The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1884-02-19
To the Legislature of Mississippi.

A bill is now in the Senate, after pass
ing the House, to fix the salary Of the
Law Reporter of the Supreme Court.
As to its general character ! have no
opinion, for / have not succeeded in see
ing the bill, and my information by
hearsay may be erroneous. One section
of the bill was, however, copied by Mr.
Hemingway, my co-reporter, to whom
the bill was given TO inspect, and he
and | unite in opposing the section.
The volume now in press, called Sixty
first Mississippi Reports, has more than
fifty cases in type Zone hundred to one
hundred and fifty making a volume.)
The paper has all been purchased, and
the contracts all made. The section Of
the bill in question provides for letting
out the printing of this volume to the
lowest bidder. II carried into effect
that would break up all these contracts,
and leave the reporter with a very
heavy bill due the publishers, and the
work done would all be lost. Great de-
lay would be caused by having it all to
do over again. 1t has been our custom
always to have the books far towards
completion by this date; the 57th and
59th were at this time of the year much
further advanced in printing than is the
present volume. Fifth-eighth was fur
Their advanced, and Sixtieth was, be-
lieve, as far advanced. No one who has
not gone through the work knows what
is involved in breaking this all up and
setting the Reporter back to the COM
mencement just as the hot season is ap-
preaching. 1t destroys an autumn and
winters work. Even the loss of ten
days, and the distraction caused by the
wholly unexpected attack, is almost GER
tain to leave its impress in the shape of
errors in the delicate work of proof
reading.
We, therefore, urge the Senate and
entire Legislature to so modify the bill
that Sixty-frst Mississippi Reports
shall be completed by the publishers
now employed under the existing con
tracts.
If it be said that the bill provides for
cheap books, reply that | will sell to
the State at 81 copy all of 56th Missis-
sippi (say 600 copies) just as receive
them provided the State wishes to pur-
chase.
Some one Just tells me that it is urg.
ed that ] will make much money out
of Sixty-first | reply that | will get
just twelve hundred dollars for my
years work. | hereby offer, that if the
Stata vil nav mo tuoI,-a bunJraJ AL
lars cash and my publishers bill, to
turn over all the books and copyright
to the State just as published without
reserving even one. In justice to myself |
must say that | have indicated to mem
bers from the outset my willingness to
do anything which will not ruin me
financially have been very explicit
with them. This offer is no new>thing
on my part.
1t is said the bill provides for stereo-
type plates and copyrights. With Mr..
Hemingway's authority, given me
before he left, | make this offer: Any
volume from SO to 81 inclusive, for
which the State will give 81 copy, the
owner Che or as the case may be) will
assign to the State including the copy
right, and the stereotype plates will be
obtained by us for the State, at the
price which the stereotyper will take
say the value of metal in them. These
plates can be obtained only in those
cases where they have not already been
melted for use in other books, and some
of the books are not stereotyped. The
last offer, if 81 be selected, includes, of
course, that the State shall pay the pub
lisher's bill. In Mr. Hemingway's alb
sence, ! alone sign this. Respectfully,
RRowN