The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-09-14

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WAsHIxcTox, September =, 1876
No letter from any public man has ap-
peared for long time past which excited
more ridicule or contempt here. even
among Democrats, than the boyish com
plant of Representative Vance, Of Ohio,
to Senator Anthony, that the men at the
Government printing office were raising
money to defeat him. For months he,
as Chairman of the House Committee on
Public Printing, had conducted one of
the most unfair investigations of all those
which disgraced the last House. He had
worked, early and late, outside of all linn
its, which should have controlled him as
a member and had apparently made his
attack on the printing Office a matter of
active personal concern. He was not in
any sense a fair investigator, but was in
every sense a most unfair prosecutor.
And after all that, when he heard that
the men in that office were taking meas
ures to help defeat him, instead of facing
the matter, and holding himself ready to
defend his course, he writes to the Re
publican Chairman of the Senate Com
mittee on Printing, and asks him to stop
it. This is probably the first time in the
history of our politics, when a Democrat
has written a letter over his own name,
| asking Republicans to suspend work
looking to his defeat If the printers
chose to save money to use in a legitimate
way to secure this, they had perfect
right to do so, IS the Constitution now
stands At the same time they were do
/ ing the Democracy of Ohio a service; for
the simple reason that Vance is not the
kind OF representative to bring them
credit
WORKING FOR A FIRM.
| The point about the Vance investiga-
/ tion, which ought to retire him to pri-
vate life, is, that from first to last, ii was
earnest. active work in the interest OF a
great Washington firm. Ii is a wealthy
and an honorable firm, but still the spec
tacle is not edifying of a member of Con-
gress exerting himself, early and late, in
the interest of any firm, no matter how
great or how respectable.
In the first instance, Mr.. Vance was as
unfair in his methods of investigation as
it was possible to be, and one single
statement will suffice on that head.
Throughout the investigation, and until
within two days of its close, the Public
Printer was not allowed to have a parti.
Gle of the testimony against him, or to be
present by counsel. At that time about
thousand pages of evidence had been
taken. The Printer was then notified, |
on a Thursday, that he could look over
the testimony, and could introduce his |
witnesses on Friday and Saturday. And |
this where an investigation had been run |
ming for two months as prosecution, the |
defense were to be allowed two days to |
examine q thousand pages of evidence,
and to introduce its testimony
Everybody in Washington understood, /
before Mr.. Vance had been at work a
fortnight that his investigation had, for /
its main object, taking away the printing |
of the Congressional Record from the 1
Government Office, and giving it to pri- |
vate firm. There seemed to be no con- |
cealment about this. Mr.. Vance took 4
house, the next door but one to the resi- |
dence of the members of this firm. He /
was with them constantly. To use 1
Washington phrase, they ran him"
This was nothing against them. Any |
firm here is glad to be able to run" |
member of Congress. 1t is always con-
venient, and sometimes profitable 1t is /
doubtful, however, whether the good 4
people of Mr.. Vance's District sent him 4
here to represent any firm, however hon
orable. That he did it is shown by his /
report. Though not instructed by the /
resolution of the House, under which he
was acting, to go further than to fully in
vestigate the public printing Office. and,
in addition, to inquire whether the print
ing of the Congressional Record could be
done cheaper by private parties, he made
a report formally committing Congress to
a contract with the firm of Franklin 4
Rives for period of six years. He went /
even further than this, and, with his re-
port, presented to the House a formal
contract between the Secretary of the 1
Senate and the Clerk Of the House, and /
Mr.. Rives, and asked the House to ap-
prove it.
To accomplish these things, Mr.. Vance,
as a part OF his report. submitted bill
carrying his idea into effect. The section
regarding this contract was as follows:
SEC That from and after the close OF the
first session of the Forty-FOurth Congress, the /
printing and binding OF the proceedings and /
debates Of Congress, IN the same form As they /
now appear in the Congressional Record, shall /
be done by Franklin Rives, OF Washington /
City, for the period of six years next ensuing,
terminable after notice of two years on the part /
of either party, terminating at the expiration
of "A Congress, upon the terms stated IN his pro-
printed page Of book edition, and seventy cents /
per volume for binding; the type 10 be OF the /
same kinds as now used in printing the Con-
the same size as those of the Congressional Rec i
ord, the paper 70 be OF the same description,
weight and quality as that now used for the Il
Congressional Record, the volumes to be as
nearly practicable Of the same size and Il
bound in the same style as the volumes OF the Il
Congressional Record, and the stereotype plates /
or duplicates thereof to belong to the United Il
States, the above named sum of two and a half Il
mills per printed page and seventy cents per /
volume for binding to embrace all charges |
made by the said Franklin Rives for the print
ing, binding, delivery, and all other work con-
nected with the prompt publication OF the pro- i
ceedings and debates OF Congress in daily and /
book form, as the Congressional Record is now /
published, and for the said stereotype plates: /
Provided, that the said Franklin Rives shall /
enter into good and sufficient bonds, in the /
Secretary Of the Senate and the Clerk OF the |
House OF Representatives, for the faithful and /
prompt performance Of his contract.
When the matter came up in the
House, Mr.. Vance openly showed that
this was the only part of his work in
which he felt deep personal interest
He was so open and earnest about this
section, however as to excite universal
remark When Mr.. Randall, who saw at
a glance, the improperly of the House
directing such a contract, rose and began
| to indicate his views, Vance left his own
seat ran down to one behind Randall,
and, in the presence of the whole House
/ and of the galleries. attempted to control
and stop Randalls opposition to this
contract clause of the bill. 1t is doubt
/ full whether any paid lobbyist ever made
/ a more open exhibition of himself on the
/ floor, than did Mr.. Vance on this occa-
/ sion, and, as il is charitable to suppose
without pay.
COUSIN ALEsHIRE VISITS WASHINGTON