The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-14


different occasions. [They nodded assent He
then charged that the contractor had stated what
was wilfuy and deliberately false, and ought 10
be branded with it. II was infamy enough in it.
self to turn him out Of his position, If the House
was capable of doing He himself had notified
MIR. Hamilton, who came before the committee in
obedience to the notice. he repeated, that the
man who before the country stgmatizes the
committee liars, deserves to be dismissed.
II is an insult to Congress and 10 the commit
tee. Mr.. Hamilton says that he has failed only
in the character Of the material. Why, the
committee weighed the paper, and it fell short ten
weighed it carefully with the scales prepared for
the purpose. 1t was too closely trimmed. The
types, impression, and ink were miserable, until
the work was rejected altogether. As TO time, the
ought to have been printed within forty days, but
four months have elapsed and the work is not fur
nished. The paper on which Mr. Hamilton has
contracted to do the printing would cost him more
than he will get from the Government for the en-
tire service, including composition, type, and
press- work. Then Of course he cannot be expected
to execute the contract unless he hns millionaire
The impression has gone abroad that the com
mittee have obstructed the contract, elected ano
Their public printer, and have delayed the printing
OF documents with view to hand them over to the
new party. II the contractor has failed to comply
with his bargain, the law gives the committee pow
er to reject the work altogether. The committee
are acting under that law. He then spoke at length
in justification of the course of the committee and
the imperious necessity for the arrangement set
forth in the report
Mr.. BOCOCK wished to know exactly The cx-
tent the committee have gone, and whether the
action of The committee extends merely to the
work already neglected or delayed by the public
printer, or whether the committee have made a
contract for the performance of work which may
hereafter be ordered.
Mr.. GORMAN replied that the public printer
has not been dismissed, and will not be dismissed
L., 49, 81
shall let it out to some other person, making the
contractor on his bond responsible; giving him an
opportunity to do every thing he can under the
contract. 1t 10 the printing already ordered
mittee have failed to give Mr.. Hamilton some OF
the work, because he has not half finished the
Presidents annual message.
Mr. BOCOCk further asked whether, in the
opinion OF the committee, it will be necessary to
take that job from the contractor, or whether it
will remain in his hands.
Mr. GORMAN. Not unless he shall fail to com.
ply with his contract.
Mr. BOCOCK. Has he not set up all the type of
the Presidents message!
Mr.. GORMAN. Not one third of it; and what
he has done 10 disgrace to the country. The fret
and fifth ciasses-embracing lists of yeas and nays,
resolutions, short reports, &c.-are executed as
well need be; bot the contractor ia deficient on
the long heavy documents and numbers.
Mr.. HAVEN Ia member of the Printing Com
mittee) likewise defended the course of his col
leagues, and his own, with reference TO this cub
ject, and agreed generally with the views present
ed by Mr.. GoRMAN; and added several facts in ad-
vocacy Of the report While he gave the contrac-
tor due credit for doing portion Of the work we'll,
yet it is true that, If the gentleman undertakes to
say that he never received any intimatou notice
from the committee, he mistakes; and, il his me.
mory is correct, he ia knowingly mistaken. The
public printer sought (Mr. HAVEN said) to make
il appear that Congress has not kept its contract
with him; but the two Houses have paid him about
niret bona md doll dedt tipy ton
to cripple him, but in consequence OF the non-com-
pliance with his contract. So eight or nine hum
dred dollars could not seriously affect his business.
Mr.. FLORENCE called attention to the fact that
three months ago the Committee on Printing init
mated that the public printer was not competent TO
perform his work. He spoke Of his own know
ledge. Paper. makers wrote to him Mr.. F.) that,
In consequence of the action of the joint committee
If obstacles were to be thrown in the way Of the
the committee intimating that he could
not perform the work, the credit of the contractor
would be destroyed, and that they would not be
,bIe to furnish him with paper.
Mr.. HAVEN said that, in expressing his opinion |
hat the contractor is not able to perform his duty,
he had no desire to cripple his resources here
elsewhere.
Mr. DEAN rose to a question of order. and in.
luircd whether there WINS any proposition before |
he House which authorized discussion.
The SPEAKER replied that debate had been |
INDUCED by the courtesy Of the House.
MIR DEAN then moved that the House resolve |
tsef into Committee of the Whole on the ate OF
Inc Union-on the Homestead bill |
And the question having been taken, it was de- !
;ided in the ncgative-yeas IS, nnys95
MIR. BROWN, OF Mississippi, then obtained the |
ioor, and after moving that the report be printed.
Mr.. FLORENCE, who introduced a resolution
erred back to the Committee on Printing. and that
he committee, whenever the public printer shall |
Tail TO do any printing ordered by the House ac-
,ording TO his contract, be instructed TO advertise
IRE prescribed by the printing contract, and to
award the printing Of such orders OF the House to
he lowest responsible bidder.
Mr.. BROWN, Of Mississippi, after a few pre- |
urinary remarks as TO the action OF the committee,
,ad that complaint made in relation to
ather Ritchie the former CONTRACTOR; but here in
his case, was poor man who has no party press.
Mr.. GORMAN naked whether the gentleman
charged that such motives governed the committee |
Mr.. BROWN replied he did not.
Mr.. 0ORMAN. Your words do.
Mr. BROWN said that the contract system had |
not had a fair trial; and 1t seemed to him that, |
Of powerful parties to bring the system into disre
pute. The first contract was with Wendell and
Van Benthuysen. He understood that they exc
cutcd the contract and he was forced to this
cusion from the fact that suit had been entered
ON their bonds. He understood that the venerable
father Richie, OF the Union, executed the contract
to the satisfaction Of the committee. Then A.
Boyd Hamilton obtained the contract. The gen
that portion Of the paper was twelve pounds in
the ream lighter than the contrast requires; but
this Mr. Hamilton accounts for During the pact
winter, in consequence of the freezing, be was
able To get better paper,
Mr. STANTON, OF Kentucky, said that he had
understood that the Senator from Arkansas had
rejected nearly all the work to the Senate by
ehe public printernot only for the that the
paper was OF inferior quality, but because great
fraud had been practiced it weighing fth lees
than was required by contract. Another defect
was. the sheets were too small, and did not leave
enough OF margin. The consequence was, that
the plates were often disfgured destroyed.
There were, too defects in the press work and ink
ing-a half dozen from the top to the bottom Of a
page, called by printers "monks" and "friars"-
a white spacc here. and black spot there.
Mr.. BROWN resumed. repeating that, II tho con-
tract system has failed in any mans hands. IL has
been because IL has not had fair trial; and in con-
sequence Of the action of the committee he believed
that Mr. Hamilton would be left without any work
in the course Of three weeks. This man says that
he has expended fifty thousand dollars to fit up his
Office. lie (Mr b. asked whether gentlemen did
not think TINT Mr. Hamilton would come to Con
gress herca and prove that he did the work well
IL before done, insist that the contract
rudely sDatcbed from him, his credit destroyed,
and ask damages to a large amount The reason
reason Why the contract system cannot be carried
out was, there too much of the "If you tic kle