The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1869-03-02
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF ARKANSAS



ferred Senate bill declaring void the con.
tract with Juo. g. Price, as pubic print.
er. submitted two reports, with the test.
mony taken during the examination OF
witnesses. The testimony is valuminors,
and differs considerably from what was
elected before the Senate committee
The following is the majority report.
MAJORITY REPORT. ...
Mr. Speaker: Your committee to
whom was referred Senate bill No. 80
would respectfully present the following
report. -
The law Of the General Assembly and
the contract made and entered into be-
tween Governor Posel! Clayton, Hon. r.
J. T. White AMI Hon. Henry Page, State
Treasurer Commissioners on the part OF
the State, oni Joan G. Price, under
which the said } Jhn G., Price has been
engaged to execute the public printing,
contain the following provisions lst,
That all the work. printing and binding,
shall be done and performed promptly
and in good style. 81, That all the work,
printng and binding shall be executed
AMI performed within the limits Of the
State OF Arkansas. 81. That for said
work Of printing and binding the said
,hn g. Price was to charge and receive
compensation at the rates and prices pre-
scrioad by law. 9' ~ iF'n n''
These provisions, all and severally, In
the opinion Of your committee. have been
violated by the said John @. Price.
Inproof hereof your committee respect
fully refer your honorable body TO the
testimony of the following named wit
desscs. which testimony was taken under
oath, viz: ''ii I'i
On the first proposition We refer to the
testimony of J. p. Jones, (page a9), R.
D. r. White (psge ss). Gov. Clayton (p.
4s-54), andto NJ. L Rice (page 55-oo)
Gu the second proposition We would
refer to Hon. J. R Berry (page ~, and
j. p. Jones (page 90 p" 49, r. I.
In addition to these purely business
features Of the contract, the said oct OF
the General Assembly and the contract
between the parties provides that II the
said John e. Price shall cease TO be the
editor and publisher Of the Arkansas
Weekly or Daily Republican, at any
time previous to the first day Of January,
AID. 1873, then and In that event the
said parties Of the FIRST part shall have
right to terminate this contract
The said John g. Price did further.
at nf ha Of kA
Aforesaid act Of the Assembly aud letting
Of said contract for public printing, and
tie raw; Nv aaiJp dpe apbse fPtBentu4(
the contract, promise aud pledge himself
to publish first, class daily and weekly
newspaper for the benefit Of the Union
republican party and the State at large.
But for these assurauces on his part the
said John q. Price would not have 70.
ceiyed said contract for public printing.
Your committee is Of the opinion that
all these pledges have been violated, and
that the contingency Contemplated in the
above recited provision OF the contract,
has in fact and in morals transpired.
In proof and illustration of these state.
ments we respectfully refer to the testi.
inony OF his exceliency, Gov. Clayton.
| Painful evidence has been furnished
your committee OF the want Of faithful
ness on the part Of said y ohm g. Price in
the execution Of the public printing gen.
orally. Enormous prices have been charg.
cd, IS in the case of printing performed
for the hoard Of commissioners OF cleo.
ton. See testimony IN W Cox, page
A. i7aaTd4l d. lgb alti 30 ao f1'T"
Important work has been miserably
executed and int,isfubly delayed In lie.
livery. An exa nple IN point is furnished
IN the ca.e OF the Jouna. and proceed.
ings of,lae Constitutional convention.
The Contractor was Instructed and reduir-
Ell to prepare and pablish with that doc
uuent a full index 1aai1s'' 'n'iAi ?.
| The Constitution, the result OF Tho
journal aud proceedings, itself the most
Important portion of the proceedings, IL
not indexed. 1ia adl Do 'lbaa.a : ~
Ii this wore mel lect Il Is objectionable
il design, through mere technically, il
is frau upon the State. In either event
lie Constitution has been indcxed BY Al,
other aud copyright obtaided. Thus
have we been compelled In order to Sc
cure all authorized and indcxed copy Of
our State Constitution. tn nrocnre il from
the one wing the copyright At an ex
pense OF thousands or dollars. Besides
I this the neglect and delay ia the delivery
lot the work seerns without excuse.