The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-11

four years Or rather that nearly 100000 OF
public money Tor which he Is responsible remain
Mr.. Garned will sift this matter to the bottom,
and II SO. we have no doubt that very considerable
government printing. and that the needful Sc
curities VIII be provided against excessive pick
ings and perquisites In any form.
POTENCY AND PROFITS OF THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER.
Really. however, the party organs In washington
are pining for return to the old system which
oee tss oS system the
Senate elected their printer, the House elected
the fheir printer and the mead OF eaGn
advice and consent OF the President, selected his
printer. This system was IN operation Tor many
years. but the greatest harvests to the favored
printers were reaped IN that golden age ron the
incoming Of General Jackson to the outgoing OF
Captain Tyler. Blair Rives OF the GLOBE, be-
came milllonnaires as the printers for the execu-
tive departments, and for one or botn OF the two
houses OF Congress, under Old Hickory's benign
ADMINISTRATION. Gales Seaton, OF the National
Inteutgencer, the national organ OF the old wing
party, had made considerable money as public
81 john Quincy sg0 ADAMS. Under which tn" the
whole expenses OF the government were
only $ls,oOo,ooo year. but Gale \ Sea
and then divided the profits OF Congress with
Blair IL Rives. Under Jackson and Van Buren,
the profits OF the printing 70 The printer OF both
houses and the executive departments Tor one
Congress were said TO be $780, equal In Wash
ington to $2,0oOOo0 at the present day, or
$1,000 900 year. The central official organ, there
FORE OF the old democratic party or OF the old WING
party, in addition TO the immense advantages and
incidental profits accrung from the high position
OF one speaking by authority, had It's solid rewards
as the party organ entitled to the public printing,
which made 1t great power among the small Try
OF the newspaper press OF the United States.
CONTRACTS.
TO the aspiring party journals or the day return
to this profitable old system would be, no doubt,
great reform; but 1t Is gone beyond recall The
c9ntTaSt was next red ana to secure the
made his bid so low that in fulfilling his contract
his papers and printing were 80 shabby that MS
pub. docs" Of Congress were disgrace to the
government. The contract system was, therefore,
abandoned, and the government printing office
can surely be corrected Or If not MIR. Garfield has
said he will know the reason why.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AFFAIRS.
The Congressional investigation into the alleged
abuses OF the government Of this District has SO
lar resulted IN no very astounding disclosures.
senator Thurman OF the committee, has given
notice to the memOrialists that he will expect them
To bring forward some specific charges OF fraud
ulent or irregular transactions against the accused
parties by Tuesday or Wednesday next; from which
1t IS inferred that in the absence Of any isuch
specifications of fraud, the investigation will be
quashed Impartial citizens in this business
and they are very few-are of the opinion that,
while this District government has expended
thousands of dollars which might have been saved
In the city improvements; while the work upon
many OF the contracts lor grading and
paving the soas streets Sonstructng sewers
high prices, been badly performed, and while
many favored individuals within ''the ring" IN
knowing IN ADVANCE where TO purchase lOCS ana
build houses for rise in the market, have made
money, 1t will be difficult to fix any frauds upon
the responsible authorities against their vouchers.
On the side or the memoriaists asking this inves-
tgation we are told that they will bring forward
some specific charges next week which Will as
Jonish the doubling Thomases. Meantime, as the
appropriations for this District this session Will
be scant or generous, according to the issue of
this investigation, the issue is matter of several
millions OF dollars.
THE LOUISIANA MONSTROSITY.
The Louisiana monstrosity' must blde Its time.
The questions of Imitation, contraction, banking.
currency, taxation, retrencnment and the appro-
priatOn bills are regarded as more urgent calling
Tor immediate action, than the Louisiana scandal.
Senator Carpent er's trenchant speech against the
Kellogg impOsture and usurpatton has had It's
effect, and the evidence against Durell before the
House committee has had It's effect IN strengthen
ing the opinion that there ought to be new cleo.
ton in louisiana to test and establish the will OF
the people; but as they did at the last session,
the two houses may again evade this duty, and
leave Kellogg still in the care OF the President,
Notwithstanding General Grants desire to be re-
lieved OF this dlsagreeable responsibility. His only
sure way OF dehverance is through special mes
sage to the two houses before 1t Is too late, for
every day lost now is day gained to Kellogg.
The bill which passed the Senate yesterday, with
an amendment covering very wide field OF in
vestigatlon, providing for the appointment Of five
persons TO collect statistics on the traffic in
distilled and fermented liquors. goes to the House,
where the discussion OF the subject Will probably
be revived. The bill in itself is a sincere matter,
but as behind it lies the design or Congressional
this temperance agitation, in this new movement,
becomes matter OF the highest Importance, and
it Will be plank in the republican Presidential
platform of 1876