True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-01-25
CONGRESSIONAL PAY.

If YOU ask Hodges Why it is that the fat
tened OK spurns its usual bovine diet, he will
tell you, "it is the nature of the beast, >
So is it with certain of our Senators and
Representatives at Washington, For
long time they have been feeding at the
crib Of our common Uncle-not the ubi-
quitous "Sam," who has latterly been dis
appointing some of these same Ilonorables
in their political calculations and aspira-
tions-till now, the savory odor of eight
dollars-per-day, andits nourishing qualities,
have become stale and insufficient to graf
ity their fastidious olfactorics and pamper-
cd stomachs Full two generations have
Jared well, sumptuously even, for home
spun republicans, upon this pay. Few
have deemed the Office, with its pcrqui-
sites, its immunities, and its pay, of so
little allurement, az not to tempt them into
its path, which in these latter days, has
become "hard road to travel Hitherto
eight dollars per day has been equally as
satisfactory and tempting to these gentle
men, as has been "two dollars day and
roast beef to the humble laborer, with
this difference, however, that the one has
been all the while, matter of enjoyment
the other of most distant expectation. But
with the times, men and manners change.
Hence it is that a Senator from North
Carolina has lately proposed in the Senate
to raise Congressional pay to twelve dol
lars per day, only an increase of one half,
which is of course very moderate, and the
sovereign people should be thankful that
their services can be had, even for such
reasonable compensation. Thinking that
the sovereigns, with their customary dull
ness, would fail to perceive the necessity
Of the increased pay, the Senator favors
them with morscl of his Congressional
experience. He saws his expenses exceed
his per diem by over $4,000 per session.
If this be true he must be either very
patriotic, or strongly attached to Senatorial
life, as well as blessed with an abundance
of this worlds goods. Most men. in whom
the fire of patriotism does not glow quite
as bright as it did in the early days of our
country, would strais shtway abandon the
Ship of State, under such distressing pecu-
MARY circumstances But there is a rea-
son for all this. We have Nabobs. North
and South, among us, who once quartcred
upon the Government at Washington, sup.
port costly establishments for the enter
tainment of foreign ministers and foreign
guests in princcly way, and all for the
honor and glory of American republican
ism, plain buff-as it was in the dava of
short-clothes. Well, if these servants of
the people, only theoretically speaking, of
course, will belle our institutions and mis-
represent our people to foreign nobility,
let them do so, but at their own expense.
and save lis from any participation in the
desecration Of the memory Of our republi-
can fathers and their brilliant deeds. We
can see no good aud sufficient reason why
Congressional pay should be increased. \
suficiency TO compensate for the time and
labor ought to be the measure of official
wages, except in certain cases where ex.
traordinary expenditures necessarily ac.
company the administration Of the duties
of Office. In this country, offices are not
imposed upon the people, but are generally
sought after. 0tice-seeking has become
trade, as Legitimate as any other, nova
DAYS, and the continued clamor for more
and better "fodder" is entirely consistent
with the "nature" of the trade and its ma
ehinery.