Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-19

giving bond and eeourity for ths performance OF his
contract; and this same Mr. Gully though he testified
in 1852. that the public printer received too much
came back upon the Convention, stating that thu
contract had ruined rim, and impIoring relief, and
the Convention voted Inn neGrly double the amount
called for by his contract-that is, allowed him pre-
cisely what is now allowed 10 the public printer-62l
cents per thousand ems.
Mr. Gsaher was also engaged on the lowest. bidder
plan, with what result oil recollect The printing
OF what was termed "the Supplement- was so misera
bly, executed, and ON paper 60 inferior that abso
lutey illegbe while the delay was intoersble Up to
this hour the printing of 'the Supplement- is not COM
peted and never will be this side of Gabrels last trum
pet sound. Here some one sent the Speaker note
with the inquiry-"what has bacome of Gov. Wise's
speech In the Convention thank the friend (ssid
Mr.. 81 who 80 opportuney comes to my aid, and
with him ask, what has become of Gov. Wise's
speech in the Convention How has he los, the
fame, the immortality, TO which his name would have
been handed down by the publication of that exrsor
dinary effort of learning oratory and genius Sir, it
was sacrificed to this now vauned lowest bidder
tract system. Like some Others, il never got into
print because the contractor had undertaken the job
at rates 80 runous that compliance with his contract
was impossible. And MIR. Gallaher too, came back
for additional compensation. SO the lowest bidder
plan has not proved anywhere an economical one.
And yet am asked 10 adopt this system, et8mped
all over with abortion and deception, in lieu of that
better one which all admit has worked even to admi.
ration and cost no more than it's under bidding rival
Sir, cannot be thus deluded. prefer to stand bv
old and tried systems May be, 1 am an old fog
own am; for, except as to railroads, have w,tGin
me little OF the spirit OF that dashDg personage ycept
" Young America" In all that relates to the forms
tion of human policy. think it wisdom to be govern
ed by the monitions OF experience and least of ALL
can be- induced to discard tried and successful sys.
tenn, for one which, after having been tried, has
proved wholly abortve and unsuccessful I fear
there viii! be found in the end, no economy in the
change that is proposed And on what grounds are
we invited to make the proposed substitution My
young friend from Monongalia, (Mr. BARBouR,)
the author and only sgner Of the minority report,
who though the youngest, has proved himself, in
this debate, TO be- one Of the ablest members Of the
House, bases his recommendation Of the 25 per cent
reduction on the dct that four practical printers have
offered to do the printing for rs per cent less than the
preaant rates, and will give bond anu ty for the
tulhlment OF their engagement, and he inssts that
here is an end OF the question: Here is proof con
clusive, The argues,) that can maize saving OF
70 per cent, and that We ought to adopt implicitly
the minority report, without further inquiry nves
tigaton.
In Is simplest form the argument is this; that the
lowest price Ia necessarily the most economical-a
proposition far from conclusive can find thousands
of men who would come into this hall aud take our
ssais at two dollars per day, and think they were
doing Dig business at that but does it follow that
thsy would make as good Legislators as our honor
able selves can fnd hundreds 10 the Common
wealth who would be- glad of the position Of your
First Auditor, at $500 year. but would it be policy
or economy to put the $500 man in the place of the
present Auditor
This 10 rather short cut to conclusion, aumma'
ry disposition OF The question which cautious men may
be excused for not endorsing. First, the gentleman
10 met by different Recommendation ou the part OF
the majority ut the committee. Notwithstanding the
proposals OF the four underbdders majority Of the
committee, and a joint committee too, advised re-
duction of only l2 per cent. They were satisfied by
reliable evidence taken by committee in 1852, that
the printing could not be properly done the terms
proposed by the four uDderbidders, rs per cent
duction) and hence they advised reduction of only
2I per cent believing it to be true economy 10 allow
the public printer such rates would give fair CON-
pensation for the capital and labor expended.
Again. the conclusion ofthe minority report s total
ly dssvo~ed by the strong and conclusive testimony
of number of practical printers taken before spe
cal committee at the sessiou Of 1852. Messrs. Ber
nard, Trueheart. Page, Wsrrock Brunett, Gallaher,
Redford and Bailey, all stated, under oath, that
worth 10 per cent more do the public printing than
the ordinary job work, and that the public printer
could not afford to do the printing at less than 62
cents the thousand ems. prefer to be governed in
this matter by the dsinterested testimony of these
intelligent practical printers, rather than by the
Of interested pariiee, who having ousted
the present printer by undertaking. may reimburse
themselves hereafter for ossss sustained in the same
way in which other lowest bidder contractors have
donsit.
The evidence taken in '52 ia disputed. 1t is said
not before the committee, and ia not now before
the House. The objection ia altogether too technical
for q Legislative body; for | hold, that, to
Legislative body, every known sscertained fact,
no matter how known and ascertcined, every thing
that ever occurred upon the face of the earth the
whole history Of the whole world s competent testi'
mony. have the right, therefore, to introduce here
to-day, the evidence taken in 1882 ana 10 accord
as much weight as if taken ore tenus before the
House. or its committee. The only question Isis
il reliable ls the testimony taken In 81 truel 1t
has not been shown to be unreliable or mistaken; the
majority Of the committee adopt II as reliable and
true, and not one single fact has been addaced or
oan be sdduced to prove that printing can be
done any cheaper now than II could have been
in 1882, except the proposals OF the three print
ers who offer reduced terms, and whose propo'
sss may, as have attempted to show, prove atoge'
ther fallacious.
And what right has the gentleman from Mononga.
Lis 10 suppose that the lowsstbidder system will
work any better than 1t has heretoforel May It
not most properly bs argued, that system which has
always failed heretofore, will almost certainly fail
hereafter! Have We not reason TO spprehend that,
like the contractors for the Congressional and Con-
vention printing, the 25 per cent. under-bidders will
hereafter be found suppcating the Legislature for re-
lief in the form of additional pay7 At the very next
session, you will find them before this body with as
many prayers for relief were ever found in bill n
Chancery. May it please your Honors tthey Will
saw we have made most unfortupate bargain
with you. We thought we could do the printing at
the prices proposed but turns out that We have
sunk great deal Of money. 10 fact, we are ruined
In tender consideration whereof and forasmuch Ga
we are remediless in the premises save by the aid Of
your honorable body, we do pray your Honors to
grant such relief az to your Honors may seem III,
and our ruined condition may require This fear,
will be the result; and what then becomes OF the
superior economy of the contract system!
Sir, have my spprehenslons that there is combi
nation among these city proposers TO oust the public
printer with reference to future advantage, sBd
think see how the operation is to end. have no
idea that any one of the new propossrs designs or
expects to do the whole of the public printing.
suppose it will be parceed out among the three.
Judge 80 from facts stated by themselves. One OF
the gentlemen MIR. Clemnit says 10 bis statement,
that he has been but short time in business, and is
doing business very small scale, and infer that
he not able to set up and does not expect TO set up
the large establishment required for the execution of
;ha public printing. Another Of them, Mr.. Wynne.
speaks of "d,strbut,on" Of the printing. may well
iufer, therefore, that the printing is to be distributed
among the three and the result may be, that, having
dispossessed Nr. Richie of the printing, forced him
to sell out bis printing establishment at sacrltce,
and thus ruled him ont of the ring OF competition,
the new contractor or contractors will make their own
terms hereafter.
In suggesting ttia theory of the opposition to the
present public printer, mean not to npeach In the
slightest the integrity Of the gentlemen alluded to-
They consider it, doubtless, "tar business transao'
ton" and legitimate competition AID have acted un.
der those instircts Of sef interest from whose i'm.
pulses no one is exempt But whatever the design
may BE- the result will be- return to the old charges.
with perhaps badly executed work in the interim
But bond and security, it is said, will be given for
the proper execution of the work. Bond and securi
ty are not worth fddlestick in such case. Sup
pose the work be badly done, is the State to b.
noyed by a suit for damages Or suppose the work
shall not be promptly done, and promptness in the
public prntngis indispensable to the despatch of the
public business; can you insure promptness by
tedious suit at law
Besides, bond and security have been unreliable
heretofore. The contractors for the Congressional
printing gave bond and security, but did the work
wre,chedly and tardily, Congress having often TO
wait for the documents necessary for the progress of
the public business; and Messrs. Elliott and Nye were
surstes for Mr. Culley who inpe.fec.ly performed
his contract and yet Were the suretes ever called Oh
for dollar or did their securityship for Culey en-
force the puncual and faithful discharge of his On
gagement1
Sir the best security for the proper execution of
the public printing, is TO be found in the selection of
a gentleman Of elevated character and uudoubted
pscuniary responsibility, such as Mr. Richie. whose
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