The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-18
been, so far as am aware, no such report made
TO tho House BY that committee.

by any one to make such statement. spoke
Of my inference from the statements OF that
committee. The gentleman will allow me TO
say further, that ii he suspects me OF dealre
to postpone this matter, he does me an mus
tee. / do not desire TO postpone II snS'c
moment; aud under the decision oil the ohaf,
sustained by the House. that this Is a privileged
matter we know that il can be brought up al
any moment, no matter what may be under con-
sderation. Besides that, | suppose that since
this matter was discussed here, at the last ses-
sion Of Congress, some advance has been made
towards making an estimate, and that it could
be done very soon.
Mr. McLANE, Of Maryland. | did not In
tend to say, nor did | say, that the gentleman
from South Carolina made his motion with a
view of postponing this matter but was about
to explain that considered that that would be
the effect of his proposition, and believe so
now With regard to the explanation submit
ted by the gentleman, rs TO why he supposed
that the special committee on printing raised at
the last session thought this profitable con-
tract, certainly did apprehend from his state
ment that they had so reported, and not that 1t
was a mere inference on his part. If he forms
that inference from the sentiments expressed
by the members Of that committee on this floor,
he il very Ear aside from the statement made by
the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. MARsHALL,l
AS well as from that made by his colleague Mr.
ORR and the gentleman from Illinois, Mr.
WENTWORTH Certainly my friend from Ken
lucky represented that this was fraudulent
contract a contract bid for confessedly at ruin
Gus prices to break up the contract system
The idea that this was profitable contract was
not suggested by that committee, nor was that
the course OF argument which came from the
.ct hat. will
remember, gentlemen on the other side of the
hall will remember, that the imputation was
thrown out at the last session Of Congress that
the contractors had undertaken to perform this
work at ruinously low prices, with view to
break up the contract system that he, and
those with whom he conspircd intended TO de-
ceive aud defraud Congress. And, sir, for one,
believe that to that imputation is to be attrib
uted his failure to receive relief at the last ses-
sion But the gentleman from South Carolina
[Mr. ORR has argued here this morning that the
existing contract is q profitable one, and that
money could be made out Of it. Did under
stand the gentleman correctly?
Mr. ORR. The position that assume is
this That the $l2,500 which MIR. Richie re-
ceived for publishing the opinions OF the SUI
preme Court, and the $4,000 which he saved
by furnishing inferior paper to that required by
the contract, will save him from all loss under
the existing contract My position is not that
the contract is profitable one, but that he will
be saved from all the loss that he would have
incurred if he had made fair charge for the
publication of these opinions, and had furnished
proper paper.
Mr. McLANE, Gin continuation.) Well,
am very sure that when the gentleman from
South Carolina read his speech this morning,
did not so apprehend him. did not so under
stan him that the arbitrary acts of this House,
which fixed these prices for this particular part
of the contract were alone to save Mr. Richie
from loss. Sir, the sum Of money that Mr.
Richie received for the Taylor pamphlet was
not the contract price, nor Is 1t contended TO be
the contract price The sum charged on the
Taylor pamphlet was large il was sum al
| which the Senate Committee on Printing hest
tated, and took issue with the public printer
The sum assigned the public printer was not thu
contract price, but it was an arbitrary price
which, the gentleman from South Carolina con
cedes, was liked upon to indemnify Dir. Richie
for his losses. BY conceding this, the gentle
man comedies the whole case--by concedine
that this arbitrary sum of money was granted
aside from the contract, to indemnify the public
printer for his losses.
| Mr. ORR said desire to remind my friend
that made no allusion whatever to the printing
of the Taylor pamphlet. ] did not take it into
my calculation.
MIR. McLANE. intended to have referred
to the Supreme Court opinions, which was a
document published, as was the Taylor pam
phlet, in different style from that usual for the
public printing contracted to be paid for in the
fifth class.
At the last session Of Congress, when the
honorable gentleman from Illinois was chairman
of this special committee, he interposed when q
resolution was presented here to settle these ac-
counts under the contract, special exemption
upon the work done on the Taylor pamphlet;
he was not willing that il should be settled by
the Committee on Printing like other work, but
he proposed to suspend and Interfere with the
committees disposition of this work, fearing the
contractors view Of his contract might prevail.
Mr. WENTWORTH, Gnterposing) OBJ
jected to the payment of that sum, under the in
depreciation or construction Of the contract, that
the Comlitte on Public Printing might give it.
Mr. MoLANE. Exactly so; understand the
rcntleman's explanation. IL the opinion of the
Attorney General upon the case should be sat
isfactory to the public printer and TO this House
it would relieve committees here ofthis difficulty
The accounts of the public printer could now be
settled by the Committee on Printing, under the
auspices and control Of the Attorney General
and this mode of settlement ] would prefer to
any other.
Mr.. WENTWORTH, Gnterposing) Do
understand the gentleman from Maryland to say
that the public printers and their friends would
abide by the contract, under the decision OF the
Attorney General
Mr., BAYLY Yes, we would certainly do so
Mr. WENTWORTH. Let them have it
would stand by that.
Mr. McLANE, (resuming) Mr.. Speaker
the gentleman from Illinois will please address
me only in view Of the course | shall take for
myself. say that if that gentleman would
now allow this contract to 60 to the Attorney
General, to be settled under his opinion, as a
law-otiicer, that for all the work done, without
regard to the arbitrary prices paid for the print
ing of these opinions of the Supreme court
they shall receive whatever the Attorney Gen
eral would say they were entitled to under the
contract, and if he would have the Taylor pam
| phlet paid for in the same way under the con
tract, | would vote for such resolution
would prefer it infinitely to the res luton re
| Doripd hv tho Committee on Printing.