The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-23
Communicated
INVtut1 1tRTS<ssSS@J
Printing-Printed Records, &c.

PHlntkmE-tEAhtSu nOCOEuSS eASs
Nessrs. Editors Please excuse me, but
If am to judge from the constant agitation
OF the subject of printing, I would be com.
PEELED to conclude that some persons have
decided that this printing fraternity Is like
the ancient city of Nazareth-nothing good
In il. and hence no good can come out of it.
On behalf of my craft, then, aud myself par
ticularly, beg your indulgence. / have
been engaged in printing records Of the
Court of Appeals as long, perhaps, rs any
printer now living in this city-as Journey
man as far back as 1915, and as contractor
and sub-coutractor since 1852. My connec.
ton has always been personal onc--not
official; hence I speak personally. If any
man, or set OF men, wish to 9 examine"
into nv connection with it, am ready for d
thorough yentilatton," but must first
kno,r the uentiiator.
was sorry TO see this matter introduced
to the public in this manner, because, first,
the legislative committee-if they had a
right to yentilate it at all, and this l shall
not ouestion-Were the proper persons to
investigate it, and they could have had &C
cess to "personS and papers if they had
thought it necessary or prudent; second,
because, whether these gentlemen intended
it or not, it is certain that there is more than
one sentence in their articles that reflects
upon those who have the bestowment as
well as those who are in receipt Of g MiS cast
PATRONAGE; aud third, because when the
- clerk" is mentioned the identical accuSer
is placed before the community, and Gas it
has proved the accuserS arc unknown, and
refuse TO he known; therefore the accused
has TO enter into an unfair contest.
For the clerks have nothing to say. One
of them has shown his competency and will
lingness to answer for himself by his prompt
response: and think he and all concerned
have right to know who it is that has the
interest of the taxpayers SO much at heart
as to thrust himself in the place of the legls-
iatiye committee aud to trump up an tmd9a-
NARY tar Oh the people. Why did he not
bring this matter before the committee! IL
then might not have been necessary to have
stated some things as "fdctS" winch, az tue
proper time, before the proper tribunal ana
before kao,pn accuser, VIII DC proved not
to be-" ..~....-
An this " Juror" is based on the pre-
sumption that the printers OF me recordS are
charging too much for this work. This pre-
sumption is untrue, and the facts and figures
will be forthcoming to prove it untrue when
necessary: also, the further presumption
that the State pays for this work, or that the
tax.payers are tdred TO pay for printing re-
cords of the Court of Appeals. Neither is
this true, for every man VINO carries case
from lower court up to the Court of APP
peals is required to gice bond for the pay.
ment of " oil costs "-printing the record in
cluded. 1t is. therefore, private work, paid
for by the parties to the subtitle State APP
propriating aud advancing to the printer, to
facilitate its own proceedings, and because
the exact charges cannot he estimated till
the suit is closed.
Query.- Was not this the reason, or one OF
the reasons why this work was separated
from the public printing in Il think) the
year 1S442
= Que1y.-- Was it the intention of the LegiSla-
ture OF Virginia, when they elected practl.
cal printer to superintend the giving out OF
its printing, to grind tue contractors down
to price at or below cost, or merely to cor
rect abuses that existed under the old sys-
ten? elect the latter.
My long connection with this particular
work, and my consciousness of fair dealing
on ny part throughout this whole time, as
well US total ignorance of anything unfair on
the part of the clerks with whom have had
the pleasure to contract, is my apology for
asking place 10 your columns.
~--.-.... WILLIAM II. CLEAaITT.
March q. 1874