The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-04-21
THE PRINTING PLUMBER.

"
:. House Investigating Committee on Print
Il, 70 the document itself. That report is
f6m the Chairman, Mr.. Taylor, of New York,
s,auch supporter of the Administration and
y. .rpops is by the editor of the Washington
S,,,. and is larded with racy comments,
a5irb. while they are perfectly just, will de
,,..s nothing from the interest of the subject.
l.. the reader bear in mind that the public
,,,ting and lis superintendent are in the
lands Of the Democracy, that the exposure of
ID. corruption is by a Democratic committee,
s,l that the synopsis is bya Democratic editor,
,Aom the Democracy of Virginia have recent
h r,mplimented with a splendid service of
late. The article below, with all its DANA
ling statements, and its overwhelming evil
dence of corruption on the part of the owner
e The Government organ, is from the States
!, +, therefore no Republican fabrication, but
srrrable admission, on unquestionable Dem
,,rstic authority, of foul corruption at the very
door. if not in the council chamber, of the Elk
etliiye.
The frauds here made manifest were noto-
nous long before Seaman was dropped from
BIS place; and Wendell was, up to few days
mast. the proprietor of the official organ. We
ops from the Washington States of March I ::
~ The fact that for the last five years the
American people have been subjected to an
annual cXaction OF nearly a million dollars, on
account oithe public printing, is circumstance
winch vii not escape comment, even in this
a.. 81 corrupt and eXtravagant expenditure.
&c Il J, a striking instance Of the perversion
o. Federal authority, that, in addition to its
MANY Diner illegitiInate occupations, the Cen
t4l GOyernment has engaged so largely III the
Incompatible business of a publishing concern.
d" Ii is a signal atteStation of the decay of
oi.rial virtue, that the appropriations for this
dhwarantable purpose have been squandered
IL iEbes and bounties to the very officials who
we're appointed TO protect the public interests.
" 1t is a deplorable mark of the progressive
deterioration Of political morals, that the ex-
pJ,ure Of population of the most atrocious
character rarely provokes more than gentle
tAru,tulation from the men in authority.
We accept as a piece of good fortune the
re,eut revelation Of enormous frauds in the
llbIc printing; since so fragrant an instance
ltcorruption will scarcely fail to attract notice
ADD excite a salutary Indignation among the
people.
We despair OF any spontaneous act of re-
irm on the part of Government.
With the view OF inviting public attention
y he abuses which abound in almost every
branch of Federal Administration, we repro
laced few DAYS ago, the report wherein
committee Of the House exhibited the fraudu-
lui Practices of the Printing Department. 1t
Is a document of the very greatest interest, but
Nas little read, perhaps, because of its official
tharacier-ihe imprimatUr of authority being
understood as an admontion to all in pursuit
u dyertng literature. In any event, the facts
disclosed IN the investigation, and unanimously
certified 10y the committee, are of sufficient i'm
loriauce to justify their repeated publication.
The office of Superintendent of Public
Printing was instituted for the express purpose
Ui protecting the Government against the dis
HONESTY of employees and contractors. The
tao Houses of Congress each elect Printer,
% the end that official responsibilities may sup
.fy sort OF guaranty for fidelity and efficiency
"a Tie particular service. How far these pre-
CAUTIONS have availed will appear from the fol-
.jwIng facts exhibited in the report of the Sc
rd committee of the House of Representatives
appointed to investigate the accounts of the
late Superintendent of Public Printing
:" J certain 4. G.. Seaman was Superintend-
ent Of Public Printing from December, 1853
% december, 1857. During part of the same
le1od certain Cornelius Wendell held the
TIE Office of Public Printer. A more congenial
couple never existed, even in fiction.
In the first place, the committee declare
hat Iae Superintendent kept his books in so
loose and negligent a manner as to make it al
Most impossible TO ascertain the condition of
tar accounts between his office and the Govern
mrut
1t cannot be discovered, for example, by
'ome hundreds of dollars. how much paper was
rrrrived. nor how much was delivered to the
f-tlc Printer. and that neither his accounts
l'r the account of paper on hand can be bal
ahccd. he present Superintendent, an hon
81 and efficient functionary. finds that the ac-
counts Of has predecessor, purporting to be
closed. had not. in fact, been closed and that
large quantities of paper furnished to the binder
b: N"a,aau had not been paid for The larg-
tst amount. Sl,l70.77, was due from Mr..
Arnold, Of Philadelphia. When Mr.. Arnold
"as spoken 10 on the subject, he said the ac-
count mad been settled by the ray Of a loan to
W. NaagA.
No account was kept between the Govern.
ment and the Superintendent to show the
amount OF money received for paper supplied
" The binders. The books also disclose pay
mrniS TO The binders for the House Cor volumes
Which were not credited either in the Supesin-
'rhdeni account or at Jh3 iolding-room. The
number OF volumes ordered were not always
'Vlhd and IA some cases not printed. The
accounts tho "a I
a. ue time Mr.. Seaman went out of office,
<F@9 volumes. Nevertheless. certificates for
a. NE volumes ordered by Congress have been
iA'arabiy issued and la some instances these
:. .,e''lAcaies exceed the stipulated number. In
'Ae examination oil the accounts for engraving
! "'hographlng, the committee find that the
IONS OF various parties did not correspond
- 'he certificates issued and charged to them.
- one case the difference was equivalent to
S''VyV' and IN another to S6,736.76. The
,'AA,jiee also find that all the parties en-
to.'d IN engraving and lthographing for Gov
'u'neht. paid commissions on their contracts.
n PERSONS IN association with Seaman and
e''lei- In some instances the per centage
& concealed under cover of loan to the
PefInteudent; in others. he and his accom-
- me Printer, personally exacted payment
81
l. "a consequence of the contributions levied
g. feAlnan and Wendell, contractors were
,iJy 70 increase their prices. This fact is es-
lofhed by comparison of the charges for
H. T,'hs and photography under the late and
vac Present Superintendent. Under Mr.. Bow
Saa Prices are .ftty per cent less than under
d. r'ai' one person testi6es that he would have
it'- some OF the work at one. fourth of the cost
III ny Seaman; and nearly equivalent
CT .'' . mas been made in the charges on the
ST. survey Report for 1857. The commits
csri PAU 10 agents was from five to twenty per
M oh his contracts. In some instances the
ro, +y was lent to Seaman, and no security or
a. fil'fs were taken for it. The committee
bJiI'efed that engravers and photographers who
oo,tJ T5ei previously employed by Government
gaia - no work under Seaman until they en-
In 'ne services of particular agents.
Inc most Il