
the job of the public r:;nter, it having.
been enjoyed by his predecessor, out
of which he realized profit of $6,-
600; and that the Job was taken from
him by the Board of Printing, and
given to another contractor. When
i first heard this, and received the
impression that it was taken from
him, after his contract was declared,
/ was convinced Of the equity ofAis
claim for compensation pro tgnto ior
the withdrawal from him of work
which he had a legitimate right to
calculate he would execute, and out
of which he could have made profit.
But, SIR an Understandings of the
facts dissipates even this pretensioH;
and a.rasort to sueh Aimsy al captain
elsss reasons to secure relief shows