Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-02-05
PabIIe PrIuiing--The new CoRsiitHtiOn In
the hnnds Of its Friends.

PabIIe PrIuiing--The new Constitution In
she hnnds OF its Friends.
We refer the readerto the proceed
ings of the Senate for set of resolu.
tions, offered by Mr.. Gushing, calling
upon the Clerk of the Senate for infor'
nation relative to the printing he had
ordered. Similar resolutions passed
the lower House. Both resolutions have
been answered. The House early in
the session ordered the Clerk to get
such printing done as IL shOulI order.
What says the Clerk, brother Of Sam
Medary, TO the inquiryl That he had
made a contract with his brother to do
the printing of the HOuse-that all the
heavy jobs, including the journals, had
been commenced, &c. The reply ol
the Clerk of the Senate to DIR. Cush-
ing's resolutions shows that he had done
the same. In fact, these servants Of
the two Houses had taken upon them
selves TO contract with Medary for all
the public printing except the laws.
The second section Of Article XIV
of The New Constitution is as follows:
Sac. 9. The printing of the laws,
journals, bills, legislative documents,
and papers for each branch of the Gen.
eral Assembly. with the printing re-
quired for the Executive and other de-
partrnents of State. shall be let, on con-
tract, to the lowest responsible bidder,
by such Executive officers, and in such
manner as shall be prescribed by law.
Here is a plain provision in the or
ganic law of the State, confning the
action of The Legislature on the sub
ject of printing to The manner in which
the contract shall be entered into with
the lowest responsible bidder-there is
no option or discretion left with that
body-all printing, &C., shall be let to
the lowest responsible bidder. There
is no room for evasion or political trick
cry for the benefit OF party pets. Eve.
ry sensible citizen in the State has al.
ways understood this section to take
this heretofore yexatious question who'll
" out OF the hands of the Legislature,
except in the matter of regulating the
lettings, Both Houses evidently acted
without authority when they ordered
their clerks TO contract for any printing,
and those gentlemen, Flood and MEDIA
ry, but followed the example of their
employers by contracting with Sam Me-
dary for all the Legislative printing
except the laws. The who'e transac,
tion is a palpable and direct violation o.
the Constitution. and that too by the
men who, before the election, Justify
claimed to be the exclusive friends o.
the instrument, and that it ought TO be
"placed in the hands of its friends"
The House, it will be seen, passed q
resolution notifying Sam Medary thai
the printing Of the journals had moi
been ordered by that body, and thus in,
timating that their Clerk had violated
the confidence of the House in ordering
it 10 be done. Several Democrats uni
ted with the Wings in passing this res
olution. The clerk might justly ex'
claim with Falstaff. ga plague upon't,
when thieves cannot be true to one an
other"
1t is a swindling, illegal operation 10
put money in Medary's purse. If the
Statesman office will do the work under
contract such as the above section re-
quires, let il be done there. If Iegisla.
tors expect their servants to act as di-
rected, let them direct them according
to law.