Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-04-21
The Charges Against the COngrOS
aNonaU neNnaa-

The examination OF witnesses 10 reference
70 the charges against Congressional Printer
S,sPP WAS rsse%Sd ,;sESay SsfOH the SsP
before opening the teItimony in his defence
addressed the committee As follows
Ma, CHAIRMAN AND GENTLENEN or rms
| COMMITTEE; when the prosecution closed ~
ease one week ago, there did no, seem TO be
much occasion for the defence TO proceed, ex-
eept, perhaps, to ask OF your honorable com
| mtttee prompt dismissal ofthe charges as un
sustained BY competent prooIs, But s1 much
time having been consumed by the proseou'
tion In a fruitless endeayor to rake from the
testimony with which to Isrs%e and damage
the naturalization OF the Congressional
printer, u seemed TO be pity that this lnVe,,
fair and unptejudiesd minds With which to
throw light upon Its true character.
iptsoasss %Ipses.ss ~ siss W. S bs,sI
upon experience, observation and personal
knowledge OF the Affairs and Management Of
the Government printing once. There seems
ment and opinion relating to Its conduct,
based upon malice, prejudice and hcarsay,
and II I, proposed new 70 wipe away that
nessea who have no grlefs, ianeled OF real to
assuaEey no passions or prciudiees 70 EtAtilyi
40 malicious purposes 10 accomplish In the
stAiements they shall make before your hon
Otable committee.
II Is expected on tho part Of the defence to
show that whatever Of decentralization and
embArrasunent may have occurred 10 the con-
duct and government Of the printing oiiioe
during the pstt year has resulted chiefly from
spirit Of insubordln alton among its employ.
ees, IN which 6ome, II not all, OF these prose-
cuiois have horne a conspicuous part; and
from a combined effort on the part OF out
slders, and their eonfederatea inside that Insti-
1S,lSG; to so.5rS s9G ,RsaPs ~ policy AID
the plans and purposes Of designing parties
who had already exercised too wido An In.
nuenee over ita conduct;
stand taken by the Congressional Printer 10
behalf Of the principle Of equivalents In the
Interchange OF labor aud compensation In the
tiers, have led TO whatever Of difncuiiy and
embarrassment may have fallen upon hia adj
ministration. His greatest offence appears to
featlessly and faithfully under the laws OF
Congress, and In accordance with his own
sense Of right and Justice.
Trusting that We shall not entirely exhaust
the already over-tANed patience OF the COM
mittce, We will now proceed with the proofs
on the part Of the defence.
Dr. q. y. Mcdonald, who makes the requisl'
lions for the money order blanks for posfmN
tiers, testified; All orders were promptly allied
and the work satisfactorily done. About two
months ago there was mistake In printing
blank applications for money orders, three or
four thousand out Of 900 were wrong.
This Was the only mistake which witness
knew ot under MT. Olapp.
j. ffcu. MNeIht unlei u printing ulNNlVni
SeefetAry's office, Treasury Department, ties.
tiled that the work from the Government
printing ONCE was now ~ well executed and
as promptly delivered AZ during the admins
traiiOn Of Mr. Defrces or Mr.. Wendell, except
ruling work, which was sometimes delayed on
account Of their not being = sufficient number
Of ruling machines In the office. All work de.
mAndlng special attention was always
promptly attended to. Always heard and be-
lieyed Mr.. Clapp's reputation As printer
stood very high, AHd believed so now, although
witness was a friend OF John ID. Defrees.
Knew Mr.. Ethel Had . favorable opinion Of
him as an executive ofiioer. Thought Mr..
Ioui. Thought Mr.. Shanklin a prompt man.
II. II. Sperry. die clerk Of the House doeu
mcut room, testified that he received every
dNy all the documents printed by order OF the
House or Senate, During the first week Of the
pFescnt session there WA confusion on account
Of the Misrepresentation OF an order issued BY
the Printing COMMITTEE. Since that time had
better than A. any time during tho past eight
years. The work was fully equal TO any work
heretofore delivered. Believed the Congress
IonAl Printer emlnently qualified for the post
tion from the fact that he gave his time to II.
Hon. Nathan Sergeant, Commissioner OF
OF the General Land Ofleei Gen. Capfon, Com.
missioner Of Agueultutei J. II. SATille, Chief
OF the waTrAut.TOOm at the Treasury Depart.
ment; Jos. Nimmo, it,, Of the Registers once,
Treasury Department, and J. U, Gunnel,
Chief Clerk 81 the Patent once, all testified
that the work from the Government printing
o1lce had been promptly and Hatisfaetorlly
done during the past year, aud some Of the
Witnesses complimeutcd Mr.. Clapp on his en-.
cheney.
The further hearing was then posponed IN
Monday next, at II O'Clock.