Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1860-04-06
Gross Corruption and Frauds
of the Buchanan Admins
tration Exposed!

The L House Investigating Committee in
to the management Of the Public Printing,
have made their report. 1t discloses prac-
tees Of fraud and corruption which were
hardly dreamed Of
Mr.. Wendall, the Printer of the 34th and
35th Congress stated before the Committee
that the amount paid for printing for the
34th Congress was 230, 000; and that for the
35th Congress was over $500 900. The net
profit on both was 40 cents on the dollar =
nearly one hair The amount paid during
the 3jth Congress for the printing OF Post
Office blanks averaged tortY thousand dollars
a yea, The contract for it was sold out for
43 cents on the dollar.
The way the Buchanan organ at Washing
ton was fed out of the public treasury is dis
closed in the following testimony before the
committee
Question by the committce-Was there
my condition affixed to your doing the work
of the 35th Congress, by which you Were to
own and conduct the government organ, Tie
Constitution? Answer by Mr.. Wendall--
No, sir.
Q.-That was a voluntary enterprise A.
Yes, sir. The editor Of the organ is gen
orally supposed to command the pa ronage OF
the President. There IS a good dsai of tins
icork at the disposal of the president sag an
aggregate of 100000 per year more ~ isss
Q.-At the disposal Of the President? \.
Yes, sir. That patronage the organ has
commanded for years, it being impossible to
keep paper up here without government
support.
Q.-Is this 100000 worth of patronage
you speak of at the disposal Of the President
personally? A.-The law provides that it
shall be under the control Of the heads Of the
departments, but if the President signifies to
his cabinet that he would be pleased to SEE
A. B, or { get it, as a matter OF course they
will obey his wishes 1t has been a matter
Of custom Tor the President to dispose OF it.
Mr. Buchanan has done II, and has predeceS :
sor, Mr.. Pierce, did ii. | never had any ln-
tcrcourse with the cabinet ia the matter
MY intercourse has been directly with Mr..
Buchanan.
[lleads Of the cabinet and subordinates
wrote for the organ among them Judge
Black, Attorney General, and John Apple
ton of Maine.
Question by the Chairman-You stated
that $50 900 were to be allowed out Of the
profits OF the executive printing towards sup
porting the organ under Gen. Bowman? a.
When | parted with it in March last,
found that, paying Rice and Severns, could
not sustain The Union from the profits of the
executive work, and therefore proposed tt
give it to any party that might be designat.
ed by the President.
Q-Who did you make this proposition
to? A-To the President; and to pay
$4,000 per aunum was my first proposition
Pending that proposition Mr.. Baker, the Col
lector of Philadelphia, came down to pro
cure aid for The Pennsylvania. and fnAll,
had to accede to giving 100000 per annum
$4,000 per annum of which Mr.. Baker OBJ
tanned for The Pennsylcaaian. | have beer
informed that SIC, 900 of the q, 900 was fo
The Pennsyiranian. but my obligation II
with Mr.. Bowman for %, 900. That obliga
ton existed, still exists.
Q.-Was it understood when You transfer
red The Union to Mr.. Bowman, that $50,
900 should be diverted ont of the proceeds Q
the Post Office printing by you to its support.
4 - Yes, sir, that was the understanding.
Q-Between whom? A.-rhe paper wa
Drawn up by Judge Black. 1t was between
Mr. Bowman and myself, we being put for
ward as the active men.
Q.-How much of losing concern is thi
government organ per annuin. in your Judg
ment? A IF my memory serves me, !
cost me. when IL was under my management
$4,000 over and above its receipts. pai'
pretty we'll for the services Of those employ
ed about the paper. | did not quarrel viii
the editors about the amount they should re
ceive, but paid them Il literal salary. Til
editors were generally designated BY tn
President.
Q-The editors Of Tie CaioH were desig
mated by the President whilst you had tn
management of the paper? A,-Yes, sir
whilst was the owner Of ii.