The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-08


WASHINGTON, August 3. 1853
Disqualification at the adjournment Last Session
Members Of the Present Comgress-issrpsdsocy OF
the Salary System-7He Present Pay Of Members
Ersmpafed- What Il Costs for an Hours Speech
Ayes and Nays-I Indignation Speech Of the Gen
tiernan from Qua,tiedom-Efects Of the Salary
System-Popuiarity Of ITS Repeal, SC.
There was general dissatisfaction felt when Con-
gress adjourned because of the unfinished business
Of the people, which was without any consideration
permitted 10 lie over until next session. They at
enc time threatened to adjourn without even pass
ing the appropriation bills, but the President having
clearly intimated to them that il they did SO he
would call them together the next day by his procla
nation for special session, they thought better of
IL. and then went TO work in earnest to see they
could not hurry through the business as to adjourn
by the DAY fxed-tbe 9TH of June They could not
accomplish it, however, and so held over one week
longer.
II must be admitted that the present Congress
he thirty ffth-is composed Of more honest upright
ard high tone principled men than we have had icr
wears: but s they ave haa bad examples set before
tbem-the force Of which is very grcat-and ocnse-
ouer,ly the new lambs are frequently led off
BY the old sheep. At the last black re-
npb,ican Congress the members voted to in
crease their own pay from the rate of s. per day
willie in session TO sic GO per day all the year
round IN session or not; but they draw at the rate
OF So 600 per session, which pays them Sc ,000 for
nine months ard u hall labor. For instance, the
last session occupied six months and fourteen days;
the next session which meets on the first Monday
in December next, expires by Law on the 4th of
March, 1859, which will make three months and
four days. and thus the whole term of the
Thirty firth Congress will amount to about nine
he md "a haN dNnusappe1tlv yna pov
themselves to stay at home for the balance Of the
time and while these watch dogs of the treasury"
thus eIj ,ying themselves the peoples business
is suffering, and poor, beggarly, oroken-besrted
claimants die i'll despair at the very doors OF the
Capitol.
Thefe are now 236 representatives, 81 senators
ana delegates from the Territories, making a
total of 306 members, whose aggregate pay amounts
10 81 $50 900 for little nine months services,
and this too, without including mileage, which Is
another pretty item OF. about $4,000. Then
there are all the clerks and messengers
and numerous employees of both Houses, whose
salaries amount TO about $500 900 per year to say
nothing about the calculations in millions which
Congress has paid and the enormous amount which
il still pays for the public printing including picture
books To please and tickle the members constituency
BY fair calculation Congress sits on an average
four hopfs day-ssy from IL O'Clock NJ. UNI
al p. NJ, for the earlier adjournmeuts and the
innumerable holidays make up for all their night
sttDgs al the heel of the session. Thus, by very
low and moderate estimate, IL costs the people
81 600 per hour while Congress is in session; and,
therefore, every speech of. an hours length costs
81 .G00. When a member gets up TO oppose peu-
sion tor poor widow, granting the miserable pit
lance OF fifty dollars year, this member, ia order
to gain with his constituents the name Of being
one Of the watch dogs of the treasury speaks ia
opposition TO the bill about half an hour and thus
expends thousand dollars while talking about
fifty. At this rate il costs over five hundred dollars
every time they take the yeas and nays on any
question, and at least three hundred dollars when
the vote s taken by tellers. Notwithstanding all
this, the peoples business is neglected and ieft-un-
attended to as matter OF the most utter
indifference.
Now what would one Of these watch dogs Of the
treasury say 10 an account brought in against the
government for two years services rendered. when
II shown that the claimant bad served but lit
tie over nine mouths What indignation would not
then swell the bosom Of some robustious vindcstor
of the Gear people, Who would then he told OF their
rights and privileges in the rumbunc'ious, uproari-
language of offended dignity and ayenging
wrong, while the gentleman from Quattledom would
conclude by saying A" that as long as he held seat
on the floor of Congress he would never submit to
such base fraud and imposition, which amounted 20
nothing shorter than downright robbery OF the ma
tional treasury Well. u is very strange how some
people will strain az a gnat and take down camel
as easy a glass Of lager.
The hackneyed way of bookkeeping az the first
part Of the last session did suit the honest views
Of the members. 30 they made change for the bet
ter az once, and gained great credit for Il. Now IL
they will only change back 10 their old per diem
system. even al sixteen dollars per day, instead Of
the salared s. 600 per session. aud limit the length
ofthe sessions they will no doubt efe't one Of the
most popular measures with the people that the
most scientific wirepuler can start mp. Then those
members who know they stand no chance for re.
election will not he starting on home several weeks
before the adjournment and thus leaving the House
almost without quorum 70 DO business. Tney will
then lie made % take deeper intere, in the Affairs
OF the nation and those Of the beloved people. while
il vii not interfere at al with their keeping an
eve their pockets. AT the next session, then,
let the odious salary law be repealed, wei a. the
mileage system and instead allow the ur1nbers 20
travel free AL post road routes. This whl help the
treasury considerably, and gain for the watch
dogs" great popularity. Ea
Our strssfoTd Correspondence