The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-26
H- The Union osyesterday contains the

of Islander and calumny, and cries out bargain
and corruption" because the committee OF tho
two Houses of Congress have performed thel'
duty, and contracted for the work upon such
terms as they have thought best for the public
interest. We have rejected all coalitions
whether proposed by Mr.. Forsyth, OF the
Columbus Times, or Mr.. Fisher, of the Souni-
ern Press, or any one else Will Mr. Forsyth
explain how long it was after we rejected his
terms of coalition that he thought congress
ought to give the printing to the lowest bidder
Will he tell his readers in what respect II Is that
the committee have violated the law OF SAG,
prescribing the duties of the contractor under
the lolo.6id system?
We consider this statement of tho Union
enough to authorize the editor of the Columbus
Times to make full disclosure of the course
taken by the editor of the Union on the occasion
referred TO. And then il will be seen who pro
posed coalitions and what, and who rejected
them. For ourselves, and as to ourselves, W.
release all parties concerned from all obligations
of confidential character, and even invite them
to publish all we have ever said on the subject ;
and it will then appear that we never deviated a
particle from the position assumed in this paper
repeatedly.
The editor of the Union says that "lhe com
mittee of the two Houses Of Congress have per
formed their duty, and have contracted for the
work upon such terms as they have thought best
for the public interest" That will probably be u
subject of serious investigation. That commit
lee resolved some time before to give this print
ing to the propretors respectively Of the Union
and Republic. When the arrangement trans
PRED, discomfort was loudly expressed in the
House. The committee, or the House portion
of it, made a report, setting forth what they
had attempted to, and their ideas of the author
ty for 80 doing. That report was referred back
by majority of the House, which is we'll
known mode of declaring the dissatisfaction Of
the House at the course of committee, and
after doing that, the House passed resolution
by an overwhelming majority Of more than three
10 one, to appoint Select Committee to inquire
into the lao on the subject and to repor. by bill,
or otherwise, what alterations were necessary.
And yet, before that committee had reported, or
time enough had been given, the Printing Com
mittee 60 on and make the contracts! If there
was power to do this-if there was power to
provide thus virtually for three fourths of the
printing Of both Houses, what was the use of
Select Committee, or of inquiring into the law,
or of proposing amendments? We doubt
whether any committee of Congress ever before
committed an act of such contumacy.
1t may be said the Printing Committee was
Joint Committee of both Houses, and there
fore not responsible to one. But each portion
Of the committee is answerable to its own House
The course of the committee has however shown
that it was equally incompetent on questions Of
law as of business. 1t first adopted a resolu-
ton appointing, in terms, new printers for euch
House, and thus abrogating the contract. When
this became known, its absurdity was 80 obvi-
Gus that another resolution was adopted to give
the favorite printers the supply of deficiencies of
the contractor. And then the committee took
up the bid of Mr.. RIvEs, sometime before, and
offered at his prices the printing to the new pets
The pets demanded more, and it was shown af-
forwards that this bid was higher than that made
by others. And now we learn that the commit
tee have agreed with the pets on terms based on
still another bid, but differing from all bids-on
terms which, we think, connected with the cir
cumstances, will show this last movement to be
the greatest blunder the committee has yet made
1t is now, however, clear that if the second reso
luton of the committee under which it acted is
legal, the first was not-and if the contract
they have made with the pet printers is right,
the one first offered them by the committee
was wrong And yet, with such self exposed
incspacity, either for constituting their own pow
ers, or for making a contract, this committee
went on, on the face of House resolution to
inquire into the law and to report amendments,
and gave this vast job to coalition of Wing
and Democratic organs.
The Hon. TRUMAN SMITH is one of the two
Wing members of this committee. He was
election-master-g general in the last Wing Pres-
dental canvass. He remained here at Washing
ton to preside over the Wing bureau of e'ec.
pioneering documents and articles And when
General TAYLOR was elected, Mr. SMITH issued
circular to get up the Republic newspaper
Mr. SMITH is again assuming an electoneerng
activity. He rebukes, bitterly, Northern Wing
(Mr. BRooKs), for demanding the recognition of
the Compromise in a Wing caucus, and for
stating how much the North is infected with
opposition. Mr.. SMITH is looking ScorT-ward
And now, is it nota beautiful specimen of party
juggling to zee couple of Democrats, on a
2 committee of Congress, sitting down with Mr.
TRUMAN SMITH and his colleague, to divide the
spoils of the Treasury to provide ammunition
for the approaching Presidential contest, for a
Wing and Democratic organ? Would it not be
beautiful to see the Union denouncng Scorr
and the Republic defending him, both supported
out of the Treasury with fat job, procured by
joint efforts and joint friends for the purpose
And don't it look pretty for all this TO be done
by Joint Committee of four Democrats ant
two Whigs-of Congress overwhelmingly De
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