Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-09-21
VANCE AND THE PUBLIC PRINT.
ING.
1T HAS TWO SIDES.
The Printer Asks a Hearing

the speech which follows, possess in
terest for the voters:
OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER,
WASHINGTON, Aug. 81, 1875.
Ny DEAR SIR:-Your favor, en-
closing extracts from Gallipolis, and
other journals, relating to myself
and the late printing investigation is
received. / must express my sur
prise that Mr.. Vance should have in
Iroduced myself or my affairs into
his canvass for reelection with the
hope of strengthening his cause. /
perceive by these extracts that the
same spirit of Misrepresentation and
unfairness towards myself that mark
ed the utterances of Mr.. Vance in
his report and speeches in the House
of Representatives has been trans
ferred to his home canvass.
For this he is alone responsible, for
no one else would thus have attempt
ed to introduce such an element of
doubtful propriety into the contest.
The motive that has prompted this
action on the part Of your repre-
sentative in this movement will not
attempt to characterize. bear no
possible relation to his district ex-
cept through the sheerest imperti
nance, and seek no more notoriety at
his hands than already enjoy. IT,
however, it is that he hopes to ad-
vance his political fortunes at the ex
pense of my reputation, l neither
envy him his sense of propriety, nor
the fruitage of such an effort. 1t is
a mistaken idea that one man can
successfully elevate himself by pull
ing another down. In this country,
to use a homely phrase, "every tub
stands on its own bottom" The
carrion of reputation is not a safe
foundation upon which to build emf
nence; neither does it produce a
grateful odor except to the foulest
tastes and senses. Few men who
have been honored by distinction as
Representatives in Congress seek so
low plane of action as seems to be
followed by your Member in this
matter. Neither will his line of
policy, no matter how assiduously
pursued, avail his purposes; for un-
der the laws of grayitation, men like
water, though sometimes forced
above their level, have not the power
to sustain their elevation. They fall
back upon their legitimate plane
sooner or later, and / mistake the
people of your district if such is not
the fate of your representative. The.
true history of the investigation of
the Government Printing Office, as
conducted by Mr.. Vance, reflects no
credit upon him as a fair, just and
truthful man. In the first place he
instituted a secret inquisition-an
invention which to the average
American mind, is exceeding dis
tasteful-and pursued his inquiries
under a secret arrangement that
finds no parallel in history, this side
of the dark and cruel periods of the
Spanish Inquisition.
The Government Printing Office
was Investigated behind tiled doors,
and as the head of that branch of
the public service, l was carefully
excluded from the secret chamber,
except when called therein to testify.
/ was repeatedly assured as was Mr..
Ballou, the minority of the Commit
tee, that / should be admitted to the
room during the examination of the
witnesses and have full opportunity
TO cross examine them, and offer rebut-
ting testimony, but that assurance
was never made good. On this sub
ject desire to call your attention to
the report and speeches of Mr.. Bal
lou, which l enclose to you. These
show conclusively that while the in
vestigatiOn was unfair, unjusta and op-
pressive in its conduct, it utterly
failed to establish the existence Of
any fraud, corruption, embezzlementt
or intended wrong in the manage
ment of this Office. In view of the
testimony, er parte as it is, Mr.. Vance
in his report and speeches upon this
subject has been guilty of gross mis-
representations of fact, as appears in
the corrections made and the re-
buke administered to him by Mr..
Ballou on the floor of the House.
notice by the extracts you have
furnished me that q Mr.. Aleshire
figures in the exnense account of the
printing investigation as a recon-
pensed "expert" to the amount of
800. 1t this individual has been
thus rewarded, the published record
of the investigation does not show
the performance of any service there
for. Other 'sexperts" were engaged
and gave testimony as to the results
of their efforts, but Mr.. Aleshire. who
is represented as relative of Mr..
Vance, gave no testimony and hence