New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-02
fsr thir property, their political rishN, OF even
their lives,

thu, shall A.rsa a.s To. 10y ps.: s.,. tn. n.s.
Spop bis ss.h Le de- .h. al. Of The Co,
u.,.s a' 1a'i ans Ass hi es:s S 80
for the Lord he ober io for The a.
de. Gf him for 'l r Of b., e os .ch De 10; f
b the :h b. pr.ss1.S ss Is'f fsr .ses
| mo III. vrdegness" Ltristu'. XVI s-lo
The House Of Representatives has Just presented
to the country great moral spectacle OF seb-Pun'
cation, str,kir ely foreshadowed 10 the Mosaic OBJ
seryspce above cited. No one seems TO doubt that
the example was needed; no one objects that three
scapeeoats were too many to bear away the sins Of
such congregation. But have they really borne
them Oft We stop not to inquire whether those
snpers on whom the tower Of Sloan fen were
sinners above others, but only whether the House
has really purged and purified itself BY the impress
i've observances OF last week. Be il remembered
that one of the gravet charges on which Member
was doomed TO expulsion was that Of having conf
dentsIy asserted that there were twenty or thirty
Members of that Honorable body who would not
vote for bill granting money or land unless they
were paid for it We know no facts which directly
Justify this grave inculpation. But ws do know
that ct least one vote of this House has always
looked to % exactly Ike voting the public m,ney
unwsrrantaby into the private pockets Of it's Mem
bers; apd to that vote We rcnewedy call attention.
Toward the close Of the former Session, in An.
Senate bill raising the pay Of Members Of Con-
prem from 80 per dey while in actual service to
50. 500 per annum whether N service or not; and
this bill passed the Senate (of course) BY vote of
IS 10 II. The bill then came down tn the House,
where Mr. James l.. Or Of s. c. moved 10 increase
The compensation aforesaid to $4,000 per annun;
and thereupon the Previous Question was screwe1
on, all attempts further 10 amend headed Oh,
Orr's amendment adopted, and the bill rushed
through by vote of 100 Yeas TO 90 Nays. Among
tbo.e Yea. We find recorded the names not
oply Of Col. Orr of s. C. (the mover Of the
81. 900 aforessid), but those also Of Henry Winter
Darts. William r. Kelley and Hiram Warner, his
colleagues on the Corruption Committee. The
other Member Of that Committee, Mr.. Da1iA
Richie Of Pennsylvania, voted No.
Now the proprety Of raising the pay Of Members
of Congress is fairly open to consideration. We
believe il wrong and mischievous; but good nen
bold contrary view, and we do not here take issue
with them. What We challenge end condemn 10
the retrospective operation Of the act in question.
Here were Some two hundred and ninety Members
of Congress who had accepted if not solicited their
places when the pay was So per day, without
bnt TO their constituents that they considered this
compensation inadequate, and should double il
placed in position of ability to do 50. BY every
consideration of honor and deosney they were
bound TO serve out their term at - per day, and
mske any change of compensation prospective IN
its operation BIT this bill could never have passed
In that shape-couh not have passed unless those
who passed it were admitted to an immediate divi-
sion Of the swsg. We have heard this assigned as
a reason for such division by some Of the most &C
tive promoters Of the scheme. The Members IN
effect voted Themselves about million OF dollars
out Of the Treasury in addition to tho sum for which
they had consented 10 serve-whch the People
stipulated TO pay them when they were elected
and In clear violation at least of the spirit Of this
important and ssiutav restraint embodied in the
Federal Constitution,
"No Senator or Representative shah, during the
term for which be was elected, be appointed to any
civil office under the authority Of the United States
which shall have been created, the emoluments
whereof shall have been increased during such tssm.
When the rush upsn the Treasury was made last
Summer, we were assured BY some Of its apOl'gists
tina, it should be followed BY reform In the Mileage
system, adequate fines or deductions for nou-
attendance, and the correction Of all abuses con-
lected with the compensation Of Congress. But
the sands Of this CoDgrss are fast running out and
no serious effort has been made 70 redeem these
pledges Is nothing to be done in the premises
II not, we submit that three scapcgoats are not
half enough to bear away the sins Of the XxXtvth
Congress