Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-09-29

branch offederat ddminisratioa we produced II
few days ago, the report wherein II committee
of the House exhibited the fraudulent practices
of the Printing Department. 1t is document
of the very gravest interest.
"a certain A. G. Seaman was Snperintend-
cnt oil Public Printing from December 1853 TO
December 1857. During part Of the same
period certain Cornelius Wendell held the
Office of Public Printer A more congen ia
couple never existed, even in fiction
Notwithstanding the ceverness Of these wo
consumrpate r,scals and their stud ious en-
deaver 10 "cover ND their tracks, tbs comm T.
tee conpiet them Of receiving Tribes and 6ountes -
The former to the amount OF $4,000 and the
latter to the amount OF 100000, OF course,
these figures do not represent the full extent Of
Seaman and Wendells operations. In the
main, their practices were such as to elude de-
tee ton and whenever they ventured into the
light, they were careful to assume an almost
impenelrable disguise. Still, enough Is ascer-
tanned TO show that both Seaman and Wendell
hare p}andered the Treasury upon system, and
have incurred exposure TO the penalty Of i'm
prisonmen' in the penitenti"ry.:
an the examination of the accounts for En-
craving and lithographing, the committee
find that the books of yarous parties did not
"In one case the difference was equivalent; to
$4,000, and in another to sG,7a6 10.
"By mn arrangement it'll Seaman, Wendell,
the Public Printer, was employed us a special
agent for all the paper contracts-he being the
very person " no should complain OF an iufe-
rior article. In this way, the editor of the
'organ" realized the snng sum OF $1,000
''Tne testimony shows that large quantities
Of paper inferior to the samples by 1T least u
difference of thirty-threc per cent, we ac-
ccpted from favored contractors; that thous-
au Is Of documents were recepted for as printed
and bound that were never delivered and
that thousands OF the most valuable pub
LEGATION. have disappeared without any ac-
count.
"These are astounding developments :, Int
they piece rith The precalemt practices IN tie
fed raj eapttal FROM THE BY-WAYS AND
HIGHWAYS OF THE GOVERNMENT, THE
ROTTENNESS OF CORRUPTION SENDS
FORTH AN INSUFFERABLE STENCIL. WHY
are Tie people so patientP Why siumJers tie
indignation Of Tie Democracyp See they moth
ing discredtabl, in the fact that the ''oygan ot
the administration is under the os,ensibIe con-
troll of detected spindier? Have they no word
of surprise when they discover that tie Presi-
dent retains Cornelius Wendell as lis comfden-
nal "oryan' after the public and official expo
sure of Cornelius Wendelfs corrspt practices
MS funcionary Of government. Cornelius
Wendell is 5tiH Public Printer not in name, INT
in fact is there no popular protest against the
connivnrce OF Congress in his employment
since the dtscorery Of his frauds and pecuIdtoH%
Others mny be indifferent TO such an igno-
miny but, for ourselves, we intend To lasl. the
malelactor till the party is pnrged OF his incc-
tious presence, and the treasury is protected
against his piratical operations.
4 few days before the adjournment Of Con-
grcss, the following debate took place in the
Senate, which we copy from the proceedings
Of Congress:
"Air Wilson amended by cutting down most
of the MISCELLANEOUS items, ms adverlisisg mail
bags, wrap uK paper and post office blanks,
making total saving Of over $4,000 Ia
reference to the blanks, he said he knew case
where Nr, Rice, editor OF The "Pcnn.ylvaninn,'
| had csntiact tor printing hln..ks for $4,000,
which cost him just $4,000, Me profit being d.
vde'l fifty per ceut. to the Washington "union'
FIVE per cert 10 Mr.. Appleton Secretary Of
State, aud ,hreo per cent 10 u paper published
| in the interest of II member of Congress
Mr. Mason said If the facts were So, j. is
! due 10 the Senate and to the country tor The
| Senator to lay his information before them.
MIR. Wilson reiterated the stulemcnt, aud
ssiA that sir. Rice himself had said so, and,
| moreover that he arrangement WdS rth Me
cognizance Of the Prs,ident Of tie Ended States.
"Nr. Cameron said tie mntier was SO noto-
rions that ev1r, body, except perhaps the Senn-
tor from Virginia. must know all about it,
Mr. Rice wns, until recently, n creature OF the
| President, hut they had quarrel, and he went
about hl.bLins NIL ahont il.
Mr.. Ma.sn-Did Mr.. Rice tell { e Senator
so?
"Mr Gamer on-The wa, TO get this inior-
mu lion is TO appoint committte oi invesii-
CATION, or sne me for slsuier aud thai W u
bring the evidence. l. am responsijie for all
sns here or eisstchere Just bring here Billy
Rice and the President They know all about
| it, and think my colleague knows something
about il too.
The sum and substance Of this charge is,
that contract was made with Dir Rice, Of
the "Penasy'ranian," for the printing Of
| Post Ollire blanks, ostensiby for $4,000,
which really would not cost but $4,000, and
with the distinct understanding between the
contracting parties and the President, that
S3j, 600 o'thc money was to lie distributed
among the friends of the President, incluing
the assistant Secretary of State, and that this
| was done with the knowledge and by con-
sent Of the President himself. We are hap
by to know that before the Senate finally
adjourned, Mr.. Cameron moved the appoint
ment of committee Of investigation, which
was carried. The charge is made by two
Senator's and one Of them vouched for the
facts on lis individual and senatorial respon
sihty, and invited suit for Islander if it
was denied.
with such facts before lis it may we'll lie
asked: "WLy slumhers the indignation of
the Democracy p why are tie people So
patient :"
THE CAPITOL. AND Committee nooMs. -
The Clerk OF the House oil Representatives, by
resolution was directed to make report Of
the expenditures on the House Of Representa-
tives. This the Clerk did, in letter of 2l2
pages closely printed but SO great was the
pronigacy and extravaganza fthe disclosures,
that at this time not single copy can be
found in the City of Washington but for
tunatcly, enough has been gathered from the
report to open the eyes of the people. For
fittings up of one wing of the Capitol, the G.
normous sum of $4G0.0O0 was expended, or
distributed among tho plunderers. We APP
pend a list of articles bought for the Speakers
Room of the House of Representatives:
Large French plate Mirror, $3.50 90
Large Pier Table, 275 90
Two Bronze Siatucttcs, co 90
Maatel Mirror, els 90
Fine Writing Table, IS 90