Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-31
PRINTER TO THE SENATE.

was Ihue 10 oHer any oiher party W inc coH-
sideration of the Senate to do this work-he
was accepted unanimously, no one objectng
to his competency, or making any charge of
former neglect. His capacity and fidelity have,
therefore, been unanimously endorsed by the
Senate, at its present session. The curious in
quiry arises, why was not the Printer continued
in office during good behavior, as were the
other officers of the Senate? Why, at least,
when chaplain was nominated and elected in
open Senate, was not the Printer also nomi
mated and elected in the same way? But if
the unusual mode of nomination of Printer in
caucus, by the Senate, was TO be made why
the session; or, as provision is already made
by which the printing of the Senate will be
certainly and properly done, why any necessity
to nominate at all and, above all, why is it
indispensable that it shall be done today?
We will endeavor to explain, so far as may
be proper, the seemingly inexplcable course
in regard to the Senate Printer.
The proprietor of the Union was elected
The Albany Atlas, paper then fully endorsed
by the Union, thus reveals the quo mode.
"A small number Of members met in eau
Gus, and placed him (the proprietor of the
Union) in nomination. Others of the Dem
ocratic members refused to participate in the
meeting, and without their concurrence the
election of the administration candidate was
deemed exceedingly uncertain. What was to
be done? The refractory members were con
voked, and distinguished gentleman, of this
State, was authorized to assure them, in the
most solemn manner, both on behalf of the
President and General Nicholson, that IN no
erent should The Nebraska Kansas bill be made
party test, nor should support of or oppo
sition to, the bill, in any acise affect the st1nd
the Democratic party. The PLEDGE WAS
ACCEP PIED. THE ELECTION WAS
MADE"
This same paper, 1.-THE Union," whose pro-
pretor and editor stands principal in the above
alleged bargain, denounced those Democratic
Senators who voted for the Printer elected TO
the last Senate in preference to the proprietor
Of the Union, edited by the General Nicholson
Of the above charged contract. 1t read them
out of the party as recreant This same paper
which made the above alleged bargain, still
holds them excemmunicated by its denuncia-
tons unretracted.
The odor of the above bargain reached the
nostris Of these same Senator'S, and, if add-
tional evidence had been needed to convince
them of its unsoundness, would have proved
conclusive, the charge being made by wit
ness endorsed by the Union-being repeated
and rerepeated, and never contradicted.
At the last Congress, Senators suspecting
the soundness of the Union, proposed caucus,
that a searching examination might be made
to confirm or refute these suspicious. A very
adroit friend of the Union suggested that eau
Gus nomination for Printer was unusual, and
thus defeated the attempt. Hence those Sem
ators had no alternative, but to secure, as best
they could, Printer, exempt from the heresies
Of which the Union was suspected. Hence the
fulminations Of the Union and the excommu-
nication of Senators.
But, now, that these surmises have become
revealed facts, needing neither ghost nor
caucus to make them known, the tactics are
changed. instead OF tho open Senate election
Which was sought last Congress to sti1e inqui-
stion to the orthodoxy of the Union-now
that the facts are undeniable, this same Union
sbrinks from the trial Of open day, and seeks
by caucus to smother discussion, and to force
those very Senators, whom it has excommuni.
Gated, teYote for it, now that their suspicious
Of its heresies stand fully revealed and con.
frmed. See the state Of affairs. Certain SEN
.ators who refused to support the Union be-
cause Of their mere suspicious, are required.
now that all their suspicious are fully con-
frmed, to vote for it, and a caucus is held to
coerce them to do this. No alternative is to
be allowed-dm Nicholson, aa Nullus.
Il may seem strange that such thing
can be possible-but the long delay in bring
ing it about may suggest how many contri
vances were necessary to mature this mon
strous injustice. What magician il is who has
so diligently, and, as he may suppose, has so
successfully worked the wires, it is not for us
to suggest-some more familiar hand may
raise the veil from this prophet Of Khorazin.
We have spoken Of the Printer to the Senate
Of the last Congress, only as Printer This
fact is most undeniable-that as mere Printer
to the Senate, in competition with the present
acting Printer, the proprietor Of the Union is
nowhere. There would be no contest. His
merits, therefore, which entitle him to such ia.
vor as to have the present Printer ostracised for
his benefit, must be sought for elsewhere.
What are they7 Where are they2 What
service has the Union rendered to the Demo.
cratic party? What service has it rendered to
anybody, and in what way? To whom have
these services been rendered, and in what do
they consist?
Is there one single member Of the caucus
who will openly avow that he stands by and
approves the record Of the Union? Not one
Is there one single member Of that caucus
who will not for himself and for the Demo
cratic party disavow the record Of the Tnio,7