Year: 1860

tally IN the future, and because the public
printing would seem tG be the only visible means
OF making such payment, therefore it is said he
Is interested in the public printing. Does the
senator mean 10 contend seriously that that
would be the construction of any Judge or jury
IN the United States? Why, sir. let me for
nomeut illustrate the effect of such conciu-
sion. Suppose Gen. Bowman had sold 10 Mr..
Wendell farm, aud he had agreed to pay, and
said TO him, 'lhese are my means Of payment,
but ltthlS printing be taken from me, | cannot
pay you )" would that give Gen. Bowman an
interest in the public printing in the sense Of
tbe law, and render him liable TO its penalties
With all respect 10 the senator, such an alIega-
tlon IS simply preposterous. Suppose the hon
orable senator himself had sold Mr.. Wendell
farm, and he had agreed 10 pay him at the.Imes
at which he drew his salary for printing,
would that make him partner, or give him
an interest IN the public printing? II the sem
ator's construction be right, then ] doubt not
every banking establishment IN this city was
at times connected with the public printing, and
because Mr.. Wendrll had agreed to make
them certain payments out of the pro-
ceeds OF the public printing, aud had ). perhaps
pledged payment in advance, as the test busl
ness men often do this the manufacturers Of
paper might have been interested in the public
printing because they had promise from Mr..
Wendell that he would pay them out of the
public printing at the proper time.


Now, SIR, the most that can with plauslbilty
be alleged in this case would be mere technI-
cal connection or interest, and | intend TO
show that the circumstances surrounding Cen
eral Bowman, ami under which he occupied
this position, were certainly such as ought to
relieve him from the charge OF a manifest de-
sire TO do what was wrong. There was no
moIal .urpitude in anything he did. The idea
that he intended TO hold that place for the pur
pose of experimenting the work, in order tha:
Mr.. WeGdell might get larger price, is simply
preposterous. Il did not matter to him wheth-
er Mr., WendellS profits were large or small.
The sum he was 10 receive was not per cen
tage Of profits. Whether Wendell made or
lost, there was so much to be paid TO him.
Therefore be could not have that kind of inter-
est which the law contempates.


But. sir, the circumstances under which MIR.
Bowman agreed to occupy that position pre-
fer TO present TO the Senate, because il is due TO
him. When he concluded TO take the news





of the Secretary Of the Interiov,) from a were.
sensItiveness as TO holding an office whilst pub
fishing partisan newspaper, he resigned it
promptly but no. because the law would be
violated if he had held ii to this day, the law
would not have been violated; he would not
have beer an.nabIe to the law to-day, because
he has not and never hal any interest in the
public printing. That is my deliberate juJg
ment. General Bowman promptly resigned
the superIntP ndenCy, but because the Secreta-
~ OF the Interior discovered Inconvenience
would arise in his Department, because the
President was not prepared TO select his success
sor, he induced Mr.. Bowman, with the consent
OF the President, to withdraw his resignation
until successor could BIZ appointed. Such
was the advice Of Cabinet officer, lawyer, a
gentleman, and as honest man IN my iudg-
ment, as lives IN any country. The most that
could be said was that Gen. Bowman Welded TO
the Judgment and advice of his superior and,
SIT, protest that man who has lived a life OF
honesty as be has, whose every day walk and
conversation are exemplary, shall not be srick-
en- down and crushed 10 the earth without BE-
Ing fairly heard. SIR, he is a man of marked
proP:iety. l venture TO say, that through all



improperly. No man has heard him Impugn
the motives Of any who differ with him even a.
bout printer. have heard him speak in kind
terms even OF the Senator from Mississippi
Now, sir, | will ask the Secretary TO read the
letter of the Secretary of the Interior:


The Secretary read it, as follows:


DEPAKrMENroF rHF INTERIOR, January Q, 1860


DEAR SIR: In reply to your inquiry relating to
Z he 4 Por
the office of superintendent OF Printing, feel it my
duty TO state such facts as have connecte me with
that Transaction.


Some time in March, 1859, the President sent to
me 10 be filed in this Department the resignation
of General G.. w. Bowman late Superintendent of
the Public Printing. The exact date OF the writing DO
not now remember, but it 10 take effect on the
llth day of April 1859. On or before the day this
resignation 10 take effect absolutely was adj
vsed that the contracts for the engraving Of the me
chancal portion of the Patent Office report mad not
been given ouT and that inevitable delay would a. |
rise in the execution of the work. unless the bids a.
bout that time filed could be acted on. | wished to
avoid this delay, If possible, and, the President
not prepared at that time TO designate success
sor, suggested TO him the proprlety and public ne
cessity of General Bowman's withdrawing his orig
inal resi- gnation, and fixing another day for 1t TO
take effect General Bowman was sent for He
advised that the exigencies of the service re-
quired him still TO continue 10 discharge the du-
ties of his office. II is due to General Bowman TO
say that he at first expressed reluctance 10 Weld in
asmuch as he did not wish to be the editor of
democratic paper while he held an office under the
Administration. myself, however, saw no rcom-
patibility in his doing so, particularly as it was to
be held only till successor could be appointed and
qualified. He yielded to my suggestion. lpermit-
ted him TO withdraw his original unconditional re-
signation, and file the In this Department,
a copy of which you have seen.


The only object on mypart was TO secure prompt
performance of the public service; and IL believe
Gen. Bowman yielded. TO my suggestion only from
sense of public duty.


The responsibility of changing the day on which
this. esignation was to take effect was mine, and
am ready 10 assume il.


Yours, truly,


j. THOMPSON, Secretary.