The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-05-05
JACKSON, April 2sth, 1870.

n. D.
Sir: In your message to the Legislature,
on the 9th, in reference to the office of Pub
lie Printer. you remark that Shannon Il Co.
were the Public Printers "elected in 1866
That party, or its representatives, has new
ser, so far as am aware. officially assumed
since the incoming of the present Admin
''istration to discharge the duties of the Of
flee. am bound therefore to hold the office
vacant"
We beg to be excused for making the fol-
lowing statement, that our position may
properly appear of record. and be under
stood by you and the public:
The undersigned became the purchasers
of the printing establishment and all the
material connected Herewith the subscrip-
ton list, good will and emoluments arising
from the public printing, formerly owned
by Shannon & Co. Since which time they
have continued to keep printing office sup
piled with all the necessary outfit for per-
| forming all the work required by law of the
Public Printer. and have held themselves in
readiness at all times to comply with the
conditions of the bond executed by said
Sannon q Co. They aver that they are still
ready and willing to comply with the same,
it being a part of their contract of purchase
aforesaid from said Shannon q Co..thaG they
would protect them from the penalty of said
bond.
Accordingly, as early as ID August, 1869.
observing that advertisements for the sale
of land forfeited for taxes, were being made
n. l.. IL IL.
lie Accounts in the Pilot, a newspaper pub
lished in the city of Jackson, and as the pub
LEGATION of said advertisements was a part
of the duty imposed by law upon the Pub
lie Printer the undersigned demanded of
said Auditor to furnish them list of said
lands in order that they might insert the
same in THE CLARION, a newspaper then and
at all times since published by them in the
said city. and always provided with an am
pie supply of capital, type, paper and labor
required by law of the Public Printer.
We protested against the giving of that,
and any and all other printing required by
law to be executed by the Public Printer
to the Pilot Office-as a violation of law,
and an invasion of our legal rights. That
demand was met by verbal refusal. On
the same day, we renewed the demand, i'm
more formal and peremptory terms in writ
ing, and concluded the same as follows: "A
written answer is requested; as, in the
"eveHt you decline our application in the
premises, we desire to institute further
proceedings" To that second demand.
we received a written reply from the Audi
tor aforesaid. saying. that on the ''20th April,
''1S69. he was directed by Gov Ames to give
''the State printing necessary to be done for
"his Office, until further notice, to the Pilot,
land that he would continue to obey said in
''structions until otherwise instructed by
'him.'
The correspondence will be found on file
III the AutllIOT OIIlCc. we Will sIdlC IurLner.
that in letter addressed to the undersigned.
as late as April 25th. 1870, by the Secretary
of State. in response to an application for
copies of Ihe laws for publication in in THE
CLARION, we were informed that it could
not be granted for the reason that it would
interfere with the duty and privileges of
'the public printer"-referring TO the pub
fishers of the Pilot, who, under the decision
Of the Governor, are not the lawful Printers
If the public printing connected with the
Departments over which the Governor and
the other State Officers preside, has been.
without the knowledge or consent of the
undersigned, given to another office whilst
the undersigned were abundantly able, ready
and willing to execute the same in Accord
ance with the provisions of law. and the
conditions of the bond of said Shannon q
Co., no fault can be imputed to US. or to
Shannon & Co.. nor can it be said with JUS
tice or propriety that the office of Public
Printer is vacant in fact, because Shannon
& Co.. or we, as their representatives have
never assumed since the incoming of the
present Administration to discharge the du-
ties of the Office"
We repeat that at all times, both before
and since the ''incoming of the present Adj
ministration," we have been ready and will
ling. and are now, to discharge the duties
of said office, until the successor of said
shannon q Co. as Public Printer is duly
elected and qualified, and that it is no fault
of ours, but the heads of departments who
have charge of the matter required by law
to be published by the Public Printer that
the same has not been executed by us.
Respectfully. =
POWER & BARKSDALE.