Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-10-20
Yes. SIR | repIied How do you know 2

I , Su ! titS" W. wv NV
Because | have seen the paper myself; , he
seemed to express surprise; [ then asked him
ii | could still have the opinion ri the Attor-
ney General Yes he replied, | then said
How shall [ get it ! shall [ go to Judgk Black
AMI say, as coming from you. that he can
give me his opinion" He said, yes. tell
him I s v SO; tell him to give you his OPT
Mon IT, reference to that law called upon
Judge Black and informed him of what the
President had told me- he replied. you know.
Mr.. Pettibone, | cannot give yon the opinion
except the request is in writing he also said
Il will see the President to day and ask him
about it. and. il he authorizes me to give yon
an opinion, | will do so with pleasure. |
called upon Judge Black the next day. and
ne told me- that he had seen the President,
and the President declined Interfering he.
said as the cabinet had had this matter under
consideration and had decided il, he declined
interfering with it. After Judge Black IN
formed me Of what he SAID. | called ucon
the President aud said to him Mr.. preS,-
dent. did ! understand YOU arisht7 You as
s"5ed me ] should have the opinion OF :he
Attorney General upon d certain law: ,,ow
Judge Black informs ME that you decline
allowing hlm to give me such az opinion
He says: He informed you correctly | do
decline \
Question. Have you had any further inter-
views with the President aud cabinet in re-
alton ito tals matter than those you have
stated
Answer. Yes sir, FIRE quently. | called
uyon the Pre- si,Ient seveia! times, aud upon
one occasi on asked him ii he would not
speak to Secretary Thompson, that | mlsht
have a portion of the work. He sand he
would. ! called upon Mr.. Thompson some
days afterwards. and asked him II the Pfesl-
dent had SAID anything to him about the mat
ter. He SAID Yes. but he did not request me
to give you any work OF course he did
not give me any. Then said to Nh. I'omp-
son, suppose | should bring YOU a l!lIe from
the President. wouI,i you give me some
work to do Z" He said he word. | then
called upon the President and asked him to
give me a line to Mr.. Thompson, as | was
sure he would give me some WORK 10 do ii |
would bring IA line from him. The President
said, Yes sir. a line from me would not only
give You a portion OF the work. bit it wouli
give you the whole OF the work. if | choose
to give von that line. but | do not choose to
give It. That WAS an end oil it, aud [ did
not trouble HIM any more.
Question. Have you, within the last three
years. maize bids or proposals to do binding
tor the executive departments and il so, to
which department did YOU mike them2
Answer. In July, 1857. | made a PROPOSE
ton in writing to the Department OF the In
terror, proposing to do the binding for that
department at rhirtv-,hree 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 mn 'tiplicity OF
IS business. might have overlooked it and |
v,A,{a p, f,rt AI-k g I-I
not think proper to accede to nv former
propos ton. | would pay INTO the treasury,
for the use of the government. the sum OF ten
thousand dollars, provided they would give
me the contract. at tie prices then paid. for
the binding OF that one department alone
from September 1857 to TIE 4th of March
1861 that upon the signing md sealing OF
the contract | woul! pay that AMOUNT over to
the government for the governments use.
My object Was TO show to the S-crctary-to
strike him fofcibiy at unce-that it was a
matter OF some Importance. of some interest
to the Government. Thought, perhaps, that
the proposition OF a reduction OF the price
thirty-three per cent. did not strike bin as
being a matter o, much importance: bat |
thought the sum OF ten thousand dollars
would certainly open his eyes TO Some
extent.
Question. We're either Of those PROPOSE
tions accepted
Answer They were not accepted that is.
the Secretary never condescended TO notice
them.
q s%estion. Have you any estimate of the
profits 70 be derived from d,li,g all the work
for all the departments?
Answer. Well. sir. | could safely say that
it would be from 81 to so per cent. [ sho lid
ho y,y ~ ri,l n,,.- -, t,Is. -, "a
less than they are paying for il, even at the
presen. time.
Question. Are you speaking now of the
printing Tor the executive depa tments3
Answer. The printing and binding also.
| made a proposition in writing. through the
post office. to General Bowman. | think in
January last. to do all the print,n. at 50 per
cent. less than allowed nnder the printing
act OF 1852. The printing bling for the +x-
ecntive departments, and the binding for So
per cent. less. ! never got any auswer from
him, tor some reason or other.
Question. Do You Know the probable
amount Of the printing ard binding for the
departments for a year?
Answer. They caa make ii almost am
amount they choose; IL depends entiyely upon the
department they can cut oft an order at
any titGe they think proper. and say that the
exlsehci-s 81 the de t%'artnent, or the go i of
the public interest: requires that certain
binding or printing should be done, and il is
done. cannot say that | have examined
critically to ascertain the amount. hut
should think the binding. to the best OF nv
knowledge. would amount to one hundred
thousand dollars anyhow. Ispeak Of all the
departments.
Question. Do you include the printing!
Answer. No, sir
Question. How much would the printing
amount TO?
Answer. | do not know; I have not exam
med that subject very closely, not so closely
as | have the binding. because thai is under
the cnatInl Of the Slnar;ntcnuLa. &c Dill.