The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-10

- Frineug Contract.
The editor Of the Union permits his feelings
70 carry him too far in his commentaries on the
loss Of the extra allowance on his contract that
he dsmandsd of Congress The extreme pres
yure Of business and want Of time In the Senate
fes the Last three days of the session, defeated
nasy important measures, good or bad, Of much
public concern. The Union can 6nd nothing
half 90 lamsntable ~ the loss of its extra allow
ance- Andit goes 30 far as to indulge in threats
( Of political destruction to those who manifested
any opposition to it. Mr.. TURsEY il denounced
for not permitting it to pass without debate
Mr. PxARGE ia understood also to have been
guilty Of the intention Of discussing the claim
and ha IL taunted With the high responsibility he
assumed Ia defsating the omnibus, and invited
70 repair the miscbisfin this case as he did them
by bringing forward substitute for the previous
Texas BILL
Now, we have forborne Of late almost alto
gsther, from abiding TO the claim of the Union.
We thou hit it utterly wrong in principle, and so
far q We were informed. exhorbitant in amount
But Il was ofsuch little public-consequence COM
pared with other measures Of the session, that,
unwilling to be suspected Of professional jeal-
ousy, or iliberality, we passed over it.
n the editor Of the Union, however, proposes
to make it political issue, to keep it before the
people, for the purpose Of affecting the position
Of those who opposed it, we shall have some
thing TO- say.
t. The contract system is now about four years
old. OF it's merits we do not pretend to deter
mine. A previous firm Of contractors, whose
bids were very low, affirmed that their losses
were heavy, and applied to Congress for indem-
nifty to the amount Of eighteen thousand dol
lars. Congress refused we believe the
Union was not near so pathetic on that occa-
sion as the present. Now, if the claim Of the
!, Union can be admitted, there is an end to the
whole contract system. The supplies of the
army, the navy. the Indian department, the light
houses, the transportation of the mail, are made
by contract If the editor of the Union can tie
relieved on allegations of loss on his contract
: what is to prevent every public contractor who
lose., from demanding indemnify Acontractor
in one branch of the public service is as much
entitled to favor as another. And the whole
contract system is gone
1t is bad enough that the public expenditure
il already so enormous-but we have the conso-
lation of having in the contract system an assur-
ance that the money will be received not by par
tizans or favortes, but by those whose enter
prize, capacity, and moderation prompt them to
take the lowest prices If, however, this guar.
antee is destroyed--if Congress-, after debating
one session on appropriations, is to debate
another on the claims of contractors, and to de-
eide on party or personal grounds, there is no
end to abuse.
The editor of the Union complains of North
ern ultras and Southern ultras, that opposed
him-nen whom he denounced when he sup
ported the compromise. Did he not think then
he was acting with majority, and that he would
improve his chances of favor? If so, it illus
trates the danger of giving great pecunary
motive to public printer-an organ-when
great measures are pending. But if otherwise,
if the motives Of the Union were pure, and these
men were then factious, and are now unjust, it
demonstrates the absurdity of submitting ques-
tons of contract, of favor, to bodies that decide
even the most vital questions of government on
party views.
Does any man know-did any member of
Congress- know anything about the amount in
volved in this case of indemnity! The state
ments are widely conflicting both as to the loss,
OF whether there was any loss already incurred
BY the contractor, and as to the profit the House
voted him We were told on what is con-
sidered good authority, that the profit allowed
in the House, was one hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars. But who can tell And are
members to be denounced by party organ for
their opposition! Are senator's busily engaged
in the last hours of session, when millions
were passing by vote after vote without ade
quate time for examinaton--are they to be con-
demned because they would not without de-
bate, and without even specification of the
amount, give their assent to a measure of this
kind?
More Agitattons.
We insert an article to-day from the Albany
Evening Journal, which quotes one from the
Republic Of this city, on the recent proceedings
Of Congress Both papers concur in attributing
the defeat of the River and Harbor bill to the
South. But the journal which laments the fate