Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-06-08
FEDERAL CORRUPTION,


the exposures of fraud and corruption which have been
practised in connection with this public printing. | do
not say they are not anxious to reform those grievances
and abuses which smell very bad in the nostrls OF the
people. With regard to this printing OF the Post-oce
blanks it appears that the Executive Department. after
doing the work. distributed the surplus among the part
and supporters Of the Administration Ii has been
said that the President distributed this money among his
friends. That is all very we'll When he distributed it
ALL no had the right distribute 1t among his friends
But why did not the President inform Congress that this
Office created excessive amount OF money for speci
c service and suggest TO Congress the proprety OF rem
edyng the evil aud saving the money? That Is my CON-
pan-that instead of the President saving this large
amount of money TO exhausted treasury, he dsribu
ted this surplus money among the spendares and par
tsans of the party denounce this maieasance ON the
part of the President and his Cabinet, and invoke the
Justice of the people against it. invoke the arm OF
Justice and the judgement of the people against tins act
of the Administration for which there can be found no
pallation eXenuation. want to see exhausted the
whole fund and source of corruption. have no hope
that the Administration that will succeed the present
will be more honest one fear, at least, that it will
not be so honest as the one now in power want TO
deprive the coming Administration of the means OF cor
rupon and of fraud and TO that END would strike the
first blow at these Congressional printing abuses My
deliberate judgement after careful examination of all
the systems is that the now proposed is the only
one which us from the exercise OF fraud and
corruption, and insure prompt and satisfactory eHecn-
ton of the work At any rate let us try the experiment.
and if it proves failure, nothing Is more easy than TO
resort TO some other experiment
Mr.. Burnett OF Kentucky, Dem. ii must express my
regret that the gentleman should select the subject of
the public printing to find fault with the President
subject over which the Presi dent. had control
whatever
Mr. Pryor-The gentleman from Kentucky has alleged
that the President had no control this matter But
submit that be had it in his power only to control
bt,+ IN aun;biata this abusp Il
that there could be an appropriation of forty thousand
dollars for the printing of the Post Office blanks aud the
President not know anything about the matter Mo-
On the contrary he knew that there at least thirty
thousand dollars taken out Of the Treasury than
requisite for the compensation for the work done.
Was il not his duty then as Chief Executive watching
over the interests of the country, TO inform the repre-
sentatves of the people OF this fact that this large
of money should be saved to the country Or was
it his duty have that large surplus expended and dis
trbuLed among the spendares and seryie partZlns Of
his Administration?
Mr. Burnett-It affords me great pleasure to answer
never the defender of corruption frauds. No
this floor has gone further TO correct abuses not
only connected with the public printing, but everything
connected with the administration OF the Government
But the Constitution has wisely appOrtoned and divided
the power of the Government There the EEecu
tive the Legislative and the Judicial Now say that
If there be any fault connected with the subject of the
public plumber in regard to the printing OF the Post Of
fee blanks that belonged to Congress, and to the
President.
Mr.. Pryor-The gentleman frankly claims to be cor
rector of abuses and when propose to remedy par
ticular abuse | am rebuked by the gentleman.
Mr.. Buruett-NO. sir; | am merely claiming to have
the responsibility placed where it belongs. There is
charge gravely made by the gentleman from New York
against the President.
Mr. Pryor-It is charged that it was the duty Of the
President have corrected those abuses connected with
the printing of the Post Office blanks But the gentle
man frankly denies that it the Presidents duty to
interfere that he had any control the subject
The gentleman denies that the President responsible
in any particular, for any Of the abuses growing Of
the abuse Of the public printing
Mr.. Sherman, Of Ohio rep AS | understand the
subject the abuses complained OF as growing Of the
printing of the Post-Ofoe blanks, and growing out of
contract system OF modern date. The government
fixed the rate at one dollar per thousand ems Now By
the contracts made by the Executive officers the work
is charged sometimes six times This is the abuse
aud il is one which assented 10 by Congress
nor it known to Congress or 1t would have been
remedied The abuse confined TO the Executive De-
partment.
Mr. Burnett-That does touch the point. But if
the Executive officers have been guilty of this thing if
is violation of law such violation could be easily
rected. But deny that it is violation of the Act Of
1882 but is rather in accordance with IT, The Govern
ment has fixed the price at one dollar thousand ems
aud upon the principle the Printer Of the House
charged double under the Act. This system has
existed since the change in the law The very elect
ed by you Printer charged in this way.
Mr. Shermin-I never voted for Cornelius Wendell as
a Printer in my life.
Mr. Burnett-He would not have been elected without
the Republican votes he received. come back to the
point was discussing. Now to the duty of the Pre-.
sient Of the United States IL the House was not ap.
priced of the fact that much money paid for tie
printing of POs-ot3e blanks then it the duty of
the President to cal the attention of the House t5tbe
Rat hat Hopla ~
system of extravaganza in vogue in connection with this
printing and last Congress Committee was appointed
TO investigate the subject and the President therefore
knew well that the House apprized of the fact that
we were paying more for the work than it was WORTH
When the gentleman from Virginia was as long in Con-
gress as he was he would know how difficult task it
was TO wres the plumber of the public money from the
hungry that infested the halls OF Congress
Now sir say that the President is blame in this
matter.
Mr.. Pryor-The President knew that Congress had
appropriated certain for certain purposes which
SUN was times than the actual amoint expen-
ded on the work. and say it his duty chief of
the Executive Department. in whose hands this work
was to inform Congress Of the fact and TO ask il to
amend the law. TIE gentleman from Kentucky SAWS
that Congress OF il, aud that the President
Mr. Burnett.-The President only knew this thatthe
House investigating something in connection whit
Mr. Pyor-Yes; the President knew that there was a
large surplus from The work and he distributed twenty
thousand dollars of il amongst his supporters
Mr. Burnet-The gentleman charges the President
with corruption. Now | say that if the statement be
true that the President took twenty thousand dollars of
the public money and told friend in what way to dis
tribute it for partisan purposes, he Is guilty of corup
ton and ought be mpeached But where is the evil
dence of .hsy
Mr. Pryor-This is my allegation founded on uncon-
tradcted testimony that the President did say the
gentleman who does the public printing You have TWEEN
ty thousand dollars for your services, but here is
plus Of twenty thousand dollars more--I demand that
this be equally distributed among the editors of the Phil
adephia Eoeaing argus, the Pennsylvania, to Mr..
Medary the editor of paper in Ohio and to the Con-
situation.
Mr. Burnett-If that testimony exists, have not yet
seen it. l do not call it in question, because do not
know
Mr. Pryor-Ispeal that which know for proposition
was made to me.