The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-14
Mr.. ISRAEL e. JAMES and his assistants are
our only travelling agents for collections.


We auucA Tic proceedings Ill Tile Ccuhtc, VI
the recent extraordinary case Of jobbing.
The remarks of Mr.. BoRLAsp throw add
tional light on the subject. 1t seems, from thu
FIRST resolution Of the committee, that they
simply undertook to elect printer for each
House Of Congress, and to raise the compensa
ton for the work at their own discretion work
amounting to several hundred thousand dollars
But, when the Transaction became public, and
was condemned. they passed another resolution
in different language, and mere comfortable to
the words Of the law but designed to accom-
plish the same thing Thus, on provision OF
law to provide for mere deficiencies, the most
important contract of Congress has been vrtu-
ally terminated, and another one made in its
place, at such prices as a partisan committee
choose to give to CO partisan presses. This
is taking freedom with the public money and
with law, and that, too, in contempt Of an al
most two thirds vote of the House of Repre-
sentatives, asking TO consider the subject, which,
we believe, has no parallel.
We do not concur with Mr. BoRLAND, that
the committee had the legal power to do as they
have done--still less do we understand the
apathy of the Senate under his announcement
The transaction was not consummated. 1t
might have been arrested, 80 far as the Senate
knew, for at the time of acquiesence in that
body, the result of the attempt to introduce a
joint resolution into the House was not known.
:,,t -. mil bf
have been passed, and could have gone to the
House with claims to immediate consideration,
above those, of one proposed by single mem
Der.
When such abuses as these are perpetrated
with IMMUNITY, with what consistency, with what
efficiency can the Senate or House enquire into
those Of the Executive department? Why, is
il not obvious that now, any act of plumber can
be perpetrated by coalition of the two parties,
for the benefit of partsans of the executive and
Legislative authority?
this subject yesterday in the House. We OBJ.
serve that Mr. german stated that the Southern
Press had never applied for this printing whilst
il was under consideration in the committee.
That is true. And we think it is rather honor
able to us that, whilst we left the committee to
its deliberations on this subject undisturbed, its
members were logged by the Washington
Union and Republic with frequent solicitation
and importantly. But we quite astonshed
at the language imputed to Gov. Brown in the
sketch of the debate furnished to US by our re.
porter. According to that report
So "In reply to question, he said that he poulc
mol vote to give the printing to the Southera
Press, and had never sought, directly or indi
rectly. to give that paper any portion of the
public printing"
q Now, noe had no idea in establishing press
here of cutting ourselves off from any legitimate
business in that very line. And we have no
idea of subscribing to the proposition that a
man, because he is editor or proprietor of a
public, or even of political press, shall be pro-
scrbed in any such manner, particularly by
those presumed to be his friends.
We know full we'll that the original project
ors of a Southern Press declared in their pro-
gramme that it was not to be connected with
the government, in any manner. But they also
declared that ample funds would be provided for
ats support. Now, it SO happened that no such
provision was ever made. But it was proposed
to the present proprietor 10 assume the respons-
utility himself, of the undertaking. To be sure,
general assurances were given of material aid
whenever it might be required-but these
surances have not been realized, 80 that the
present proprietor is many thousand dollars out
are some twenty-five thousand dollars due Of
unpaid subscriptions now in this tenth month
of only the second year. But the senior editor
of this paper isquite as capable of making sac.
ri6ces as other people, and has thank Coda
will almost as infexible And he can if he
chooses carry it on without extraneous aid, for
twenty years to come.
Now, soon after the present Congress met,
the policy of Democratic reunion seemed to be
the favorite. We distrusted it. We admitted
that according to the previous course of affairs,
the Democratic nominee might probably be
more favorable TO Southern rights than the
Wing. But we knew also that the Democratic
party contained bitter element, proscriptive of
everything not abjecty devoted to the behests
of party-and we supposed that although this
portion would be very cordial before cleo
ton, and when in need of votes, it would not
hesitate to prescribe and ostracise every indie
pendent man afterwards, even if Wing coali
ton should become necessary for that objec
We suggested these views some time ago. An
we suggested then, publicly in this paper, tina
an opportunity was afforded in reference to tn
Census printing, to test the reality of re. union
ism No party in Congress was strong snoug
to dispose of it. And of the various partie
there, the Democratic and the Southern, la
the strongest affinities. Hence, that prntin
ought to be given to the Onion and Sou,her
Press. Bot we had no confidence that it woul