Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-01
REPORT
VI the House Committee to investigate the
acceents OF William CullOm, late Clerk OF
the House of Representatives -.
REPORT

II
The committee appointed to investigate the
Conduct and accounts Of William Culiom, late
clerk OF the House of Representatives respect
fully beg leave 10 report
Your committee have taken vast amount
| OF testimony, extending into various depart
| mehIs Oh the clerk Office, and have procured
nucn Information new to them, and possibly
to many other members Of the House. The
committee WAS raised upon the following reSo-
| ton
"Resolred, That the conduct and accounts of
| William Cullom the late clerk be referred to
select committee OF nve with instructions to in
qmre INTO the various items Of his accounts and
report thereon at any time and shall have power
| 10 send for persons and papers
! lnasmuch as a suggestion had been made Of
delinquency on the part OF the clerk touching
| the stationery procured and furnished for the
use Of the members of this hous,, their at.
| tentiOn was first called To that DEPARTMENT of
\ the clerk - Office
I'll proper to say that the proof establishes
| the tact That the stationery furnished to the
last Congress was procured. not by the late
clerk Mr. Cuiloin. bu: by his predecessor Mr.
FOrney; and whether complaints respecting it
are we'll founded or not no responsibility at-
tSehes 70 Mr. Cuilom. the usage under the law
| Delng that each clerk. after the close of Con-
! Sress, and before the next session, shall con-
traet Tor and purchase stationery for the sue
ceedlng Congress. Sec. IL, act of 10Th August.
1 n.
with respect to the stationery furnished to
| the present Congress, ii appears in proof that
Immediately after the close of the last Con-
| gress, advertisements were prepared i'm the
clerks office by some of the old incumbents,
under the personal direction of the cierk, to
| adFertlse Tor the kind and amount of stationery
| that their experience in the Office extending
oack III some cases nearly ten years. showed 10
| De necessary; that he himself took no other
| part IN preparing the advertisement than
merely to give ii his official signature; that
| WIN the exception OF a single instance Ia house
| Ia New York; he personally invited no bids:
| tnat when the bids were made aud samples
4 furnished the latter were opened in one of the
committee rooms, and carefully cOlIatcd by the
oldest and most experienced employees in the
ONCE, ut the request, by the direction and in
the presence of the clerk who, having little
knowledge respecting the different qualities of
| stationery, took no part in making the Selec-
tons, but left it 10 the longer experience and
| better Jud dgment of his subordinates; that they
| selected from different samples such az an
Peared to them most suitable. regard being
| nad 10 Doth quality and prices; and that con-
tracts were awarded to some four or five differ
ent bidders, resident mt different points. and
all shown to be first class dealers; that the ac-
1 cepted bids were made known through the Of
hee, and instructions given by the clerk to
carefully inspect the articles delivered and to
see that they CONFIRMED to the samples, instrue-
| tAOhS WcIe observed, that O.
ceiying and accepting the bids, there was no
ooliusiOn nor understanding between the bid
| ders aud the clerk or any of his EMPLOYEES:
| that no margin was reserved, and no bonus was
paid or agreed to be paid or demanded to be
paid by any OF the contractors. either to the
clerk or any one In his employ; that the quality
Of the stationery furnished il very good and
that the skill and jud gment used i'll making Sc
leetions have been called in question only i'm
the single article Of wrapping paper, and that
70 the extent of but a few cents per ream
Certain bidders being of opinion that their own
samples were equally as good as those upon
which contracts were awarded. while their bids
were triae lower. While your committee
therefore, find nothing in the purchase Of the
stationery to Impeach the official conduct either
OF the clerk or those acting under him. their
Investigation has given them somo insight into
the stationery system, and they deem il proper
to call the attention of the House to it,
, 1t appears that by usage of the Office the
stationery is placed in the custody of one Of the
subordInates, known as the stationery clerk:
!, that he furnishes stationery to the postmaster
OF the House, who delivers ii to the members
aud keeps the accounts with them; that in
faet members have Supplied themselves from
the stationery room, leaving the stationery
clerk to report the items to the postmaster:
and that in the sickness or necessary absence
OF the stationery clerk during the session of the
House, his duties devOlyed upon some of his
a-OclaleSi lhdt - lar as your committee can De
ceIVe, there Is no check imposed upon the sta
tlJnery clerk or those who temporarily act i'm
! his place, and no means of ascertaininr the
ndelIty with which they execute their trust
IL furthermore appears that a practice hal
, grown up in the office of allowing each of the
employees TO use the office stationery for pri-
Vate purposes to an extent equal to the amount
allowed by law to each of the members Asit
appears TO your committee. the stationery of
the House l. In much the same condition as
would be q stock Of merchandise of many tbops
and dollars value. sold at retail by sundry diff
/, terent clerks, to nearly two hundred and fifty
different customers, each part proprietor in
terested only in receiving his share of the can
: ital, with no eye to profits no account of sales
Kept, and no invoice ever taken; the safety of
the stock depending alone upon the skill and
/ integrity Of the factor.
; The stationery clerk Of the iast Congress was
an old incumbent. continued In Office by the
late clerk III compliance with a very numerou.
and most respectable Recommendation Sour
committee design no reflection upon him: but
they submit that not only the safety of the
officer but that OF the public property In his
care, requires that his official conduct should
be subjected by the clerk to constant reyissl
In This connection your committee deem il
proper to call attention To the matter Of up-
hOlstery. furniture and repairs for the House
furnished by the direction and authority of the
clerk
by House resolution OF January 10, 1915 il
a il provided that all contracts. bargains or
agreements relative to the furnishing Of any
matter or thing, or for the performance Of any
labor for the House of Repres ,ntatiyes be msde
with the clerk, or approved by him. before any
, allowance therefor shall be made by the COM
mittec of accounts The disbursements for
upholstery, furniture and repairs amount an.
nnslly to many thousand dollars
The practice of the Office appears To be 10
1 employ some tradesman who supplies every
thing of the kind that is required either by the
: committees or otherwise. without any special
e contract or agreement 10 the price submits
r his account to the committee Of accounts. which
when approved by that committee is paid by
the clerk
{ During the last Congress three different per-
sons were thus employed, whose evidence be-
E fore the committee shows that upon the articles
a furnished by them they realized a profit Of
Z from twenty five to thirty-three and one third
per cent, which they say is no more than they
charge private persons for similar supplies
Certain IL IL, that the aggregate Of profits i