The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-13


then proceeded 70 institute comparison between
the facilities for executing printing in 1919, whom
the old prices wero fixed, and the Improvements,
by steam and power OF the present day. and
said that the contractor wants To line his pockets
with Government gold, relying on the iberality OF
Congress. Further remarks were made by the
honorable gentleman from South Carolina.
Mr. BAYLY understood the gentleman to say
that the successful bidder for the printing, Sat-
urday, was lower than Mr.. Richie.
Mr.. ORR. On one class.
| MIR. BAYLY. The gentleman ia in the hall, and
has authorized and requested me to state that his
bids are higher than Mr.. Ritchie's, for every de-
scription. He says that on one description-l take
| from his own lips
| Mr. ORR. (interrupting.) say that Mr.. Rives
Richie.
Mr.. BAYLY. Mr.. Hamilton. who got the mass
| OF the printing, says that description OF
printing he is fifteen cents per page higher than
Mr.. Richie; on another $40 higher than MIR.
Richie, and on press work his bid is between five
and seven cents higher but he is not able to state
precisely; certainly five, and perhaps cents.
Mr. McLANE, of Maryland, inquired of the
gentleman from South Carolina whether he had
not inexperienced that the class of printing OBJ
tanned by Mr. Rives yesterday was the class which
Mr.. Richie has.
Mr.. ORR understood that Mr.. Rives had obtain
cd the class executed by Mr.. Trenholm.
| Mr.. McLANE. That's the class executed by Mr..
Towers, and not by MIR. Richie.
| Mr.. MOREHEAD wished to state the reasons
which would influence the vote he intended to give.
This question was one of utter and entire ruin to
MIR. Richie, and if he should not be relieved, it
He was free to confess that he had como to the
clusion that simple, sheer naked justice required
the passage of tho resolution. AS to the amount OF
| printing, GAG documents had been ordered by the
House, and 425 by the Senate, making ,074 docu-
ments in all. Mr.. Richie has completed thirty
| three volumes, Of eight hundred pages each. and
| two volumes of journals. making %, l6S pages.
The whole n sn1 Der Of pages printed and de-
bred pages to volume, eight hundred vol
umcs day during twelve months He referred to
the controversy between Mr.. Richie and Mr..
Rves, in which he took part; and, after advert
ing to the deliberations of the Committee on Print
ing, said they to the conclusion that half the
prices Of tho resolution of 1919 was about right to
be allowed to the contractor. He desired that the
motives and principles by which the committee
were governed should be understood When Gales
and Seaton agreed to execute Congressional print
ing twenty per cent. less than the prices Of 1872
were Unidentified. He did not disapprove Of this;
if he had been here he should have voted for it, He
would do the same thing when apolitical opponent,
as in this case, was concerned We were told, dur
ing the last session, that Mr.. Riyes had lost, &C
cording to his own testimony, hundred dollars q
day, By publishing the debates, I'd relief was
granted He was for that, believing il to be right
Il was right now, in this case and perfectly right
This was stronger case, and the resolution mere
ly proposed to pay him for his losses.
MIR. BURT said he had obtained the floor, not for
the purpose of discussing the merits Of the propo-
sition, but for the purpose of offering an amend
ment, which il seemed to him would be acceptable
to every member. On one side it was claimed thai
Mr.. Richie is legally entitled to large sum, and
on the other, that hc is not. He desired to know
what the facts are, and was free to declare his be-
lief, that if it be shown that Mr. Richie has lost by
the printing Of Congress, he will be amply remune
rated. He concluded by moving that the report be
recommitted to the Committee on Printing, and
that they be instructed to inquire and report whether
Mr- Ritchie hoa Crecnted the nuhlic nrintin q
| having regard to the quality OF the work and &c
time, agrecably to the contract, and what sum he
has lost by his contract.
| MIR. ORR to correction. He had said, a.
to the class of printing assigned to MIR. Rives, that
it undertaken at prices less than those paid &c
the present contractor. He was now informed thai
Mr.. Rives obtained the fifth class, it being one Of
the classes executed by Mr.. Belt he was incor.
rect in stating that it was the class executed by MIR
Trenholm
Mr.. BAYLY said that the class assigned to Mr.
Rives was that out of which he makes enormous
profits.
Mr.. McLANE, Of Maryland, said that the effect
! of the motion of the gentleman from South Caro-
lima, if agreed to, would be virtual postponement
Mr.. BURT remarked that he did not desire to
postpone the matter for moment beyond the time
necessary to make the inquiry proposed;
such to be the effect of the motion It was said that
Mr.. Richie bid for the work, at runous prices, to
break down the contract systcm, and that those
who contrived with him intended to defraud. To
this imputation to be attributed the failure oil
Mr. Richie to receive relief at the last session. He
asked the gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr.
OaR,) as printer, what amount taken from the
prices of 1919 would pay MIR. Richie.
| Mr.. ORR did not claim the honor of being a
practical printer. He had only been the editor OF
| a country newspaper. From the best calculation
| he had been enabled to make, he thought that q
Mr.. McLANE said he should vote for fifty per
cent. deduction. Mr.. Rives thought that about
forty five per cent. would make a good contract
| The gentleman from South Carolina thinks sixty
| per cent. He wanted no profit nor fortune for Mr.
Richie. The prices at which he is doing the work
are seventy per cent below those Of 1919. Mr..
Rives's recent bid for the fifth class was fifty per
cent. over Mr.. Richie; and this class, it appears
| from the documents, amounted this year to tho
pitiful sum of $s2,204.
Mr.. RAYMOND moved the previous question.
| but the motion was not seconded-aycs 81 noes 10.
| Mr.. CROWELL offered the following as an
amendment to the instructions of Mr.. Burr:
'Prouided, also, The same relief be granted and
| compensation allowed to the printers of the thir-
tieth Congress, (Wendell & Van Benthuysen, }
and on tho same terms and conditions are al
lowed to the said William M Belt under this act"
The SPEAKER ruled the amendment out OF
order.
| Mr.. MARSHALL said that the resolution reported
| by the Committee on Printing was to change or
modify an existing law. He endorsed what he said
on this subject during the last session, and would
maintaining the law as it now stands, and prevent
ing certain men from putting their hands into the
public treasury. It was derogatory to the charac-
ter Of this tribunal to carry out the schemes of those
applying for relief And was understood to express
the belief that the printing undertaken with
intention to break up the contract system, that
the prices of 1919 might be reestablished, and the
work given to the conductors of political presses in
this city.
| Without concluding, he gave way to
| Mr. CROWELL, on whose motion
| The House adjourned.