Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-12-25

of the Public Printing They have been unsvoida.
bly, crowded out until to-day:
DEBATE ON THE PUBLIC PRINTING.
When the House assembled ON Friday last, the fol.
lowing resolution, offered by Mr.. Seldom on Thurs
day csme up a. the unfinished business:
Resolved That joint committee OF five members
OF the House and three Of the Senate be appointed
whose duty ii shall be TO inquire into and report all
Information that they may deem necessary concern
ipg the propristy Of securing reduction OF tho ex
pen.es Of the public printing, and that they have
leave for that purpose 10 send for persons and papers,
Mr.. HoWERroN offered the following as an amend
ment thereto;
Resolved. That committee of Ave, with Mr.. Sed'
don of Stafford az chairman BIZ appointed TO examine
aud ascertain what the compensation OF the present
Public Printer ID. .
Mr. HowERroH being entitled TO the floor, said.
Mr. SPxAKER: NY remarks shall be much more
brief than many gentleman might nave expected.
had no idea that was entitled to the floor before
had seen the fact paraded in the morning papers.
got up yesterday simply to submit statement OF facts
and figures aud rise now for the same purpose. Ii
gentlemen will discard all political feelings and CIV.
me their patient attention. promise THEM they will
b. convinced that occupy the true position in thls
matter.
Srhere has been much discussion here upon this sub
jsct arising, may well be understood from the WISE
aad Hunter controversy But shall not go into rms
thing Our side of the House have thus far carefully
r.irained from this controversy and will do go to The
.nr. DESIRE however, upon the part OF MIR. w m
F. Richie aud his friends, to submit statement here
to-day 10 reference to the public PRINTING, which
have no doubt, will be satisfactory to the House
heard a statement made on Wednesday, which
have no doubt was made in the honesty Of the gen.
tleman's heart who made IL, that MIR. Rltche reaped
q profit Of $40 700 year from the public printing
have gone to the office Of the Public Printer, and
have received statement which do not know to
be rue but which he authorised me to say is true
and desire the House to hear it.
III the wear When the Cod. vas revised, whicn was
rha Of nrn ia nj
ID, printing amounted to % 76l AZ. The naxt year
IL amounted to $7,ra0 l3. The next $5,0S9 0O, aud
.he year following to $3060 49, Then commenced the
bieuuial sessions; and sthough they had TO lose the
use Of their money for the space OF two years before
they could go to the Treasury they made within that
time but an aggregate profit OF $ll ,673 w.
Now, desire gentlemen TO examine this thing
carefully. ask Them if there il a merchant IN this
country, who does an honest business upon cheaper
terms, in proportion to the extent OF work done
I ask them to 70 to any village merchant and see 1t
they can buy negro blanket jewsharp at lower
rate OF profit than twenty five per cent? And here
am advocating the claim OF gentleman Who does the
public printing at profit of sixteen per cent.-and
TIA, for some Ave years past But for some political
u,rii.rarion--soms editorial consideraton there are
h-r- gentlemen who 20 for ousting the Public Prin'
ter no because he has not discharged his duty faith
fully, but for snme reasons which are cooceaeo DE-
h,ni tho curtain. .
am responsbiy told that the public printing will
b. done twenty FIVE per cent less than Is now PAID
made pledge TO 90 with the gentleman from Staf
f.rd In the event of his accomplishing an economy in
TN. branch Of the public service to this extent and
must say r-gre. did So but snail adhere to 1t,
:nr know the people nf Halifax will stand by me
wh-a | sand up 10 my pledges. l Will DO H. and
y,t for the p.rsnn who takes the printing al the re-
d.c.d rate drsgnsred by the gentleman. be- he Wing
kGoW Nothing or Democrat. deslre TO know from
In- gentleman from Stnff ,rd, and wish hun to be
explicit, whether be will become personally respon.
s,h, for any deficit in the compensation which the
pm, - IN fhs ri
1! ne Si,,, rhall go with him to tha end.
will here refer to the outlay by the Public Printer
sing, 1919 aud xiSe the prO6's upon each years out
lay that lhs House may sse what small per centsge
H. Tho year there was outlay Of $36 s23 SO
upon which h. 10 ,d- aggregate pr"h' ct " Iel 40
In rhe year lSS0'5l 10 expanded 3l2 sl2 g. with a
pr6' o, ~ ,trS I3i lS5l'52, $21 4Sl 06 from which
h derived profit OF OS9; in 1883 $l9579 ~, which
LEI; prof; OF bu, >306O 90. But when it came to
IN. bi-un'al ssrsions. what was his outlay within two
y-nrrf desire gentlemen to give their attention TO
Ills during Tho TWO years succeeding 1888 his e1'
p-niiur amounted to $78Ul5 U9, upon which he
m.d- b profit OF Sll 673 W. including all that was
"hr.in-d from private sources so the gentleman from
Marion may perc1lve INSTEAD Of $lO annual!
2rh made sccoI"iag 20 his estimate, 1t amounted oI
rsrti U0, and that, too by the aid Of ex
:r4ueuus patronage. would ask the gentleman if he
would not conaIder this small profit upon such an out
sy Thv il, not as much rs any merchant would be
content ~!:. an in my estimation far less than such
nn.n making taoes and turning up their eyes In amaze
Ineut the immense profit made by the Public Print
Sir, this astonshm-nt has not its origin in this
cause. There is something behind the curtain which
more truthfuly account for this opposition Mr.
kche has not pleased certain gentlemen by his course
III he recent Senatorial contest and hence this effort
10 deprive him Of the Public Printing.
BIZ, will proceed ~ submit another statement for
lie consideration of the House II will be intellgble
TO the gentleman from Stafford MIR. SIppoy,) who |
know, Il well posted in fguree-l am not myself
Here It 10:
Amount received for printing for ls54and
IS, $Ss .6SS II
Cost of work and materials, 7s,Ol5 0S
Profit on two y.srs' work, $ll,673 W
Being the rate Of IA s7l0O per cent. profit on in
vestmen;.
A reduction Of twenty Eve per cent. upon these
rates. as proposed by the gentleman from Stafford
would leave the following result:
Gross amount paid tor the two years
above mentioned, $50 6S8 III
Twenty ave per cent Of 22f22 o.
S67 ,266 Us
This 10 the amount for which he proposes to hav.
the work done.
Now letus compare both exhibits and see the re.
suit:
Actual cost to Mr.. Richie. s7sUl5 Cs
10 do the work. 67,al6 Os
Ne. loss to AR. Seldom, $lU7ss OIL
Such are the results a. I have been able TO ascer
tain ,henn, from practical authority.
Now cir, I do not intend to discredit the securi,,
that i. placed before the House for the faithful ex
ecu,cn Of the printing upon the terms proposed b,
tho gentleman from Stafford. know the gentleman
limsslf, to be fully responsible for anything he un
dsstakes. want him to stand up to this thing; anf
60 far as l am concerned, assure the gentleman
will carry out in good faith, whatever pledge maxi
want him to state whether he will 60 security f"
ths proper execution Of the work upon the terms b.
proposes. Ii hedoes 40. will cheerfully vote 10