The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-07-17
E THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.

ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.
The Hon. Samuel A. Smith entered into
solemn contract two years ago with the
voters of the 81 Congressional District to
represent their interests in the Congress Of
the United States for the sum of eight dol
lars dav-with mileage to cover travelling
expenses, &c. This was all he asked. The
contract was consummated BY his election.
10 pursuance of that contract, he took his
seat in Congress, and, without consulting
with his employers, voted himself three
thousand dollars year, with mileage as be-
fore. To see what estimate he places upon
the labor of sitting four or five hours in his
seat in the Hall Of Congress each day for
three MOI this, let US look at the sum he re-
ceived during the last session of Congress.
1t convened the LIST Monday in December,
1856, and adjourned the 4th of March, 1857,
being in session three months. Eight dol
lars day for ninety days would give him
seven hundred and twenty dollars with mile
age. But he estimates his services to be
worth, Voted to himself, aud received) three
thousand dollars with mileage; being one
thousand dollars per month, or something
more than thirty dollars per day-tloo thou
sand tlco hundred and eighty dollars more
than you agreed to give him. And yet he
has the assurance to come home after re,
ceiving this large sum of your money, to
which he had no right or claim whatever tx.
cept that which his oion vote gave him, and
ask you to employ him again, at his own
price. He tells you on the stump that he
gluries in his vote for this iniquitous Com
pensation Bill, and it elected will vote
against its repral-that notwithstanding it
gave him and every other member in the Con-
gress of the United States, at the last SEES
sion, two thousand two hundred and eighty
dollars more than they would have received
under the old Compensation Bill, yet it was
master stroke Of accomplishing to you
about five millions of dollars per annum. If
that is 30, why then did he not vote him
self six thousand dollars n year, and save 20
you ten millions of dollars-or twelve
thousand, and save you twenty millions dol
lars-or il his rule will make money for both
parties in like ratio, why did he not vote
himself twenty -four thousand dollars year,
and make his constituents independently
rich for all time TO come? Was it not his
bouEden duty to have done SOB If he had
right to vote to himself, and receive, two
thousand two hundred and eighty dollars
over and above his eight dollars day, the
price he was hired for, (for we can not See
but that members of Congress are employ
ed by the people and are subject to the con-
troll Of the same principles that govern the
services and wages of other laborers,) could
he no: W tn equal justice have voted himself
twenty-iour thousand dollars per annum;
Suppose you should hire n man to labor in
your harvest field at $3.50 day, or nine
dollars week, and at the end of the week,
without your knowledge or consent, he
should 90 to your money drawer and uole
himself $3.50 day, or thrty-nine dollars
week. WouId'you ratify his act, and EN-
ploy him againl Certainly not. But yet
Mr. Smith takes advantage of general |
clause in the Constitution, vntes himself |
above S33 per day-Sundays included-thcn !
asks you to ratiiy his iniquitous and unjust
act, and still retain him in your service. Will !
you do il! lfso, what guaranty have you |
that they will not at the next session OF |
Congress raise their wages to six thousand |
. year? Are you 10 he taxed to pay your hire !
ling to Congress S33 per day TO be squand-
cred at Washington City. You will have the
on the 9th of August to rebuke
or ratify Mr.. Smiths vote on this BILL |
Which will You do! tie pledges himself to
pOte against the repeal of the Bil--his com
petitor, Col. Heiskell, is pledged TO vote f,
its repeal, and to bring it back to the old |
price of eight dollars per day.
II is bad precedent to set-it il one step
towards despotism. We must watch close
ly the action of our Represrntatives-Seter-
nal vigilance is the price of liberty"
n