New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-15
"INSJDE VIEW n
Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.
Anu III


ALBANY, Feb. 10, f8GC.
Senator Truman, whom it would be no SANDER TO
call the Rough and Ready of the Senatorial circle,
wants 10 know how it happens that under contract
which spulaes with penalty attached that the en-
tire Legislative printing shall be executed and dev-
cred at cost not exceeding 900 annually there
erthees has been paid fOrprinng during the last year
see the Controllers Report the sum of 100000 So
asks Senator Truman; 80 ask we all. Row, ordina.
riy the supplemented man would suppose that some
great fraud had been committed. So it possibly may
turn out Keen as our Roughand- Ready Senator con-
fessedy lie, of the opinion that it viii bother him
not little to tell precisely how it has been done, or
what is the real fact in the case. If the Senator is
right in his statement that the Of sl2O 900 paid
during the past year was for printing executed during
that me and not for printing done under the previous
contract but not paid for owing to peculiar compl-
cation of the ownership of the contract them think
can place him a scent that may possibly lead him
to hole, which, in his expressive, if not elegant
phraseolOgy, has " a woodehuck at one end, and
skunk al the other"
The award of the Legislative printing was made to
Comstock a. Cassidy, the publishers of TIE htLas 10
utter disregard of the statute. They stood poor
chance of getting the job in any ether way. Every
body knew that the work could not be done for any
thing like that sum, it being less than so per cent
the amount usually paid for the same work. while ev
erybody who knew anything Of the matter
tain that either there had been or was TO be some
monstrous imposition perpetrated On the State. No
one was certain precisely how the thing was to de.
veop itself. So, although the award to Comstock a.
Cassidy might easily enough have been ripped up, yet
il was concluded 10 wait and see. The award
signed Mr.. Charles Van Benthuysen, who, being of
the same school, operates at Albany tony on come
what smaller and safer scae after the fashion which
is imputed to Mr.. Wendell at Washington. Ii was
clear il ANYBODY could make money by doing 500 600
worth of work for $4,000, Van Benthtysen wss the
man; and everybody agreed that nobody was better
entitled by his general good-fellowship, TO all the
profits of whatever Jobs drfted in bis way than this
most excellent and good.looking gentleman. If money
has been made out Of the job, perhaps Senator Tro-
man, if he dives deep enough into the thing, aud
doesn't get befogged everybody engaged in smilsr
enterprises has hitherto been, he may tell us all how il
has been done. ,.
But LET MS 90 on with our statement which is inter-
estDg only as likely to contain facts not within
reach of the Senator.
Al the same time Van Benthuysen received the con.
ract for the legislative printing, another was entered
INTO with Mr.. James b. SWAIN publisher OF inc
Seotesman for executing the printing required for the
Department of Secretary of State, and another with
Weed d. ParsOns for the printing required Tor the
sther Departments. Swans job earned win IL the
Rod Book an item which, for many yeare, Ia the |
hands of Weed a. Parsons, mad been very valuable
Thence Immediately arose "inepresslole CONNER.
Two editions of the Red Book published by the
yal houses which had the effect TO cut Swan on from
he expected extras Weed d. Parsons having the con-
rOl Of the machinery in the Legislature In the course
If time, say three or four months, Swain sold his con-
ract for OO0 Van Benthuysen being the purchaser,
lominay perhaps really; though, far as the PRINT
ny Of the Red Book and the work proper Of the Sec
etarys Department concerned, it il probable that
ruth would not be outraged If should say that the
purchase from Swain for the benefit and on 40
omit Of Weed a. Parsons.
il Van Benthuysen reserved anything 10 himself in /
he transaction, and il there existed any peculiar rea
ON for getting hold of SWANS contract which could
OF he made profitable 10 bis bsnds, was probably