Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-02-12
WASHINGTON, ID. O.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY u. 1866
vESPASIAN ELLIS, pd;,ors
SAMUEL %. BUSEY,
The superintendent OF One Public Pruning.


The superintendent of the Public Printing.
The Union of this morning announces the
confirmation of A. G. Seaman, Esq, 70 the
Office above mentioned and states that the report
ofthe committee which investigated the charges
made against him, was unanimously adopted
rs wen in committee as in the Senate, and that
ne was unanimously confirmed We rejoice
at the result Of the investigation, because It ex-
empts not only the individual but the gov
eminent Of the country from the imputations
which were currentin this community to their
prejudice AS an American we should feel
humbled at the idea that our public fnnctiona-
ries could not carry on the operations OF the
government Without stealing, and had Mr.
Seaman been an intimate, personal or political
friend, we should have done as we did, call the
attention of the Senate to the imputations cir
culated against him.
In thus doing we had no private or political
purposes, connected with Mr.. Seaman, to pro-
mote but we thought then, and yet think,
that it was due TO the Senate and to the coun-
try, that an investigation should be made into
the matters publicly stated, in connection with
his official action. A
As we understand the matter, Mr.. Seaman
stands indicated in the result of this investi-
CATION, and we cheerfully make this fact as
public as we made known the accusations.
But another question arises in this connex-
ion. Does not the law in regard to the execu-
ton of the public printing require material and
immediate amendment, to save the Treasury
fom the payment Of extravagant charges in
this behalf?
If we are rightly informed, there is law
forbiddng the re-charge for composition In
printing post Office bills when merely the
name Of the postmaster is changed, and that
one of the accusations against Mr.. Seaman
was. that he had certified an account where
the composition had been charged some sew
enty times, contrary to law. We infer from
what we hear, that, in the instance referred to,
not only the names of the Postmasters, but Of
their post offices also, were changed, and hence
the letter of the law was not violated, in the
re-charge for composition Ifthis SO, surely
the law should be amended, so as to embrace
DOtl the naincS VI luc poSsihaSecio oho Wiz
names Of the post Offices; for it was evidently
the intent and meaning Of the law to prevent
a re-charge for composition for these triling
alterations, which the usages of the craft allow
to be done, and by which bill Of about nine
dollars was swelled up to over six hundred
dollars.
This is matter which increases very great
" the profits of the public printing, and is one
which it is the business of Congress to regu-
late 1t is well known that immense fortunes
have been made during the last few years out
of the public printing, and that scene of
scrambling, negotiating, arranging, and quar-
relling is at this time presented in Congress on
this question, which is disreputable to all who
are concerned in it, and to free institutions. 1t
was our purpose to ask from our American
friends in Congress the patronage Of the House
of Representatives in this respect, but we found
ourselves far behind the age in those arts of
management and intrigue, necessary to insure
success, and that it was wholly useless to press
our claims, and more especially when the
American party proper, on whom only we
could depend are in meagre minority in the
House 1914