In the accompanying documents can be found statements of the prices paid for public printing, in the States of Michigan, Ohio and New-York, as well as the prices paid at Washington, in accordance with an act of Congress. The paper marked A. contains the act providing for the appointment of a printer to Congress, and establishing the prices to be paid him. The paper marked B. is a copy of the act establishing the office of State Printer in Ohio, and a statement of the prices paid by the State for printing. Paper marked C. is an affidavit as to the prices paid the State Printer of New-York for public printing; and a statement, also, as to the prices paid journeymen printers. The paper marked D. is an affidavit of the prices paid the State Printer of Michigan; and the prices of journeymen printers, at Detroit, are stated also. Document E.-copies of letters from Messrs. Blair & Rives, publishers of The Globe, Washington. I pay journeymen printers in my employ, twelve dollars per week. Those who work by the piece are paid 40 cents per 1000 ems for plain composition. For rule and figure work, double price. Paper, ink, &c., costs, when delivered at this place, about 33 per cent. more than it does at Detroit, and nearly 50 per cent. more than it does at Washington, Albany and Columbus. By the following, your committee will be enabled to form something like an accurate idea, of the difference between the prices hitherto paid in this Territory for printing, and the prices paid at Washington, Albany, Detroit and Columbus. At the rates here. tofore charged in this Territory, the printing of a bill, which would make one page, in pica letter, on a foolscap sheet, would be. 2,500 ems, at $2 50 per 1000 ems, $6 25. The prices paid in New-York, for the same work, at 70 cents per 1000 ems, and 70 cents per token for press work, would be as follows: Composition 2,500 ems, at 70 cents, Paper, probable cost, 66 $1.75 70 44 The same, at the Ohio prices, or 35 cents per 1000 ems, and 40 cents per token, would be as follows: Composition 2,500 ems, at 35 cents, Press work, 1 token, at 40 cents, Paper, probable cost, Total, $0 88 40 44 $1 72 The same, at the Michigan prices, or 75 cents per 1000 ems, ard 75 cents per token, would be as follows: Composition 2,500 ems, at 75 cents, Press work, 1 token, at 75 cents, Paper, probable cost, Total, $1 88 75 .44 $3.07 Congress pays Messrs. Blair & Rives for a page of bills, containing 1732 cms, $1 00 for the composition; at the same rate a foolscap bill, containing 2500 ems, would amount to $1 44. Press work, in Washington, for medium sheets, 75 cents. All under 250 sheets, counting a token; the price, therefore, for 100 copies of a foolscap page of pica, would be The prices paid by the state of Michigan for public printing are more equitable than those paid by Congress, or by the states of New-York and Ohio. In Michigan, the printer is paid for whatever services he performs. If he does a job of work for the State which requires composition and press work only, that is all that the State is called upon to pay for; if, on the contrary, a job requires to be pressed, folded and stitched, the printer is paid for the extra trouble he is put to. According to the prices that have hitherto been allowed in this Territory, the printer has been compelled to charge only for composition; for press work, paper, folding, stitch. ing, &c., he has received no additional compensation. The price has been the same, whether the number he was called upon to print was ten or ten thousand. When a large edition of any docu ment was ordered, the printer invariably lost money; when he was called upon to print a small edition, he made an extravagant profit. In order, therefore, that the Legislature may know some. thing respecting the price I think the public printing of Wisconsin can be done for, I would say, that I will do any portion of the pub lic printing the legislature may favor me with, at the same rates the state of Michigan pays her public printer; and I will engage to do the entire public printing of the Territory, for a term of not less than one nor more than five years, for a less sum than that paid in Michigan, viz: I will discount 20 per cent. from the Michigan price, on all plain composition and press work; and I will give good bonds for the faithful execution of the contract on my part. Respectfully submitted, Madison, December 9, 1839. Document A. J. A. NOONAN. Resolution directing the manner in which the printing of the Congress shall be executed, fixing the prices thereof, and providing for the appointment of a printer or printers. Resolved, &c., That the printing of Congress, unless when otherwise specially ordered, shall be done in the following form and manner, viz: Bills, as heretofore, with English type, on fool. scap paper, rule and table work, in royal octavo size, where it can be brought into that size, by any type not smaller than brevier; and where it cannot, in such form as to fold conveniently into the volume. All other printing with a small pica type, on royal paper, in pages of the same size as those of the last edition of the laws of the United States, including the marginal notes. And the fol. lowing prices shall be allowed and paid for the above described work: For the composition of every page of bills, one dollar; of every page of small pica, plain work, one dollar; of every page of small pica, rule work, two dollars; of every page of brevier, rule work, three dollars and fifty cents; and for a larger form of brevier rule work, in proportion. For, the press work of bills, in cluding paper, folding and stitching-for fifty copies, twenty-five cents per page; for four hundred copies, one dollar and twenty. five cents per page; for the press work of tables, other than those in the regular octavo form, for six hundred copies, including as above, five dollars and fifty cents per. form; for the press work of the journals, of nine hundred copies, including as above, one dollar per page; for all other printing, in the octavo form, of six hundred copies, including as above, eighty-seven and a half cents per page; and for a larger or smaller number, in proportion. That, as soon as this resolution shall have been ap proved by the President of the United States, each house shall proceed to ballot for a printer, to execute its work during the next Congress; and the person having the greatest number of votes shall be considered duly elected; and shall give bond, with sureties, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the House of Representatives, respectively, for the prompt, accurate, and neat execution of the work; and in case any inconvenient delay should be, at any time, experienced by either house, in the delivery of its work, the Secretary and clerk, respectively, may be authorized to employ another printer to execute any portion of the work of the Senate or House, and charge the excess, in the account of such printer, for executing such work, above what is herein allowed, to the printer guilty of such negligence and delay: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall preclude the choice of the same printer by the Senate and House of Representa. tives." Approved, March 3, 1819. [The above may be found on page 1756 of Story's Laws of the United States in Wisconsin Library.] Document B. Section 6, of an "Act creating permanently the office of State Printer, and to define his duties," passed by the Legislature of Ohio, during the session of 1836. "That said State Printer shall be allowed for the composition. of laws, journals, reports, messages and other papers or docu ments, at the rate of thirty-five cents for every thousand ems, with the addition of fifty per centum on all rule and figure work; at the rate of forty cents for each token of press work, of one hundred and twenty-five sheets, for which the Auditor of State is hereby authorized to issue bills in favor of said State Printer, payable at the State Treasury out of any moneys appropriated for that purpose, his account therefor having first been audited and approved by the Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State, aforesaid: Provided, That the Auditor of State shall be, and is hereby authorized, at his discretion, to issue bills in advance in favor of said State Printer, to any amount not exceeding one third of the probable amount of his account per annum: Provided, That any amount of composition not exceeding four pages, may be charged as four pages, and no more; and if more than four, and not exceeding eight, as eight and no more." [The above section may be found on page 57, vol. 35, of the Laws of Ohio, in Wisconsin Library.] George Trumbull, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that he is a practical printer, and well acquainted with the business of printing. That for the five years previous to last September, he was foreman in an extensive book and job printing office in the city of Albany, and that according to the best of his knowledge and belief, the following are the prices which Edwin Croswell, Esq. Printer to the State of New York, receives from the State for public printing, He receives at the rate of 70 cents per 1000 ems for plain work, and for rule and figure work, double price, or $1 40 per 1000 ems; and 70 cents per token for press work.The price charged for paper is $6 00 per ream. The prices for blanks, jobbing, etc., are the same as above. 1000 ems, (rule and figure work, double,) and fifty cents per are the prices I have understeod Mr. Croswell pays Packard, Van Fifty cents per token |