The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-18


to continue the controversy with the retired cd
itor of the Union, or to slfude to that matter
further than was absolutely necessary for ouI
own vindcation. But justice to Mr.. FORSYTH
as well as to ourselves, compsls the publication
of the letter which we now lay before our read
ers, which letter is in response to demand
from the Union that he should "expain" GER
tain circumstances alluded to by the then edl-
tor of that paper. Mr.. FoRsYTH's high position
and great influence with the Southern Rights
Democracy, give the expression of his opinions
great weight and force. He is true represen.
; tatiye of the views and feelings of the mass of
that party at home, and il is with equal pride
and pleasure that we have seen his emphatic re-
cogntion of our labors in the cause, and of the
course we have pursued
Private letters received from all quarters of
the South, for the last few weeks, bring us the
same hearty swell done" from our constituents,
and inspirited and encouraged by such approval,
we shall continue to clay on and spare not"
We commend this letter to the special atten.
ton of friends as well as foes, particularly the
closing portion of it. Faith without works
avails nothing. AS the Grecian sage said to
PERIcLEs, "those who need the lamp should not
forget to feed it with OIL"
Mr.. FoRsYTH's letter is written from Mobile
to his paper, the Columbus Times
MOBILE, May 4th, 1852.
The Washington Union of the 23d ult, con.
tanning the following, has been brought to my
attention
"THE COLUMBUS TIMEs-The editor Of the
above press, after spending some weeks here in
an effort to make coalition with the Washing
ton Union, to divide the public printing between
it and the Southern Press, goes back to his
trade of Islander and caumny, and cries out
"bargan and corruption" because the committee
of the two Houses of Congress have performed
their duty, and contracted for the work upon
such terms az they have thought best for the
public interest. We have rejected all coalitions,
whether proposed by Mr.. Forsyth, of the Co.
l,lmJus Times, or Mr.. Fisher, of the Southern
Press, or airy one else. Will Mr.. Forsyth ex
plain how long it was after we rejected his
terms of coalition that he thought Congress
ought to give the printing to the lowest bidder
r Will he tell his readers in what respect it is
that the committee have violated the law OF
: 1916, prescribing the duties of the contractor
under the lo,o bid system 2"
To which have to reply, first: that ISLANDER
and caumny" are not my "trade," and he is a
calumuiator who says so and second, if it were,
have not 'gone back" to it from Washington,
because have not written line of editorial for
the Times, except in letters, for the last three
months. | demand of the Washington Union
to make this explanation, to relieve me from the
false attitude in which it has placed me before
its readers of being a changeling of opinion at
the suggestion of interest. The gentleman to
whom, in my absence, entrusted tile editorial
management of the Times has expressed his
own opinions (Which he had perfect right to
do) on the mode of executing the public print
ing On this particular point, do not agree
with him. believe the system to be a dead
failure and experience has proved that it has
only resulted in embarrassment of the public
business and ruin to the contractor, except
where Congress steps in to relieve him from the
effects of his mprovident bargains or greediness
to get hold of a government contract upon any
terms. believe it is just as proper in po-
litical party to elect public printer of its faith,
as to elect speaker, n doorkecper or a sergeant
alarms. And believe the true principle to be,
to ascertain the actual cost of the paper, COM
position and press-work of the public printing,
and allow the public printer fair profit in a
fixed per centage-and by stair profit" |
mean, such profit as similar amount of skill,
industry and capital, would earn in the same
business if done for individuals, instead of the
government. ! am opposed to the system of
robbing the treasury to enrich party fuvorites in
printing jobs, or any other jobs. If the census
printing, for example, can be executed 10 the
satisfaction of Congress for 100000, AZ be,
lieve it can, am opposed TO giving the editors
of the Washington Union half million of dol
! lars for doing it, because one of them was a
pet of General Jackson, and the other carries
scars, which Mr.. German so eloquently dwells
on, and both were advocates of the compromise
+ of 1850 1t appears then that have not
changed my opinions on this subject as the
Union has advertised me TO all of its readers.
/ The Union talks about coalitions" that |
proposed. understand by political coalition,
a union between parties of different principles
/ to effect particular object. went to Major
Donelson as Democrat, proposing 10 a Demo
: Graf, measure believed necessary to harmon
: ize the party. Major Doneson never did rgeci
my propositions. On the contrary he at first
entertained them-he even selected distin
gushed Democratic Senator to confer with a
friend of mine on the subject That conference
: came to naught. But from the beginning to
the end of our intercourse, Major Donelson
neither accepted nor rejected my proposals
= could get nothing out of him in the shape of
direct answer. The burthen of his song was