Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-09-13
THE PUBLIC PRINTING FRAUDS.
Col. Baxter Sustains His Original Charges,

| NOl. baxter SuSIalnS HIS UrlSlIldI CudTSCo'
EDITORS OF THE CHRONICLE :-Messrs.
Jones, Purvis & Co., the present Public
| Printers to the State, affected-upon the
publication of my late expose of their
frauds on the public treasury, to treat it
with indifference They then deemed a
simple announcement that they would
have no newspaper controversy with me,
as a sufficient answer to my accusations
| against them. But / knew very well then
that they would come down from the self
assumed dignity and make, or attempt to
offer to the public some explanation of, or
defense against the i charges preferred
against them. In this was not disap-
pointed. In the Banner and Union and
| american of the 10th inst. is their labored
and lame defense. Much of it relates to
matter entirely foreign to the question.
It abounds in elimination and malice
| towards me. But as read and understood
| by me, it is, in its most essential points,
an admission of my allegations l ac-
cused them of demanding and re-
ceiving pay four times for the same
composition. They admit the fact.
but attempt to Justify their conduct
upon the construction of the lar by, and
the usage of, their predecessors. Thus the
issue is no longer one of fact, but O. QueS-
ton of tdW. Nor do these gentlemen as
sert that the law authorizes such charge;
not at all. Their defense is, that they and
the Public Printers who have preceded
them, have so construed the law thus at
tempting to vindicate themselves by show
ing that others have taken syrup" also.
I anticipated as much when [ began the
controversy and so stated in my original
publication. Such is not the legal inter-
probation of the law, and everybody who
knows anything ought to know it. If it
is it ought to be speedily modified SO as to
prevent similar frauds in the future.
With this admission on the part of the
accused, might rest the case but de-
sire to say to the public that have not act
ed hastily in arraigning these gentlemen
before public opinion or stated facts with
out sufficient evidence to support them.
My position is such that could not, with
a due regard to my own interest or the in
terest of my family have done so, if | had
been disposed. fla-v r..tfT
For more than four years, / have been
waging an active war upon public plum
derers with Uuen who control to some eX-
tent the public press and nothing would
crafty them more than for me to make
and publish statements that could not be
sustained by legal proof, Were to do so,
they would be down upon me like a
thousand of bricksn But as long as | adj
here to the truth: truths that can be made
good before courts and juries; no alterna-
tive is left them but newspaper defama-
ton. These have been used against me
with all the effect they are capable of pro-
ducing, but more than this will not be at
tempted Nothing would please me more
than the institution of legal proceedings,
which would put to the test the truth of
the accusations which [ have publicly
made. rrrc.r-. r..-s..-.. .s.e
Pressed as l am with professional
business, actively progressing in two diff
ferent courts now sitting in Knoxville, |
have not the time to take up and |
discuss separately every item which goes
to make up the aggregate of $780, 600, which |
have charged has been fraudulently OBJ |
tanned by Jones, Purvis d Co. from the
public treasury. Suffice it for the present
to say that / have the proof. My state |
ments were predicated upon estimates |
made by competent parties in Memphis, |
Nashville and Knoxville. But it may be |
we'll to give the evidence of one as fair |
sample of the whole.
For the composition which enters into |
and makes the Senate and House appendix |
for 1S69-70, the public printers had been |
twice before paid that is, they received |
pay for the composition in detail and as |
the public documents were printed for the |
two Houses during the sitting of the Leg |
islature. Notwithstanding, they present,
demand and receive pay for the very same |
composition as though they had reset the |
type, as will appear from copies of their |
accounts certified by the Comptroller, as
follows:
THE STATE OF TENNESSEE,
-@'o.# #f|G To JONES, PURv1s, 6 Co., Dr. |
April Is, 1870. To printing and binding
500 copies Appendix to Senate Jour
nal: ... '. PIT.