The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-21
The Corruptions OF the Public Printing and
Other Spoils Jobs and Jobbers mt Washing

sidney. Rates TO California were quiet and unchanged
The Corruptions Of the Public Printing and
Other Spoils Jobs and Jobbers Mt Washing
ton.
According to the advices from Washington
which we publish to-day, the judicial authorities
of that city have been somewhat occupied of
late in the business of indicting various indi-
viduals for alleged official corruptions malfea-
sance, peTjuries Frauds &C., against the treasury
of the United States. Conspicuous among these
accused parties are A. G. Seaman, the late su-
perihtendent Of the government printing, and
General William Cullom, who three years ago
was Clerk Of the House of Representatives-the
one, democratic protegf of President Pierce, and
the other o South American of liberal ideas.
and formerly an old line whig member of Con-
gress from Tennessee.
Seaman, it appears, has conveniently with
drawn himself from the public eye; but as one of
the firm of the New York Sunday AfSas, we had
supposed that his whereabouts against all requi.
sitions, could be readily ascertained. The atlas
is somewhat distinguished as an advocate of
official hor esty, and as denouncer of official
corruption, especially in our Corporation affairs,
and why the firm thus devoted to the public in
terests should hesitate to produce one of its own
members when demanded by bench warrant,
We are puzzled to conjecture. Common rumor
says that Seaman would be exposed to considera-
BILE danger in risking trial, and that in this
matter Of the public printing there are some
business confederates of his whose interests re-
quire a return to the court of non est iapentus
The chances are, therefore, in favor of the pre-
sumption that Seaman will avoid criminal trial
in pleasant trip to the seat of war; or to Pixies
Peak, or peradventure, in summer tour OF the
Canadian lakes and rivera Should the indict-
ment in question thus fall through, we may ex-
pect among the proceedings of the new Congress-
in advance Of the election of the printer, new
committee Of inquiry upon the subject, with pow
er to send for the persons and papers
The opposition will have the control of the
new House, the Americans and antLecompton
democrats holding the balance of power. The
results of the organisation will probably be some
such bargain a that under which N. P. Banks
VIZ elected Speaker at the session of 1885,
Cullom Cle1k and Wendell printer. We pre-
sume that Wendell is henceforth out of the ques-
ton; for the scheme of operations whereby he
secured the printing of this last Congress ap-
pears to have thoroughly disgusted all concern
ed, if we may except Banks and Steadman, who
pocketed their fees and went their way rejoicing
At all events, as this business and various other
spells jobs have been brought at Washington to
the active attention of the legal authorities, we
hope that the parties accused, sooner or later
will be pushed to fair trial. involving com
plete exposure of all the rogues and rascalities
concerned
We have no doubt that the present Superin-
tendent of the Public Printing, General Bow.
man. will render in an honest and satisfactory
report to Congress of his stewardship but the
corruptions inherent in the present partisan sys.
tenn of electing the public printer by each house
can only be cured in overturning the system it.
SELF and in the establishment of a government
printing Office. Of all the sources of official de-
morazation, corruption and knavery at Wash
lngton, this corrupt tree Of the public printing
has been the most fruitful of mischief With the
| clear prohts involved ranging from twenty thou.
sand to one hundred thousand dollars a year. ex-
elusive of pickings and steaiings, the temptations
Of this government printing have broken down
all the barriers of common decency in the
struggles of men, cliques and parties to secure
the prize.
The Galphin and Gardner claims Of Flmore's
administration, the railroad land grants aud
lobby patent monopoly jobs, Indian treaty spols
jobs and fat contracts Of Pierces administration,
had, when Mr. Buchanan came into power re-
duced the government, from Congress to the
kitchen, to sweeping system oflobby operations
OF spoils and plumber. Mr. Buchanan, whose old