Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-03-05
Tne repOrt Of the House committee Of Inves.

THE report of the House Committee of Inves-
tigatfon, with Mr.. Geo. Taylor at its head. APP
pointed to examine into the charges of corrup.
tfon in public printing makes some rather inter
esting developments.
It appears that the luxurious style of living
practissd by A. G. Seaman, Superintendent of
Pcblic Printing, attracted attention to the fact
that he, Of no property, with salary OF
only three thousand dollars year. drove his
fine carriage sported his splendid horses, and
conducted his household on the most liberal and
sumptuous style, and awakened suspicion that
all was not right His conduct was very satisfac-
tory, however, to Mr.. Pierce, who rcappointed
him, his second term expiring Dec. 1857, when
Mr.. Buchanan filed his place, but for which this
investigation would probably not have taken
place.
The witnesses examined by the Committee
manifested great reluctance in answering the
questions put to them, but sufficient evidence
was elected to show that great frauds upon
the government were perpetrated by Mr.. Sea-
man, aud that he had pursued a system of
outrageous extortion upon those in his employ.
Engravers and photographers were forced 10
pay gratuities, sometimes in the shape OF
loan and sometimes percentage. Super
intendents made allowance i'll their bills for
the amounts, so that it all came off OF the
government. The report shows that the nc.
counts of the Superintendent were kept in n
most loose and unsatisfactory way; that dOcu-
ments ordered to be printed were not all print
ed, and that certificates for the whole number
were always issued The government was also
cheated in the paper used, which was of an in
ferior quality. Seaman had loans from the
paper manufacturers, taken without securities,
(of one firm $I2 .OOO.) who were allowed to in
pemnify themselves by furnishing bad paper.
The following extract from the Report of the
Committee, shows this matter up in strong
light:
"Your committee find that Mr.. Seaman re.
ceTed from the engravers, photographers and
paper contractors examined during the investi-
gation-in the way of loans chiefly but por-
ton ip money direct-about the gross sum Of
$4,000.
UYour committee find, as heretofore stated,
that Mr.. Wendell received from tho paper con-
tractors about 900. The evidence shows
that he also received from eugraverS and litho-
graphers, during Mr.. Seaman's superintendency,
about S2T ,000-:nakiug the gross paid 10
him, as far as ascertained, about $4,000"
But why was not this investigation made long
ago? Three years ago, when the money was
icing spent it might have avaed something;
but now we investigate only TO find the rascaIity
NIL accomplished, and the money all squandered
When in addition to the developments of this
Committee, we take into consideration the hun
dreds of thousands. even millions, of dollars
expended in publishing elaborate works-such
rs coast surveys, running through perhaps thirty
forty rolumes-all gotten up in the costliest
style, for really no other purpose than to give
employment and bonuses to favorites, we may
b, justified in believing that the department of
public printing is, of all others, the corrupt
est in most corrupt democratic administration.
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