The southern press., 1852-05-08

done what | think is wrong, and II behooves
this House to correct that wrong. II, however,
the House thinks that there has been solemn
bargain made, although | have had nothing to
do with, nor ever knew OF it, they ought to
carry it out and Donelson & Armstrong ought
to have their fair share
Mr.. STANTON, of Kentucky. i lave to
say in reply TO the remarks the gentleman has
just made, that the price adopted by the CON.
mttee and Donelson 81 Armstrong, is precisely
what John L. Towers says is fair and reasona-
BILE price for the work. John +. Towers him
self made the estimate upon which the price
was fixed.
Mr. EVANS. This is the first information
the House has had with regard to the price to
be paid for the printing, and it comes from my
friend from Kentucky for the first time, after
unparalleled exertion on his part. But my friend
ers himself. Is it upon the basis of the bid he
put il at the beginning of the session?
NJ. STANTON. No, sir; it is rot exactly.
Nj. EVANS. 1t il higher.
Mr.. STANTON. Because John II. Towers
himself, by submitting an estimate to us, indi-
Gated clearly that his bid was not a fair and rea.
sonible price for the work. He submitted a
statement of v hat would be fair and reasona-
BILE price, which did not exceed his bid more
than three per cent, and in one case not more
than FIVE per cent and the whole difference
between John T. Towers's bid for doing the
$4,000 extra copies of the Patent Office report,
and John L. Towerss estimate of what is a
reasonable and fair price, is only $500 on up
warls of 10000.
Mr.. EVANS. | now understand the gentle
man to say, that John II. Towers has stultiied
himself, and if he has done so, desire to have
nothing more to do with him. "
Mr.. STANTON. He made bid at the be-
ginning of the session, which he now acknowl-
edges is not fair and reasonable price for the
printing.
Mr.. EVANS. The gentleman knows enough
about the printing to be aware of the fact that
large portion of the profits made by the printer
is upon the long numbers. The portion remain
ing unfinished, which will fall into the hands OF
Donelson a. Armstrong, is the heaviest and
most profitable.
Mr.. STANTON We would have done those
gentlemen injustice, because they repudiated and
refused to accept the proposition upon the terms
of John c. Rives's bid, which everybody said
was greater than that of Towers. In order to
make the thing. fair, and to give reasonab bic
price for this extensive work, which this office
was to have, John T.. Towers increased his own
price some three or five per cent.
Mr.. EVANS. That is very strange. Every
body knows that the profit is upon the long
numbers. As yet, there has not been long
number printed-not one. Where are your
long numbers of the Presidents message The
gentleman tells me that the profitable portion
of the printing has been executed, and that the
Improbable portion yet remains to be printed !;
but think he is entirely mistaken.
Mr.. STANTON. John T. Towers's bid made
no deduction upon the long numbers, while the
present bid makes deduction Of five per cent;
and, so far as they are concerned, they are done,
absolutely, under this estimate five per cent
cheaper than they could have been done under
his bid
Mr.. EVANS. There is one thing which |
rejoice at, as the result of all this discussion:
that we have, at least, single fact
Mr.. BOCOCK. With the consent of the
gentleman from Maryland, desire to PROFOUND
a question to my friend from Kentucky, Mr.
STANTON. ] understand the gentleman from
Kentucky to have explained TO the House that
the committee have agreed to give these news
paper editors higher price than that at which
Towers agreed 10 do this printing, and for this
reason: The gentleman states that large por.
ton of the public printing which is profitable
and therefore not being able 10 give that TO
these gentlemen, il has been found necessary to
increase the price upon this other description OF
printing. ! desire TO ask the gentleman from
Kentucky if aids for the public printing are not
put in separately for the different classes of
printing, as they are required by law 10 be and
whether Towers did not bid separately for the
different classes Of printing! ] desire 10 know
from the gentleman, further, If Towers's bid for
this class of printing bad been lower than THAT
Of other persons, whether he would not have
been the printer Of it-whether he might not
have been the printer for one class, while some
other gentleman might have been the printer
for some other class Now, | wish 10 know.
also, whether they have given increased prices
10 these gentlemen over those which Towers
made for this specific sort Of printing, and
whether they have not given more 10 these men
than that for which Towers is now willing To
execute this particular printing As | stated
before, am informed that Towers's bid was
made for this particular printing as a separate
matter.
Mr.. STANTON, Of Kentucky. II true that
the public printing Is bid for in classes. But all
the classes Of the public printing are bid for in
mass, and all the classes are bid for by the same
men, and the contract is given out 10 the same
men. One man does not get one portion of il,
and another man another portion of IL. because
il il had been so, John G. Rives would have got
portion Of the public printing at two cents A
page, when IL would hardly pay for the paper
upon which il was printed. While other print.
ers were charging dollar, and dollar and n
quarter, John e. Rives bid two and half cents.
They average the whole bid, and give the print.
ing 10 him who is supposed to the lowest bidder
upon the whole average, and not 10 him who is
the lowest upon particular class. went per.
haps little too far when said that all the profit.
able printing had been done. | do not mean 10
say that; but it is in the hands Of the public
printer who is now at work upon it--as, for in.
stance, the Presidents message with the accom-.
panying documents, the Coast Survey, and a
great many other documents which the printer
has begun, and with which he is progressing
very slowly. They are profitable to the printer.
Mr.. BOCOCK. Has not the price been raised
from the recent bid for this particular sort Of
printing!
Mr.. STANTON. No. il has NOT. under.
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