The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-20
CHARLESTON.
All About the Public Printing-An.
other Ridiculus Mus'-The I'M
peacher Impeached-IheM Mud ana
Good Health ut the Capital.

neachcr Impeuched-lheM ud anu
Good Health at the Capital.
CHARLESTON, February -, 1872.
No business OF importance was done
in the House, although it was in ses-
sion all day. The only matter which
excited anything like general interest
was the petition of John S. Merrell,
late of the Kanawha Republican, ask
inc that the conduct OF Henry S. Wal
ker, Public Printer, be inquired into,
charging him with having charged and
received some $l20 more than he was
entitled to for certain printing done for
the State. The circumstances which
led to this are these: In the early
part of the present session the Public
Printer being crowded with work, sub
let the printing Of large number OF
House bills to the proprietors Of the
RspuJHcan, in which Office Merrell is
employed, at the price OF % cents per
1000 ems, which is the rate fixed by
law for book work. The work was
done, and the contract price paid, but,
as Walker declined to pay for blank
pages, Merrell became very indignant.
When the bill for the work was rem
dered to the State, all the bill work
was charged at job prices, was certified
by the Clerk of the House, and paid.
Merrell then went to the Auditor
office and found that Walker had re.
ceiyed some Sl20 more for the work
than he had paid him, and thereupon
procured the introduction of the resolu.
ton above referred to. These are the
whole facts relative to the matter; but in
order to understand the uhject it is prop
or to saw that the bill work has always
been charged for at job prices by the
Public Printer of the State, and that
the bills complained OF are more than
one hundred per cent. less than those
charged by Mr.. Frew at the last session
for like work. And by this | don't
wish to be understood as imputing any
wrong to Mr.. Frew, for believe his
bills to have been made up regularly,
and in accordance with the custom in
this State, and no complaint has ever
before been made. Indeed, this is the
result of personal luminosity rather than
a desire to do anything for the public
GOOD. as it will be remembered that
when Walker came here and establish
ed, his paper Merrill controlled the only
Democratic paper in this city, and that
since that time, from the peculiar con-
duct of his paper, in opposing every
Democratic candidate, and using the
reputation which it had acquired under
the able management OF his predeces-
sor, against the cause he protested to
advocate, it has lost large amount
OF patronage and is on its last legs.
His course since that time has been
characterized by the most bitter and
relentless attacks upon Walker, which
has finally eliminated in the resolutions
which | speak OF. The whole matter
will come up tomorrow, and will prob
ably be referred to the Judiciary com
mittee. In any event, there will be the
fullest and fairest opportunity afforded
for investigation, and if the impeacher
is not impeached, | shall be most
egregiously mistaken.
At last we have free river, and the
Mountain Boy" has just arrived, but
with no news from the outer werld, she
having been frozen in between here and
Point Pleasant. We hope now, how
ever that the mails will arrive regu'
larry.
If YOU want to have thorough ap
preciation of Just how muddy it can get
YOU ought to visit the permanent seat
at this particular period. have trailed
through the sloughs OF the West, the
pampas of Texas, and walked, no.
waded, through the treacherous, Shiny
bottoms of the lower Mississippi and
the swamps OF Florida, but for good
oId-lashioped mud, pure and unde6led
commend me to the sacred soil which
floats loosely around here. A man has
TO wear boots that reach to his ears IN
order to feel any degree OF safety IL
venturing out of the house.
Senator Baker is slowly recovering
from his illness, and will soon be able
to take his rations comfortably. :.
l have no doubt but that this l:
about the most healthy climate on
Gods footstool. Indeed, it is consid'
cred hardly less than sacrilese to speak
of it otherwise; but l don't mind telling
you, privately, that l have not seen a
sing lie stranger in the city who is not
going round with a kind Of graveyard
cough, melancholy aspect and red nose
1t is the most prolific place for colds
ever knew, and if something is not done
soon, the members will have heightened
the several handles to their faces tc
such an extent as will certainly moi
add to their beauty.
beg pardon for saying every stran