Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-07-14
Mr.. Giddings, Letter.

communfcailon from lion. J. X Oiu
dings, in which he gives his reasons 70
voting TO increase the Compensation G
Alembers Of Congresc.
Speaking Of an article which appeared
in our paper three weeks since, h
says:
Probably every reader of your paper
aware tha' / voted for the bill. Taker
in connection with this fact, your article
seems to impute 10 me unworthy mo-
uves, or a stupidity equally d~iscrediiable
That alter my return in 1886
Judge Rirchard, the opposing candidate
for Congress, on every stump of the dis.
trict, proclaimed the charges which yor
now reiteraie-
In order that those of u readers WIKI
may not have noticed the article of which
he complains, may Judge understanding,
ly between Mr.. Giddings and ourselves,
we republish ii, together with the extract
from the New York Tri6uRc, the types
made US say before the n. Y. Times,
which was a mistake, which suggested our
remarks. Here it is:
TIE NEXT CoNGREss.-As the time is
near at hand when the people ofthis Con-
g~rrssional District will elect a member
lorepreseni them in the next congress.
it is a duty which they owe 10 themselves
and to the public. that The position of
that member in regard 10 the question
of reirenchment in the emoiumenis of
Members of Congress, be known. The
extravaganza of the General Govern
ment under the administration OK Mr..
Buchanan has been without a parallel in
the history of The country; and upon the
next Congress Will devolve the duty to set
bounds 10 this waste Of he public money.
But reirenchment, like charity, should
begin at home, and SO long rs members
of Congress themselves, receive for a
single term of two sessions of some four
or five months each, lin all, less than
one years time,) the sum Of Sir thousand
dollars, a valuable library of books and
extra mileage ad infnituna, it IS useless 10
preach r-etrenchment aad reform in other
branches of Government.
When the bill which fixed the present
rates of compensation 10 Numbers, was
passed, it did not rreet the appreciation Of
the Reserve. We venture to say that
there are not 10 day, in this District, Two
hundred voters who wouldfavor it. The
attention Of citizens should be given 10 it.
and we heartily commend The following
article from the New York Tribune, 10
10 their consideration.
The XXXVjh Congress viii almost
certainly close IFS first session on Monday
mex, and The canvass for the succession
10 the seals now filled by its Members
mag be said practically 10 begin imme-
diately thereafter. 4 few nominations,
indeed. have already been made, and in
Missouri, Arkansas, and perhaps n or
two other States, the AleAbers will be
chosen on the first Monday in August;
while Vermont and Maine follow in Sep
TENDER; but the October Elections, espe-
cially those held on the. second Tuesday
by Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, &C.,
following by New-York, Massachusetts,
Illinois, &c, in November, will pretty
surely determine the character of the new
House. We desire ID address TO the
People q few words Of caution wi h refer
ence 10 these Elections: and these words
shall relate TO the trite and abused but
still important subject Of Retrenchmenl
and Reform.
It would be very easy 10 launch into a
party diairibe on this subject-to quote
the Cincinnati Platform and Buchanan's /
Inaugural in laudation of Public Econo-
my. and then hold up in contrast there
with the inordiRate expenditures and con-
stqacnt financial expendisnis Of the pres
ent administration; but 10 what end2-
Every word of Gen. Wilson'S and Mr..
la:e Speeches on these topics
Is true; but what of itl Ills not enough
Ih6i "a present rulers are e~xtravagant
ard reckless; ifthe People are TO be moy-
ed by an exhibition Of these facts, they
must have some assurance that their
efforts are TO result not merely Ia sup
planting the bad. but in replacing II BY
ihe better. We demand, then; of these
candidates for Congress- Republican or
oiher-who may be -disposed 10 make The
extravaganza Of cur Federal Expendi-
a topic OF viriunus defamation ir
The approaching canvass, that they be
prepared to Indicate, not vaguely, not
mt by means of figures Of
arhetoric, but by those of figures of
ihmetic-what they mean By R-lrench-
and how they propose to effect thar
end. AID, as an Indictment 10 others,
will here briefly set forth our view on
the subject:
l.. Congress We believe the indis-
pensable base of true Financial Reform
i, a reduction OF the emoluments Of Con-
gress. No other legislative body 10 the
world, unless it be Louis Napolecn's
dummies, is so well paid as our Congress
row is. Generally, legislation is regard
as a trust 10 be rewarded only by the
honor it bestows and The opportunities it
: lords- We regard this as a principle
10 be respected in the spirit, not in the
To pay Members $4,000, with
generous mileage. FOR less than a
service in either House during a
is beyond all reason. We do
not care to go back TO a daily stipend;
in our judgment $4,000 for a term
$500 for the longer and 81, 500 for the
shorter Session-wiih twenty instead of
forty cents per mile Calculated by the
ioFograPher Of !he Post Office Depart
ment, according 10 the most direct mail
pay subject TO a deduction Of
$40 for each and every call of The Yeas
and Nays ie which the Members fails TO
resPond-@ould be generous and just,
and we think this Congress should MT
adjourn without eifccfing this re-
torm. If il does, the peop'e should have
ready 10 replace it, which will
not let a month pass over It's head with
'ut reducing lis own compensation.
We have no quarrel with Mr.. Gid
can have none, and we regret ex
;eediDgly that he should have placed Us
such a position that we are compell-
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