The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-13
WASHINGTON, Dec. IL. 1857.

The Congress Printing-Some Light upon the
Subject, and upon the Lobby Gamblers.
The world outside Of this city knows very little
of he inside history of the recent struggle for the
printing of the Honse Of Representatives. II Is
generally and correctly understood that the printing
is very lucrative and those fortunate to secure it
can take of themselves and their friends. But
il is not as generally known that the combination
which defeated Wendell is composed of an organized
band of hungry fellows, who after in vain offering TO
sell out their pretensons to Wendell, set to work
and successfully joined the inconguous material
representing their friends, and thus secured the
whole punder which up TO the last moment they had
been willing to share with the old printer. The
whole manGuvring IL disgusting in its details, and
should Of itself be sufficient reason for change In
the mode of printing and the establishment of
government printing office. Let MS particuarze.
Steedman and Banks, who have been elected, are
both adventures, without cent of money of their
own-without any material necessary TO do the
printing-and who are obliged to ask Wendell, the
old printer, 10 do the work for them and share the
profits. Steedman Is from Ohio where he
nected at one time with some country paper.
When Mr.. Buchanan was inaugurated he was an
early applicant for bureau in Washington, but fail
ing 10 get IL he went home There the people con-
nected with the Cincinnati Inquirer got hold of him
and induced him TO be put forward as a candidate
for the public printing. A earue was formed with
Forney, and the support Of Judge Douglas secured.
Thus prepared the parties presented themselves In
Washington week or two before the opening of the
session and commenced their work.
Meantime, Banks, very young man-but Vir-
ginan, and bosom friend Of Roger A. Pryor, the
conceited editor OF the Richmond South-was cast
ing about for any stray plunder which might be
floating around. He had been candidate at the last
Congress for Clerk of the House. The fact that a
Southern would be elected Speaker at this Con-
ress rendered IL certain that Northern man would
be selected for Clerk, so Mr.. Banks Micawber like
had 10 look about for something else TO turn up.
With the aid of Pryor and some other hungry virgi-
mans he succeeded in getting the pledges OF a num-
Der of Southern men in his favor for be IL remarked.
en- passanf, Southern representatives are only
as general thing rgidy honest when a person
from their own section is not the recipient Of the
ldrgtsse Besides, Office seeking Is chronic disease
in Virginia. Thus all the Virginia members, with
the exception Of Faulkner, went in for young Banks
"A beardess boy, who has never done the slightest
service for his party and whose greatest exploit was
the presentation at Tammany, by him, OF q cane
which had been presented TO Brooks for his assault
on Sumner. and for which even Tammany-not con-
sidered remarkably nice-deservedly hisSed him.
But neither Stcedman Banks separately had
strength enough to secure the nomination, and they
therefore, separately proposed to Wendell TO sell
Themselves and their friends for $4,000 apiece.
Wendell, too sanguine by half, declined the offer.
They. therefore combined their forces and Wendell
was laid out in short metre.
Now Wendell, whilst public printer, has succeeded
in establishing the finest and largest printing Office
in the country, at cost, II IL said, of nearly two
hundred thousand dollars. The whole amount of the
printing for the House exclusive OF the cost Of paper
for the last Congress, was about 100000, and an
equal amount for the Senate. by an arrangement
with the Senate printer, Judge Nicholson, formerly
editor Of the Union and now a Senator
elect from Tennessee, Wendell also executed the
Senate printing and, by combining the work, was
enabled TO make IL profitable hut for any man to
go 10 the expense Of buying a printing Office at
cost Of 600, in order to execute the House
printing for two years. would be certain ruin. At
the end Of the time he would find all his profits
more than swallowed up In an investment Of old
types and printing presses, which he could only
dispose Of nj sacrifice which must necessarily place
him the wrong side Of the ledger For this reason
Steedman and Banks have been obliged TO make
terms with Wendell and 30 the only effect has been
20 divide the plunder amongst larger number OF
cormorants than before, and, as will he seen, 10 in.
crease the probable sum which will be wasted in
printing useless numbers Of still more worthless
books
The public printer, under the law which established
a superintendent Of public printing, has nothing TO
do with the purchase OF the paper used lie receives
a certain specified sum per page for all matter set
M, and 80 much thousand Tor the number Of pages
printed. The prices were fixed after 0 pretty tho