Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-19
REMARKS OF JOHN. GArEwooD. ESQ :,

| or SHENANDOAH,
n, ,hs Rsport, of the Committee on The PU6lie
| Printing,
Is THE House OF DELEGATES, FEB H. 1906
| Mr. Speaker: After the learned and la5oved argu'
man, of the gentleman from Monongsia, MT. BAR
nouR in supuor. of the report submitted by him. as
the minority Of the committee and tho very soe ana
conclusive reipnder of the gentleman IRON Norlhum
berland iMr. CLAYBkooK,i IN defence OF Inc fepoT,
of the majority il ID with UNAFFECTED d:ln lencs' auo
! M small degree VI embarrassment. not 10 say DIS
trust that rise 10 address this body upon fhs sue
| TACT under considerstou-the Pubic Printing. Ano
mis- embsri assmeit is greatly e1anceaIrom no 'aet'
that il is the FIRST time eVsT unde.'0oN 10 eooress
d-lib.ratiSe assemblage like tins. onoer !heee 10
me, novel circumstance, must ask the Indulgence
aud forb.arancc of gentlemen who, am sure rom
their own experience upon this hoor can appreciate
! the difficulties under which young member ana al
uneYperisrced dcbater must labor IL Is proper III,
Their 10 saw that this RESPONSIBLE position Is not vol
UNFAIRLY assumed on my part, but in response 10 the
urgent and repeated solicitations o. number OF gen
temen upon thi, floor, who have no PRACTICAL Know
ledge Of this question OF printing, anu VINO are mere.
fore unable to form any decided OPINION feialive ~
s-ysral imrofant points raised during the progress
Of ;hs DISCUSSION, already protrscted to 700 great
| length.
MIR. Speaker, have no personal Interest in tho 10
saa of this question whaterer-no warm personal at
! ,acamentsy,o bias nv Judgment, on the one hand.
and no eriuty or pftjadice TO crafty on the otne;
my only object b-irg TO take an impartial and non
view of the question. hs PRACTICAL printer ana 10
do ustioe to all parties coDcernsd-to tns HOUSE po
less than Ia the pubic printer. II the Paolc PRIMER
ia max ing such enormous profits as some gentleman
| sseIn 10 tnk-if ne is realizing h's thousands anu
tens of thouscnds Of dollars from the treasury o! the
ste and ior which Re is rendering no equivalent No
adequate ssrvce, let the iect os maze MANIFEST anu
no one will 60 farther than myself tc reduce them 10
apropsr compensation, and especially az this ufns
hen The Whole country ie Frustrated ny an unpara
leed pressure In financial matters and the people are
| literally grooming under oneroud ana Duroensome
taxuton; but it. ni;er hcstOwins upon this subject
careful investigation, shall fed tire calculations OF
these gentlemen unsu-tsined by The facts, snail as
zea!ously and As chestully defend me public printer
from any influence they may have upon This house
in deciding the question under cons'dera'ion-tnat ~
the adoption Of tho report submitted by the gentle
man from Mononga.ia, mr.. BARsouR,) recommend.
ing that the rate. p.ld The public printer sha
DO reduced % per cent. pro!ess no pu!itsnc uevo
lion TO the interests Of tbs dear people, scch aS VIC
hear from tho lips of patriotic candidates trr pubic
office in stump speecles abuat election tlmes-thnt
kind Of thing will do for such cccRsiona-ou' 40
profess to feel all the weight ct responsibility aeV'V
ing upon the representative, IN patf of one Vi
The counties OF this good OLD Common%e.lth' anu
do profess TO feel, ut this critical juncure, deep
and snIious Interest IN all that pertains 10 Inc pros
perty happiness and well being Of the whole State
IT, by any iniudnious act Of mine, unnecessary our
dens are imposed upon my own Immediate eoAS'nu
ency upon the Taxpayers OF the state al large Or
if shall fail TO all proper diligence to avert thn'
which is unjus:, fail to protect the treasury from
depletion for unworthy objects, cannot be uncon:
scous OF the fact Mr.. Speaker, that involve myself
equally with others, in whatever disastrous cuil5t'
auences may r.put from such erroneous action or
such culpabe der-!ct:cn Of duty. Sir, | en- one OF
the dear people,, subject % like inhrm!ties ana nav
ug the interest AT stake that every other gentle
upon this floor has. S.ifinter~si, therefore, no
LET'S than proper regard for the public good. must
operas upon ina, in the Investigation and decision OF
this question and guide me to whatever conclusion
may come.
Sir, this question of the public printing, in every
aspect in which 1t can be viewed, is no new theme ;
on the contrary il has been the prolific source OF
discussion, 10; only in the Congress oi the United
States, but probably before every Legislative hody
that has assembled in this country. NO nxed
or dini;e conclusion has yet so far as Know, been
arrived ~. a. to what ought to be con'dered Just
aud proper compensation for the execution OF the
description OF work, embraced in the pn6i,c printing!
and imagine the time never will come ~neh lh,s
matter will he settled To everyDoGy's satisfaction. IL
left 10 practical printers, who. take do know and
ought 10 know as much about il as my oaer class oil
men, 10 doubt il would have long since been put 10
rest but unfortunately it has been made the hobby
~ nSDy other questions have been, Tor politicians
and pE-tisans, reformers and seit-cODstiiuted de-
tenders Of liz rights OF the dear people" 10 ride
upon it has been made the blind" behind which
some Interior purpose has been concealed. Sir, each
successive change in the administration OF the govern
nent has brought with II renewal of this controversy
about the public printing and unders axe 10 say that
such will continue TO be The case for oil time to come
at least, long there shall exist partisan spirit
to reward partisan servants. These controversies
spring no; 20 much from the subject of the printing
ITSELF properly. but iuvvve the question, pho shall be
the printer! D!saonuect there questions, by the crea
ton Of public printing Office, and you will in no small
degree deprive this question OF is peculiar merritt
will die out but whether it prove 10 be- the beat poll
cy and cheaper than the present mGGe OF executing
the public printing, is another aud totally Different
question, and which shall not undertake to discuss
at this time; Ii will be time enough TO do that when
the Question shall be presented iii tangible form
But, sir, have said enough, by way OF introduce
.ion Let us now proceed to practical investigation
of The question now claiming the attention OF this
House. The dutes of the public printer are very
plainly defined In tbs 2Oth chapter of the Code o.
Vrginia-so plainly thu. be that rurs may read
After must laoorUus sEG protrSred dsc OF this
question. teutng through the entire sssson .! this
body tor 1855 !, the present salary OF tie Public
Printer, for CERTAIN specified services adopted
The salary h1ed q: 81 SOO aud i; is fair to pre-
same that, al that time, The service rendered was
deemed eGIlvaent 10 this sum, il would not have
osen 80 d.aniio!y fixed. Now. sir, what amount OF
work is executed for this salary The first section
Of this requires that oOO copies OF the Journal Of
the House sall be praec; I'd section requires shat
800 copies oil tho index 10 The shall be furnish
ed; Sd section provides that $50 cop;e OF The general
shall be printed; 4ih section requires s00D copies
Of the acts and resolutions passed during the session.
Ia - printed with The tables and index; aud 5h
ton requires that the public printer shall furnish the
Executive department, irtasurrr Register, each Au.
dtnr the BoarG ot Public WorGs The Board OF the
Literary Fund, and tbs Inspectors OF Tobacco. with
blanks" AID approximations aGd advertisements
from the Executives csso!ruors c Ii. As, U:;,lv bs
transmitted 10 members vi COnsfec, 10 o:her
Sstes notices from the Executive Clerk e, the
House Of Delegates, particular laws, ant nLy circu