The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1860-11-03

suppose j should bring you q line from the Presi-
dent, would you give me some work to do y
He said he would. then called upon the Presi-
dent and he asked him to give me a line TO Mr..
Thompson, as was sure he would give me some
work TO do If would bring line from him.
| The President said, Yes, sir, line from me
| would not only give you a portion of the work,
but it would give you the whole Of the work, if
choose to give You that line, but do not choose
to give it, That was the end of it, and did not
trouble him any more
Q. Have you, within the las. three years, made
bids or proposals TO do binding for the executive
departments and if SO, to which department did
you make them1
A. In July 1857, made q proposition in wri-
ting to the department Of the Interior, proposing
% DO the binding for that department at thirty
three per cent. less than they were then paying
for it, IN the month Of September following
renewed my offer, thinking, as had not heard
from it, that the department. in the multiplicity Of
ITS business, might have overlooked il; and
made the further proposition that, If they did not
think proper to accede to my former proposition
would pay into the treasury, for the use Of the
Government, the sum Of ten thousand dollars
provided they wOud give me the contract. of the
pnc's then paid, for the binding Of that one depart
ment alone from September, 1857, to the 9TH Of
march, IS1li that upon the signing and sealing
OF nc contract would pay that amount over 10
tn Government for the Governments use Nv
object was to show tho Sccrotary-to strike him
foTcibIy az once-that it was q matter Of some
Importance, Of some interest to the Government
| thought, perhaps, that the proposition Of a re-
ducticn Of the price thirty-;hrec per cent did not
Sir"c hm as being a matter Of much importance;
out l though the sum of tn thousand dollars
| would Certainly open his eyes TO come extent
Were either ofthosc propositions accepted
4. They were rot accepted; that il, thu Secre-
taTy never cGudscrnded to notice them
r...
l"'nv'd from doing AL the work for all the de-
pcJtncnjsY
\. Won ST., could safely say that it would
be nom - to 30 per cent. lshouId be very glad
now To taxi il al 30 per cont less than they are
paying i"r it, oven at thc present time.
q. Are you speaking now Of The printing for
,hr executive departments
=. The printing and binding also made a
proposition in writing, through the Post Onicr,
to Genera! Bowman, think iu January last, To-
do al tL' printing 1T 20 per cent. less than al
.ow1d uudgr The printing act OF i-"2. The print
ing being lpf 81" executive Departments. a:.d tho
/ binding t'r 81 pcr cont less; ! never got any
ois",T from Lin CIR some reason or other.
q Do yru know the probable amount Of The
ir'tnE AL binding for the Departments for 4
=. Ting cqa ,eqlc i oira,i cag c,ropri tag
~ So; " fP'7aF crt,uI aPoH The dfFormcHL
by can cEt olt an order nc any time thy
t'un.. r."p r. AMI say tia. tho Dxi-rnCi.s OF tae
dcP'r mont 81 the GOOD of he public interest.
Gui,.' that crrou binding or printing shpu'd
'"'"i'", aud It is lone / cannot say that have
rEfn'.h.i critical" 90 ascertain ti.r amount, bU
should ,hiHk jao hiud.nv. 10 tL' ics, &c Iuv
Lu.w!,dr., W. ali amount to ySlGO. C1y anyhow /.
speak Of az thr departments.
@ 20 Yen include tho printing!
y. ~, 81.
.. H." rrrh would the printing amount To- ?
i. ! in rot know; have not examined that
subject wy '',...y. not closely as | have the
nitd.u., beats" hat Us under the control Of the
, SGPuiut-Ia,rt f Public Printing.
q. l. The printing "a large an item as the
biuc.u-1
A. the printing IS a much larger i;cfa. I
offered 10 10 the whole of The executive printing
at % per ont. less than the law cf the 18th Of
Angus, lo52, allowed. ! offered that to Mr.
bowman ,iucn his election as public printer; and
independent of doing It for 80 per c,ut less. ]
expected Ia make nay profit ont Of thnt Ana |
| pop Il To do the Binding Of ali tlia ,H,cu'-r.
departments At % u per cent less Shan B.. rr-
c'l''s for 1t now. In othoi words, proposed to
! i'l' 90 - pr cont i"r my pat. Ci, NJ hm ;}
- PER c'rt' h. expanding 10 c9p!tal at all BE-
in'Sai no cAF'n." whatsprv r.
! & D. 3" y"p ~ yo1 expected to make fan
| profit ait,r that
\. | expected TO make my profit after. ,r
course. | have considerable EXP ri,ncc in tbi.
! matter, and ha.a long been q contractor with
! IN ""y' fum' mt &c., lis executive PRINTING pc
| \ as to tLr puut:g act coming iujo operation
| ! iId II iur sorr e.. 10 yoals-hom I-ii OF 1T,
| u" - Under ih" contract system had the
piHr'pa, pat oft executive p'intiuc-pratiy
much all.
g. III. law fixes the price for al this work
| The binding and printing for the cAcct tive de-
part'ncnts-d,rs i;n,tl
Il. No, SIR; just ,rs1i the dcpari51cal cio,s- 4,
Payjor RE c,'cgiirc jinRy; i-hai,7,r th,yrb,asc
10 mahe o't he 6iis far, JH,y oygrpre N ,,. tlrg
P'y. The law Fixes the price Tor the printing.
hu; not for the executive h.gIiuc. TIN" rr.r. IS
iy"I for tn congressional binding. III, b;rng
of tn Congressional d"cumor.r When !!,f.t
lp Inc "N'cu'iVc departments, including 80. Pos.
Office blanks
q. lnrluiin@ The ft AMI lean, al II is carlcd1
\. Yes, sir; the "a, ana tn lean e.. ..ythfur
together. The printing Is 4 much la~,rr il.ra
than the binding, end The dcpqr,,criy caa alaie
4 almost as Pr:iioLie 0' M,y P'eqs.
We cal especial attention to th. above tn..,ro
ny Of NJ. Pc;iibonc. It gives Us ~ insight, not
only into the mode of distributing public plumber
but into the hypocrilica and ya-cii.a,ing chara,-
ter Of NJ. buchanan. Let Us ask tn. reader again
20 turn - the shifting and shutting Of the Trcs;-
don't IN this matter Of ruling and L,n.,.pg Doc,
il not show that the object was not TO consul,
riihc IA" law OF Tia" public interest, bat 10 p!yio
ire best odeaHidys, N, corruption ftad arising cat
81 ne ETEcUr:gEP printing ani biz lag, "a. pl.ccs
Of which, Instead Of being regulated and limited
Ivy law, were jrat what thc Ptcaiient and na De-
partmcnt' might scs proper % r,,l. .h.m Tlr.c
was po cHp:t to di;"rciit the testimony Of this
wines eSc"p5 ~ ~ cudoay, 10 show hat h