The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-03-27


wear. actually effected. By references to the
act Of March E.. 1861. it will be seen that
the expenses Of the Office over those OF pre-
vious years were largely increased by Con
gress; the increase for the year 1861 being
ss follows:
| For salaries Of examiners.in chief S6, 437 65
For salaries of Commissioner
and chief CLERK. ............... 1,5OO OO
| For printing g........... 1854 81
Total. ...... 25,79l 80
The expenditures OF the Office for the year
| 1860 are shown by Official reports to have
been $252,7O4 IA. Those of 1861 we're
S22I .49l 81. Omitting the above S25.79
90, as extra, the expenditures for 1861 were
| S57, ,OO4 IS less than those of 1860.
| Finally, the first charge. to which am
now replying, is reduced to this. that. in .
period Of unparalleled depression, for the
purpose Of preserving the efficiency. and
even the existence of the Office. encroached
upon the surplus fund provided for precise
| ly such an emergency. l have shown that
such encroachment was in conformity to
well established precedents, and have fur.
ther shown, notwithstanding the increased
expenditure required. by Congress, an inn
portant reduction of the expenses from the
previous year, No material instance has
been cited. except in the matter of the
printing, to be hereafter referred TO, in which
any expenditure has been made which was
not required by the interests OF the Office.
submit. therefore, that am completely
vindicated of official mismanagement under
| this charge.
IN the second place. il is said that have
caused about $50. 900 to be charged to print
ing, without any benefit being derived there
from to the public or to the Office. without
necessity aud without law and at q time when
economy was essentially necessary.
| As all the allegations of misconduct in re-
lation to the printing, contained in the pam
phlet referred 20, may be included under
the above charge. beg leave to answer it
by referring . the law under which l act
ed. and by giving brief statement OF my
action under that law, and under the new
necessities and obligations imposed upon the
office in consequence Of that law.
The 18th section Of the act approved
March e, 1861, provides "that the Commis-
sionsr of Patents be. and is hereby, author
ized to print, or. in his discretion. to cause
to be printed, ten copies Of the description
and claims, Of all patents which may here
after be granted, and ten copies of all draw
ings of the same. when drawings shall &C.
company the patents: PROVIDED. the cost of
printing the text Of said descriptions and
claims shall not exceed, exclusive Of station
cry, the sum of two cents per hundred
words for each Of said copies, and the cost
of the drawing shall not exceed fifty cents
per copy: one copy Of the above number
shall be printed on parchment. to be affixed
to the letters patent; the work shall be under
the direction, and subject to the approval. Of
the Commissioned Of Patents and the ex-
pense of said copies shall be paid out of the
patent fund"
Frequent communications with those most
instrumental in passing this section. as we'll
as the terms Of the provisions itself. left no
doubt upon my mind as to the object of the
legislature in passing the law. The charac-
ter Of the descriptions of patents contained
in the patent office reports has long been 4
subject Of complaint. The descriptions oi
late years have been made by contract. by
individuals out of the Office, with. the least
possible expenditure Of tiue sntf labor, and
the claims were &e4etsiit aainis liigibls 70.
want Of risnex aescfi9dons II was held
that esd ~ 5ens. - ifs name implies, shoald
be ep4a fo w. psrusai Of all, as IT, shas the
jsBQtss lat. should be published stthe
dpublic expense, as all other laws. In Greal
iBaiain France. Sardinia, and Belgium. the
sieci6catioas are published in full, and 10
such form that printed copies may be fur
nished to al who may apply for them, at
cost price. 1t was evident to me that it was
the object of the law, and it was my object
in carrying out the provisions of the law TO
commence sy stem which should correspond
with that of the countries before named.
and further, enable US to return in exchange
for the magnificent publications furnished
us from those countries at an enormous ex.
pense, something more creditable to the
country than our former meagre and imper-
feet reports: Approaching the legal con-
struction given to the word authorised
contained in the law as applied to an act to
be done by ministerial officer, and under.
standing that by the terms of the law the
sole discretion given to me was whether to
l"print" or TO ''cause to be printed" de-,
regarded the law as imperative upon me
either to print or to cause to be printed the
ten copies of the descriptions and claims oil
patents and drawings of the same. and this
view was confirmed by the Secretary of the
Interior. 8S 4'
In accordance with the provisions of the
law, and with the approval of the Secretary
OF the Interior, contracted with q respon
upon the terms mentioned in the law. II il
stated in the pamphlet referred to that the
aggregate of words in the patents printed
was 2,929. ESQ. Ihave shown BY documen
tary evidence. that the precise number wa.
2,76l, ,4IO. amounting to S5,5 SO. 1t i
stated. also. that 1900 drawings was full
allowance for the number of patents issued
t1shave shown that the actual number was
2.2S9 A most minute statement of the
cost OF prtnhng was given to Congress. and
especially in answerto communications al
dressed to this Office, through the Secretary
Of the Interior. from the Committee OF
Printing Of the House. Ia answer to q com
munication upon this subject. the chairma,
iof the ComuoIttee on Printing. on the 22t
lof April. addresssd the Secretary of the In
Horsn OF REPRESENTATIVES,
]. - - April %. 1867.
r a ~ -A~ -