Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-05-25
The Congressional Printer.

aS HACSNSh'C3N
place in the House on the 18th. The
whole thing looks like mere partisan
spite:
MIr. Vance Dem. of Ohio, Chair
man of the Committee on Printing,
called up the report Of that commit
tee on the Government Printing OF
flee. He reviewed in detail the
points as set forth in the report, aud
stated that for the last seven years
the cost of the government printing
amounted to $1l, ,901, $50, an average
of little over $l,000,000 year.
This was at least 100000 a year
more than it ought to have cost. He
averred that if the printing had
been let out under Il properly guard
ed contract system, it could have
been done at saving Of half mil
lion dollars, leaving Il fair profit to
the contractors. He did not desire to
charge the responsibility on any one.
Perhaps this was one of those things
that might have occurred anyhow
but, in his Judgment. If the books
had been regularly examined, the
overcharge and other irregularities
could not have occurred.
Mr.. BaIlou rep. }, of Il. l., made
minority report, taking the ground
that the Congressional Printer was an
officer of the Senate, and therefore
not amenable to the Jurisdiction of
the House. The House had no more
! authority to inquire into the manner
in which the Congressional Printer
performed his duty than it had to in
quire into the manner in which the
Sergeant at-Arms of that body per-
formed his duty. In his opinion, too,
testimony failed to show case JUS
tifying any harsh criticism or con-
demnation of the Congressional Prin-
ter. In no instance had the Treas
ury been defrauded of one cent, and
in no instance was it even pretended
that the Printer or any friend of his,
profited one cent froln any contract,
business arrangement, or transaction
of his office. The witnesses relied
upon to establish the charges against
the Printer had such manifest inter
est in changing the policy of the
government with regard to its own
printing and binding, as to greatly
diminish the weight Of their testi-
mony. He expressed a conviction
4 h.,f h.,t t,,nsnpIf.r of fhn ttnP
had not only forgotten the primal
object of the investigation, but had
been largely Influenced by desire
to reinstate Franklin Rives in the
position of printer of the Congress
sional debates, even at a much
higher rate than the government WAS
now paying. He expressed the belief
that the present system should be
adhered to, as the most economical
and the most satisfactory. Mr.. Bal
lou said that as to the cost Of the
Record being incorrectly reported. he
intimated that \ strenuous effort 10
place that work in private hands
showed that there was some interest
besides that of the government that
was to be looked after. He stated
his conviction that the Congressional
Printer was an honest, upright, and
faithful public servant, needing coun-
sci and assistance rather than cea
sure, and that the most unwise thing
that the government could do would
be to surrender it's ownership and
control of the printing office, OF any
nf its departments, and become de-
pendent on ana subjsoe tn private
contractors.
Mr.. Singleton (Dem.), of Miss, .
member of the committee, supported
the majority report, and said that he
preferred three charges against the
Congressional Printer-first . want
of proper qualification, and q total
incapacity to fill the position; second,
an objectionable negligence in the
management of the ONCE; and, third,
of embezzlement from the Uaited
States. He referred, to justify his
charges, to extracts of the tesslmo-
Mr.. BalIou (Rep. J, Of R. l., inter
rupted Mr.. Singleton to say that the
Congressional Printer had not done
one fraudulent thing, but was an hon.
est man. |
After some other remarks the dis
cussion closed, and the House pro-
ceeded to vote on the resolutions re-
ported by the Committee on Printing.
The first vote wac on the resolution
directing the Speaker to certify to the
proper authorities of the District of
Columbia the testimony taken rela-
ting to the conduct of A. Clapp, Con-
gressional Printer, to the end that he
may be indicted and prosecuted. The
resolution was adopted-yeas, 1877;
nays IA Ia party vote).