Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-04-06
Public Expenditures.

Mr. IIaslyins Committee on Public Expenditures
made yesterday majority report, from which the
following extracts are made;
"The Committee on Public Expenditures under
the resolutions adopted by the House of Representa-
tives Feb. 9Th and 18th, 1862 iustIuctingsthem TO
inquire into the price of the public printing and TO
report such notifications of the rates paid as public
justice and due regard for rigid economy shall
dictate and also TO examine into the laws in relation
TO the public printing for the House of Representa-
ves and the dutie of Public Printer and to report
thereon in favor of such change or Improvement es
they may deem advisable beg leave 10 make the fol-
lowing report: The committee. under their several
powers as well as under the authority specially dele
gated to them have given to the subject referred to
them that full and complete examination which the
House and the country demand. With the view of
obtaining a thorough knowledge of the working of
the present system, and the changes notifications,
reforms necessary, the committee took the depos-
tions of the public officials engaged by the Govern
ment in the execution and superintendance of the
public printing, from the Superintendent of the Pub
lie Printing himself down 10 the foreman employed
in the establishment where that printing has been
done for the past six years. and also of certain rep
table practical printers of great ability and expert
ence in their profession. From the facts elected in
their examination the committee feel justified in sta
ting that the eXtravagant profits accruing from the
public printing under the law of 1852, now in force
have proved Pandoras box and win prove such in
the hands of any party in power Evidence of this
fact is contained in the testimony taken before the
committee, showing that Wendell, the Printer de
Jdcto of the last Congress- paid Harris and Steadman
the Printers de jre of the two Houses some SIS 900
for the privilege of doing the work, and that Geo
W. Bowman, the present Senate and Executive
Printer pays J. G. Rives, who actually does the
work. sixty-six and two thirds per cent for doing it,
ftnft 4
one third per cent. of the amount paid by the Gov
ernment. If the Senate and Executive printing
amounts in the aggregate to as much this Congress
it did in the Thirty Fifth Congress- Mr.. Bowman
will receive from the Government some forty odd
thousand dollars for doing absolutely nothing. The
system demands instant reform or change or correc-
tiOn of the abuses existing under it. The committee
then examined into the various modes of doing the
public printing review the testimony, and close
with the following resolution:
'Be ii resolred Jytae Senate and the House Of Rap-
resontahUcs Of the United States IN Congress assem-
Jed That hereafter person shall be elected either
ns the Printer to the ScAate or the Printer to the
House of Representatives who is not at the time of
such election practical printer and of fair reputa-
ton for skill and ability as member of that trade
or proession that hereafter upon the election of the
Printer to the Senate he shall execute a bond with
at least two good and sufficient surees in the pen
atty of S2j 900, to the Superintendent, and subject
the approval of the said Superintendent the Sec
retary of the Senate, and the Clerk of the House.
for the faithful and honest performance of all the
dut,s deNoi'lng npon nun as snch senate frinter,
and in like manner upon the election Of Printer to
the House OF E'presen'a''es ne snail execute and
uch'cr 10 'le s"lu oupciln'chucht " pohu WIN nj
least two good and Suinrent suretcs' IN the same
Rhiu'N, SugeI 10 inc me approval ana lor 'he IKE
objects, which bonds shall be made, executed and
delivered within ten days after such elections res
pectFel, ana Shaii Wnhih th"t 'llhe oe hed IN INC
once OF inc Si!u ouperin'elueht;
HsS0"',' l'"t l!e prices cS'ap'isne" an" "lio"e'
Io' 'lC pu"c P'n.IH ~ Wv ~ vli...ol N ".' !"
proIiue ior executing 'hc puo,'c prih,ilg ana es''o
ISll@ 'ne proes ,iu ~, o'me' PuIpUSeS
app'oTen NuGuS' -o''l io'1' iu ~ 'nc "c'a
"He!"'"oI! tntIeoi' 'nu !, 10 say 'cr copoSiioh'
pres Wol" loiu.e, s'.e,lil' anu itis'..ns map
~, ",'' P.,,s ~, ,t'a. e., ~, .,,a u -, ei1
c'''','' n"u u'"' 'ur 'Ite PURPOSE VI eN."R 'uI,
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.E "'i'o 70 M I,In vi
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put "", ny y""u"'' 10 I"' o"es' ,iII',' "lu oeV'e
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''Eu" 10 .''' i,',.''',E ~ w.. s-,.-..,
,'il l.le '"'.s III Co,i'eE'oi WIN
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An>"V'--" n'I W 'nI ~, ~ 30"
man 1t was c'''" 'le t"!' anu he c'''eu II 'ne
C""'u,"''on ~ "'s Sulu.!'tu tn,r. Si,"u,u P'y
rom "'e VI wy :" Wv, ',.o'i''v
oanNS '-"ouI lC' ,''u''l uu''i ','I e.SulY seSSol
oI ,4n-r7S. ",ru ~ "'S IuplGSeu .e Moul We ''ec
tc" u" .,''H' i''"'''' "' s''l'.TOn We W 'o,i-
un"e wan 30" '"h 50 1uE a. ,"o EAe'u,le WolH,
or WORK ."'nl'" uI'"c, 'ne ne'u' " HAe'"uI' WorN
ana coming rom UlT HNeGUuEe department. "hch
WA, 'nom CIV" 'i''' % Snuu'I w 'r'' III my nn''u''
R--lur HNv'"'1r' Nv WIN - '''I "''N ,"H'u,- ''"I'
the Po5'oihce, IAe treasury, anu Ihe o'her Depart
ment' -, m ,.....,....., r'
Al ne Io''ou'V' iep"'. .,''"' "'oHv l"'rc ."