The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-17


from that time Three months have since elapsed, and
mol one third OF the work is yet done, Three hundred
and nifty copies accepted by the House committee,
10 be laid upon our tables Tor the convenience oil the
members
We took that number while the Senate committee
eced the whole OF those sent TO that body Tor the Tea
they were not printed IN style the contract required
IL not only IN reference TO the Presidents message That
the public printing behind but nearly all OF The I'M
porisnl documents are even behind al this y7dou6ly
the cause OF great deal OF complaint in the House that
the printing far behindhand If al thai early
period the default OF the contractor just cause OF
complaint, how much more SO is the condition OF the
work now | hold in my hand sir. list OF eighteen
important executive documents, embraced in single
class OF the public printing not one OF which has been
annual message of the President That the House may
see the importance of these documents will read the
names OF some Of the most important ones
Tie annual Message of the President
The 1reaswer's Aceounis This document was the
third put into the hands OF the contractor and has
therefore been in his office for than four months 1t
should have been printed and In tbs hands oil the Com
mitlee OF Ways and Means long ago II was necessary
porlant duties.
The Contingent Expenses of the Treasury Department.
committee,
Army and Navy Lists, Anoant Of Pay, &c. This. 1
suppose would have been equally useful TO the Commit
tee on Naval Affairs.
The Coast Surrey Report.
Receipts and Disbursements Of The Post Office Depart
ment ! am the chairman OF the Committee on the
Post Office and Post Roads could have found this docu
lnen useful to this committee
Contingent Fund Of The Interior Department
is. understand, very important and the Commit
tee Commerce having that subject before them, can
not see well how they could do withouti,
But will not weary the House further by reading
from this list is sufficient to say that these documents
have been for time in the printers hands, and
not be got out OF them.
10 la NJ
thinks il exceedingly oppressive upon the contractor that
tbe committee have not thought proper TO place in his
hands that portion Of the Patent Office Report which has
been made TO the House. Now, sir, under the crcum
stances ask what sufficient reason there Tor nirus
ing that to him Let him show disposition 10 execute
The work already placed in his hands Let him execute
the documents contained in the list to which have
fered and which are needed every day, and i will then
be time enough to intrust him with work In the
last two months he has printed about four hundred
pages OF the Presidents message and documents, and
this is all
This contractor came to Washington mere adventu.
rer, without dollar in his pocket to carry the i'm
tract which, if complied with in good faith. would cost
him more for the materials consumed than the whole
amount OF money he could receive from the government
The committee well apprized of this. Mr. RVes
IN letter dated December 1851 and addressed to the
officers who made the contract with Mr. Hamilton, says
that "Ie prices stipulated in Mr. Hdmlns bid ,coud not
enable INN TO pay for The lch.te Paper" The contractor
before referred to- that he had means, and was de-
pendent upon what he received for his work TO enable
him TO pay the hands who did it, Here. then, was
contractor who had secured the printing at nconsde
rable price, unable to 60 with the work, large part
OF II IN arrears, and with not the slightest possible pros
pect OF The condition OF things becoming better Under
these circumstances, what alternative left the
mitiee The work must remain in IFS present condition.
or some one must be employed 10 execute H. The emer
gency was one which imposed upon the committee an i'm
portan responsibility The law OF Congress, under which
the committee was formed, prescribed our duty tire
CURED US TO remedy the neglect or delay aud clothed US
our trust il had not endeayored 10 perform the duly
imposed upon us. The gentleman from Indiana Mr..
FITcH supposes that have transcribed the law OF
Infes tina, intend to do / do not know in what
respect SO far have complied literally with the
terms OF the law IL not the intention OF the commit
tee TO take away from the contractor any portion OF the
work except that which be cannot or will not execute
The committee have voted 10 give such portions OF the
work the contractor will not do 10 Donelson Arm
strong, and Gideon Co. The House has already been
apprized OF the difficulty experienced in the committee OF
arriving at this conclusion and shall repeat what
has already been said upon that subject These gentle
men were selected so far as my own action was coa:
cerned because they of character, and prepared
with the proper materials and The necessary OF
proceeding Immediately with the execution OF The work.
The emergency such TO justify in voting Tor
The Republic valued more The public necessity for this
expedient than did any political effect that Il might be
supposed would result from our action 'f
The work was assigned TO these gentlemen. il they
would perform il upon the terms proposed source OF
complaint is that wehave offered them price which will
enable them to make exiravagant profits. We are told
that we ought to have the bid Of John T. Towers and
not that OF John c. Rves, because the former the
lowest OF the two. Now, sir, call up Mr. Riyes, and
put him upon trial before this House You have in
formed the honorable gentleman from North Carolina,
Mr., CLMoMAs,] the honorable gentleman from Penn
on this floor, that your bid much higher than That
Of Mr. Towers. How happens IT, sir that this discovery
is Just made Why are we only told this morning that
your bid is extravsgant Now sir, here is letter in
your own handwriting with your proper signature at
lached, dated lae the FIRST day OF December last
before the Committee Printing had been appointed.
and directed to " the President and Secretary OF the
Senate and the Speaker and the Clerk OF the House Of
Representatives" who constituted the board which gave
out the contract demanding the work, because you
The lowest bona fie bidder" Here some extracts
from this letter. from which II will be that Mr..
Rives considers himself unfairly dealt WITH because the
contract not given TO him. the bona fds injured
bidder :"
"A, the lowest bona fds bidder for the greatest
portion of the printing OF Congress- and have made ample
preparation TO execute all that may devoivo upon
have felt IL my duty my claim and herewith
tender as security, Messrs John w. Maury and George
Parker, Of this cityas sufficient be found
anywhcre--who arc prepared, yon will see by the en-.
closed TO enter into bond for the execution Of this work.
cording the terms of your advertisement and my bid
am ready TO verify the statements OF this note by tes-
imony before you. But IT. agents Tor letting the print
ing Of Congress- you should not detemine set aside
sham bid in favor OF the bona hfs injured bidder (sccord
ing TO the in the executive departments OF this gov
enmentD but choose, rather to submit the matter to the
body Immediately Interested, beg leave respectfully TO
solicit. through yop Investigation OF tho case by com.
mittee OF Congress- r.trfsMa
Mr. Rves only asserts that he il the lowest bona
fdc bidder but proposes 10 adduce testimony 10 the
m,ee TO prove that fact He says, in another part OF
his letters
Foreseeng, long SINCE that, this would be the case, MT