The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-07

the House thinks that there has been solemn
bargain made, although | have had nothing to
do with, nor ever knew Of it, they ought to
carry it out, and Donelson & Armstrong ought
to have their fair share.
Mr. STANTON, of Kentucky. | have to
say in reply to the remarks the gentleman has
just made, that the price adopted by the CON-
mittee and Donelson a. Armstrong, is precisely
what John Il. Towers says is a fair and reasona-
BILE price for the work John Il. Towers him
self made the estimate upon which the price
was fixed.
Mr.. EVANS. This is the first information
the House has had with regard to the price to
be paid for the printing, and it comes from my
friend from Kentucky for the first time, after
unparalleled exertion on his part. But my friend
does not say that was the bid of John II. Tow
ers himself. Ia il upon the basis of the bid he
put in at the beginning of the session?
Mr.. STANTON. No, sir; it is not exactly
Mr.. EVANS. 1t is higher.
Mr.. STANTON Because John Il. Towers
himself, by submitting an estimate to us, indi-
Gated clearly that his bid was not fair and rea-
sonable price for the work He submitted a
statement of hat would be fair and reasona-
BILE price, which did not exceed his bid more
than three per cent, and in one case not more
than five per cent and the whole difference
between John Il. TOwers's bid for doing the
$4,000 extra copies of the Patent Office report
and John L. Towerss estimate of what is a
reasonable and fair price, is only $500 on up
wards of 10000.
| Mr.. EVANS. ! now understand the gentle
man to say, that John IT, Towers has stuliifed
| himself, and il he has done so, desire to have
nothing more TO do with him.
| Mr.. STANTON He made bid at the be-
| ginning of the session, which he now acknowl-
edges is not a fair and reasonable price for the
printing
Mr.. EVANS The gentleman knows enough
about the printing to be aware of the fact that
large portion of the profits made by the printer
is upon the long numbers. The portion remain
ing unfinished, which will fall into the hands of
Donelson a. Armstrong, is the heaviest and
most profitable.
Mr.. STANTON. We would have done those
gentlemen injustice because they repudiated and
refused TO accept the proposition upon the terms
of John c. Rives's bid, which everybody said
was greater than that of Towers In order to
make the thing fair, and to give reasonable
price for this extensive work, which this Office
was to have, John T. Towers increased his own
price some three or five per cent
Mr. EVANS. That is very strange. Every
body knows that the profit is upon the long
number. As yet, there hs2uot been long
number prinled---not one Where are your
long numbers Of the Presidents message! The
gentleman tells me that the profitable portion
of the printing has been executed and that the
Improbable portion yet remains to be printed
but think he is entirely mistaken.
Mr. STANTON John L. Towers's bid made
no deduction upon the long numbers, while the
present bid makes deduction of FIVE per cent. ,
and, 80 far as they are concerned, they are done,
absolutely, under this estimate, five per cent
cheaper than they could have been done under
his bid.
Mr.. EVANS. There is one thing which
rejoice at, as the result of all this discussion:
that we have, at least, a single fact.
Mr.. BOCOCK. With the consent of the
gentleman from Maryland desire to PROFOUND
a question to my friend from Kentucky, [Mr.
STANTON understand the gentleman from
Kentucky to have explained to the House that
the committee have agreed to give these news
paper editors higher price than that at which
Towers agreed to do this printing, and for this
reason: The gentleman states that large por
ton of the public printing which is profitable
has already been done by the public printer
and therefore not being able to give that to
these gentlemen, it has been found necessary to
increase the price upon this other description of
printing ] desire to ask the gentleman from
Kentucky if bids for the public printing are not
put in separately for the different classes of
printing, as they are required by law to be /? and
whether Towers did not bid separately for the
different classes of printing? desire to know
from the gentleman, further, if Towers's bid for
this class of printing had been lower than that
of other persons, whether he would not have
been the printer Of it-whether he might not
have been the printer for one class, while some
other gentleman might have been the printer
for some other class? Now, wish to know,
also, whether they have given increased prices
to these gentlemen over those which Towers
made for this specific sort of printing, and
whether they have not given more to these men
than that for which Towers is now willing to
execute this particular printing? As | stated
made for this particular printing as a separate
matter.
Mr.. STANTON, of Kentucky. 1t is true that
the public printing is bid for in classes. But all
the classes of the public printing are bid for in
mass, and all the classes are bid for by the came
men, and the contract is given ont to the same
men. One man does not get one portion of it,
and another man another portion of it, because
if it had been so, John c. Rves would have got
portion of the public printing at two cents
page, when it would hardly pay for the paper
upon which it was printed. While other print.
ers were charging dollar, and dollar and
quarter, John c. Rives bid two and half cents
They average the whole bid, and give the print.
ing to him who is supposed to the lowest bidder
upon the whole average, and not to him who is
the lowest upon a particular class. | went per.
haps little too far when said that all the profit.
able printing had been done. | do not mean to
say that but it is in the hands of the public
printer who is now at work upon it-as, for in
stance, the Presidents message with the accom-.
panyng documents, the Coast Survey, and
great many other documents which the printer
has begun, and with which he is progressing
very slowly. They are profitable 10 the printer
Mr. BOCOCK. Has not the price been raised
from the recent bid for this particular sort of
printing!
Mr.. STANTON. No, it has not. under
stand that Towers's bid, with The exception
have just stated, of this portion of the public
printing which will go to Donclson d Armstrong,
which j, supposed to be less profitable than the
other, and upon which he has increased his prices
but lately, is substantially what il was before