New-York daily tribune., 1858-04-22

fCr tDe cOnelSsfht01, 20 Os pb,1 lC, o. c1sEAu o
the prot on the doing Of the work after the deiuco,
Of the twenty per cert 20 be paid the binder who
| contracted. UpCn Information which the Committee
are not disposed to question is believed that the
twenty per cent reserved by that contractor 10 be paid
lin by the first sub-contrsctor has already amounted
10 $4,000 and that the second sub contractor has
ceiyed a very considerable sum out Of profits which
have been made IN doing the work after the paymen,
Of the tweuty per cent TO the first contractor spu
lated in bis contract II iust to the third party or
second subcOntractor doing the work 10 add that be
hss been 80 satisfied with the residuum TO himself un-
Ger bis cont Get as to have felt mpeed for what he
received, TO do the binding in better manner than
| that heretofore done.
The Committee esy this particular illustrations hss
been selected, not with view to fud fault with the
fret contractor, but az apNy showing TIE genera
practice of persons ,uming TO do the public work,
who rot themselves. for the rnost part, mechanics,
but gpecuatOrs obtain contracts and use the meC han.
cs TO execute them under reserve, from the actua
operatives, Of large percentage as prtht to them
se,es.
TIE gross amount of binding for the XXXIIId Con-
gress $53S i5S and that for the XXXINth, $500 83
But in addition to the Congressional works there
large amount Of binding annually done lor the 7e'efa
executive departments and bureaus. The prices are
much higher than those established by Congress
Tie work s given out without system, and with little
or 10 regard for economy The blnaiug i9r tne oe
paIteuts and bureaus including the printed heads IN
some Instances for the year 1857, amounted IN gross
to 81 500 and will probably be about the same tor
the present year.
ing for Congress ard the Departments can be done
fully thiIty three and third per cent less thar is
low paid. TIE wood engraving for the Patent Ofhce
II. port for 1857 may be taken in illustration OF gen
eral uanner. Those epgravDgs cost the Government
er page Of tbiIty-three and third inches, go 10
The person contI acting had large part OF the work
ocre Yeik, ana thus he sold or sub-let his con
tract TO second party at very large discount from
the price which he himself was to receive from the
Government. That second party again sub-let his
contract TO third party, who actually oi1 the Work
The Committee are assured that the whole cost Of
the ngraying-the wood the drawing and the elec
troty ping-need ard ought not to have been more
than $22 per psge, While 1t cost the Government
S32 10.
The whole amount of the cost of engravings, ltho-
graphs and electroypes for the XX&llld Congress
IS $829,s'S 25 that for the @ same for the NM IN
Congress is 1851 8Ji 90. The saving OF but 20 per
cent on these large amounts more than which it was
possible to have made, would have left with the Gov
ernment an sggregate-now gone TO contractors and
$Ps'G7a''''' 81 81. i0' " 'D'''''il'1'
Abuses 10 the quality of paper, &C., were like
wise discovered.
The grand total of the cost of printing, binding,
craving lthographing and electrotypng Of Congress
ind of the Departments during the AAAlild Con-
gees . .
An1oult paid for The Congregational Globe for the
&&Nllld Congress k's1fo 70
Total. sse25ss7 "a
Cost for the same during the XXXlvth Con.
P.G tc Observation-Disclosures. s5'soa 3
Toal. 80
Add TO these large amounts $50 600 per annum for
stationary in the Departments the Clerk Offices and
folding rooms, making $500, 600 per Congress.
The Committee with view to end the abuses in the
prestn system propose to establish Bureau for the
execution ef printing, binding, engraving, &C., the
office of the Superintendent to be abolished. They
are satisfied that while the present speculatons will
be removed the work generally can be done by this
MEANS at least thirty forty per cent saving to ths
Government.
Mr.. BOYCE Is. c. called up the report Of the
Committee on Elections in the Nebraska case, con-
cludirg with resolution that Mr.. Ferguson the sit
tirg delegate, and Mr. Chapman, the contestant, have
the further time Of sixty days for the taking and re-
tuning of supplementary testimony.
Tie resolution was amended by extending the time
to the first Of October, and passed.
The House then went into Com ntee of the Whole
on the West Point Academy Appropriation bill =,
During the discussion Mr.. GlDDlNGS asked MI
Cobb " hen the Kansas Committee would report
Mr.. COBB (Ala replied, when the conf citing diff
cuties existing betWee Lecompton and anti Lecomp
ton Democrats become reconced, in order that they
may have power enough to settle the question
The West Point Academy bill was finally passed
and the House adjourned.