The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-23

They are at liberty to accept the
assurance, that no pains will be spared
to make the entertainment they pro-
pose, as interesting as may be desired
tbs we'll known to the public that
resolution demanding an investigation
of certain alleged overcharges, for bill
printing for the Legislature, was intro
duced into the House of Delegate:
some days ago. 1t was unsupported by
charge, evidence or specification. Its
Immediate consideration was objected
to, and next morning the mover, DR..
RAIDER, of Nicholas, asked, and obtained,
unanimous consent to withdraw It,
stating that it had been imposed upon
him by some person he did not know,
and that he was in utter ignorance Of
its contents when he offered it, The
statement, that be was prevailed upon
10 withdraw it," is wholly untrue.
Leading Democrats objected to its with,
drawal, preferring to dispose of it in a
more appropriate manner.
This resolution has been submitted
for the approval of Stevenson, Farms
worth and other leaders Of that crew,
and had been accepted by them as
sufficient for their purposes, which, was
simply to impress the public mind
with the idea that the public printing
should be investigated.
The movement was then renewed by
the preparation of certain charges
and specifications. The presenla-
ton of these brought to the
surface the chief instrument in the
prosecution, John S. Merrill, person
not unknown in this community.
This individual signs the charges, and
is alone in that glory. Two other
persons of similar stamp and standing,
make affidavit to the arithmetical
accuracy OF certain tabular state,
ment accompanying the charges and
specifications.
1t is alleged in these precious papers,
that the public printer has charged for
the printing of certain bills for the
House of Delegates, prices in excess OF
those fixed by law. In support Of this,
it is specified that for the printing OF
each OF certain bills, the printer is
entitled to receive a certain amount,
and that for each OF them he has re,
ceived a much larger amount. A
tabular statement is then appended,
from which 1t appears that the party
com plaiuiug has had the work
measured and estimated, as book work ;
the results OF the estimate are given,
and with them are compared the prices
actually paid the printer. Three par
ties, Merrill ofthe Republican, and Ken,
nedy and Lovett, OF the Journal, swear
to the accuracy OF the calculation,
and George r. Mcintosh, formerly Of
the Journal, ceriifes the document as
notary public, Hughes, of the Daily,
and Houghton. OF the Herald, were also
invited to participate in the entertain
ment so as to have the entire secular
press of the city, except the Courier,
united for the discontinue Of the State
printer.
The conclusion OF all this charing
and specifying is that the printer has
been plundering the State promiscu.
ously, and that Joint committee should
be appointed to investigate him and
bring him to justice.
On Tuesday morning, when these
charges were considered in the Legis,
lature, Mr.. Walker, Of whom complaint
is made, rendered to the House bond,
with good security, in the penalty Of
$4,000, conditioned to pay the costs OF
the entire investigation III case the
charges against him should be sus
tanned, and asked an immediate investi
CATION. Mr.. West offered substitute
for the original Farnsworth-Merrill-
Stevenson resolution, recitng the pro-
position of Mr.. Walker, and requiring
the party complaining to give like
bond for the payment Of costs in the
event OF his failure to sustain his
charges. Should such bond be filed,
the Judiciary committee were instructed
to inquire whether there was anything
in the charges demanding the action OF
the Legislature. Should it not be
filed, then the committee were in.
structed to inquire whether the
charges emanated from a source Of such
| responsibility as to warrant their con-
sideration by the Legislature. In other
words, if the person complaining would
give the bond for costs, az in the case
Of voluntary prosecutions before grand
iurv, or could show himself a respecta.
BILE man in the community, he could
have all the investigation he wanted.
This resolution was strenuously resisted
by Mr.. Sturgiss, whose intense personal
regard for the public printer would not
permit him to vote for a resolution that
would at all protect public officer
against the attack Of any irresponsible
BLACKBOARD who might be disposed to
assail him. The original resolution
and that Of Mr.. West were referred to
the committee on the Judiciary, where
they now are.
A preliminary meeting Of this com.
mittee was held on Thursday evening
There were present that eminent patrI-
OF, John S. Merrill, as prosecuting wit
ness; r. B. Swami, J. S. Swami, and O.
A. Patton, as counsel for the State and
champion OF her interest in the hour OF
peril; Dan. Farnsworth and dozen
others of his kind represented the in
dignant public sentiment OF the occa-
sion. Finding the printer ready for
immediate investigation, they an
nounced their purpose 10 impeach him,
hoping thus to avoid an immediate in.
vestigaton and the defeat they knew
would follow. They knew that the
requisite notice could not be served in
time to perfect the case before adjourn
ment. They desired to kill their own
case by postponement, and to hold a
Democratic Legislature responsible for
the result. The committee adjourned