Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-04-05

ter interest.
Q. Had NJ. Steadman, at the time OF his elec
tion. any facilities here In Washington for the
work which he Psblis printer would be compel
I'd 10 dol
A. None whatever.
Mr.. Clop1on. would like to ask Mr.. Wendell
| what per cent would be a reasonable profit on the
cost Of the House printing. | take it what you
have said about the House printing 10 applicable
te,ths Senate psinsingi
| A. Yea, cir. Take the average oil through
| Senate, House and exscutive-and the work cost.
| rot over hfty cents on the dollar. Asan evidence
OF that, did the work, think. for two years for
! fhy cents on the dollar, and made money by y.
took t. think. from The estate OF General Arm
strong. who died while he was printer Tint
was the House printing alone. ] had facilities
them for wss doing tho Senate printing as mat
| aver for Tucker and took the work from the Arm
| strong estate and from Judge Nicholson, who sue
cseded General Armstrong.
Wendell admits that sixty or seventy cents Oh
the dollar. profit is realized on certain kinds of
work. whilst. taking the average, the profit is not
less than Rf.y cents On tho dollar. as he took the
work from Armstrong; heirs at that rate, and
made money"
II appears also, that the aggregate amount paid
for printing. binding. &C., by Congress in the last
six years. was, 90. 462655 IL, or yearly average
Of nearly $700O0O In addition to this, the
printing done for the Executive Department Of
tho government during the same six years.
amounted to $374.772 so. The profit on this
work averaging. as Wendell sworo, full fifty per
cent, cost the government nearly two millions
more than II ought to have cost and MI to pro-
vide corrupting fund to influence the electors
With this exhibit will the people longer sustain
Congress In continuing tho present system Of
plunderi Ought they not change tho System en-
tirelyf and hereafter give out their work to tho
Highest responsible bidder. under proper guaran-
tees for The faithful performance of the same.
Tho establishment Of government printing onco
as some have contemplated, would not DO much
better, for Il 10 we'll known that the late supcrn
tendsnt Of the public printing and present organ
grinder to the Presidsnt, was guilty Of n Aagrant
violation Of his obligation. not to say bis oath. in
taking from Wendell an interest 10 that which he
was forbidden 70 touch.
A government printing house would lead to
frauds upon the government, 50 thut the only
means OF preventing population and Of arresting
the sluices Of corruption which Wendell as the
agent Of tho administration has been letting loose
system in the manner We have indicated. We
cannot dismiss this subject without ndvertns
once more to tho confession Of Wendell, respecting
the manner In which he used the corrupting fund
given him by Congress to Influence the elections:
and how, whilst "relying upon the intelligence
and discriminating Judgment Of the American
people" (ride the Baltimore platfurm) money was
sent into the Rev. ~ CLANCY jones district. to
prevent that dstrict with it's six thousand Demo-
cratic majority, from doing w1nt it never had
done before.-reject an Administration Demo-
cratic candidate. MIR. Wendell will tell the whole
tale, which, for tho present shall terminate our
observations upon them" so suggestive of n sad
dcOadsnee in the public morals, und frausht with
30 much peril to the country.
Q. Did you make any contributions towards the
election to Congress Of D. CLANCY Jones in 1863
A. A similar question was propounded me by
the Senate committee. which respectfully begged
leave to decline answering. answered generally
that had for years contributed from my owa
resources money, derived from what sources
might to the sustennnce OF tho party; that | had
always been On enthusiastic party man, and suii
was, and that probably ] should contribute moro
in the coming camrnign IL ha it. | stated thaG
| had expended money In ponn.y lvnnia, New
York, New Jersey. Ohio, and divers other States.
and had given to districts represented ut thu
time on the hoor by personal and political friends
| now state that did contribute in eight or ten
districts, cannot call to mind the exact number
in Pennsylvania, during tho last campnisn. il
sums varying from $3.50 to ESQ. in tho dtercnC
districts which it was supposed n little material
aid would carry for US. did. among others Com
tribute to the Borks county district, represented
then by the Hon. j. Clancy Jones, and to divers
and sundry o,hers. | think in my other testimony
I mentioned the names Of the gentlemen who rep
resented those districts then, but who uniortu-
| nately. do not represent them now.
Q. Did you contribute in Landy's district!
! A. l contributed in his district among others.
The specific ground upon which refused to an
| swer this question before was, that | protested
against an inquiry into what had done with
funds OF my own, aud with specified amounts il,
| specified places ! have no objections to say TINT
contributed moro less in til" different districts
US my check book shows, in sums varying from,
$3.50 to 1850. know that there was dis.
trist very hard 10 carry. but we did saveit
| q. Whose district was that
A. We saved the Florence district from the wreck
beg the committee will excuse me from going into
details, This money contributed for strictly par
" purposes.
Q. by the chairman II you had not been in the re-
ceipt Of the proceeds Of thu public printing you
have contributed money as you say you have done in
the various Congressional districts?
| A wouldnot have been able to contribute 81
much It was the profit l made out OF the publ,
printing that enabled to contribute these amour
| ofmcney. The fact that Was In public position
known 70 be rsmansrativs, induced frequent calls ur
on me, TO which responded.
Q byhr. Soues. wish to know whether OF
not there was an implied or expressed understand
ing between you and any executive officer of tn,
Government that you should make these contribu.
tioas out Of the proceeds Of the printing for poca
purposes.
A. No, cir; none, except as 10 the contributions
made towards the support Of certain which
the President saw ut to assign to me for support.
Q. by the Chairman, Did any Of these Cong essona
| candidates MAXI demanda unnn Ynn2