New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-26
NATIoyAU EsETs.RNCHuMRNT.

Iu days OF prosperity aud plenty, the ad'ocu'e
Of economy and retrenchment is at beat tole-
reted nuisance. He is making war on AS
generous salary, aud BIS snug sinecure, aud Us
nice pickings, for which they and their tribe
cordially detcst him, while nobody thanks him.
The taxpayers are many but scattered, heed
less INDECENT; the tsx-eaters, though legion,
are still not so many, but compact, intelligent,
wide awake, and lively as bag OF heas.
Every ono is thrilled by tho shock OF an at
tack on any brother OF the guild; touching one,
YOU touch them oil, and stir them to prefer
natural activity. Aud besides, in this age Of
universal oflice.seeking, almost every Influential
| family has member in some sort OF public
employment, or at least hopes to have either
directly or at the next revolution of the pollti.
cal wheel. So to call for reduction 10 the
number or emouments Of public employees, is
to war not only upon the bread OF scores Of
thousands but on the cherished hopes Of mill
ions.
Yet there comes timo when Retrenchment,
however unwelcome, is a stern necessity; and
that necessity is now upon U.S. The able Secre-
tsries of tie Treasury apd of War are about
TO strike note TO which Congress must re-
spond or he faithess to a most imperative
duty The Government is spending at the rate
of some Two Millions per day, most OF which
is rolling up against in tho shape of Public
Debt. OF course, much of this goes for build.
ing vessels, and casting cannon and buying
arms, and making uniforms. and for other out
goes that will fall off after few weeks more;
but we shall hardly close this war with Ma
| tioDal Debt Of less than Five Hundred Mil
lions whereon the interest will for time be
nearly Thirty five Millions, aud cannot ulti-
mately be reduced much below twenty-five
Millions. Aud every dollar Of this must be
scrupulously pad, though Congressman should
thereby be compelled to ride in railroad cars
for not more than fifty dolla, per day.
Yes, we must have ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
searchitg, thorOugh-ior we cannot get Oh
without Il. The National Iaith must be sacredly
kept; and il were idle to talk of doing this
without reducing both the ordinary and extra.
ordinary expenditures of the Federal Govern.
ment. And Congress will never do this thor.
oughly unless the People take hold OF the mat
ter. For, in SOBER truth, there are few items
of the whole circle OF needless aud prodigal
expenditure worse than that which gives n
Members of Congress such ample and unequal
mpensation--ranging from Three Thousand up
to Eight Thousand Dollars per annum, accord
log to the respective distances Of their homes
from Washington. Any Congress that will be-
gin the work of retrencbment right here will
be likely to 90 straight through to the end;
while one that balks at this necessary first
step, will be pretty certain to make no real
progress and attain no valuable result.
We are not arguing that $4,000 per annum
is an exorbitant SALARY for man qualified to
represent district in Congress-; we object to
connecting the idea of salary with such posi-
ton. Legislation is not properly pursuit or
professions; and Congress should be filed with
men of ripe experience and austere manners,
who have either already acquired cOmpe.
tence or outliyed the aspiration to wealth. III
every Member were paid ten cents per mile
for his necessary travel to and from Washing.
Ton, with twenty dollars per week for bis sub
sisence while detained there by the pressure
Of public business, we believe the country
would be far better served than i now is.
Then young lawyers and other men who ought
to be making position 10 life would refuse to
serve in Congress, because they could not afford
to DO 80, and Members would be mainly Sc.
lected from among our citizens mature in years
and in experience, and Indifferent to peculiarly
considerations.
But Congress, we are told, will not rstreneh
its own emoluments. That is very probable:
at least, it will twist and turn thousand ways
in the hope of getting on without. But this
economizing is a very invidious and difficult
task; aud every one who 10 hit will be sure to
make tremendous luttering. II, then, you
cut down or cut off men who work hard all
the year for thousand 10 fifteen hundred,
while you hold on to your own three thousand
and upward per year. DO sure you will hear
thunder. The aggrieved will call attention,
not TO the intrinsic hardship of their respect
We CAGES, but TO tho contrast between your
treatment Of them ard Of your noble selves,
and they will thus bayo you at a woful disad-
Gan.ogc Mcssicurs Of the XXXYII.h Congress
It we're better 10 face tho music at once, a1d
oven TO act, il possible, az though you liked it.
AT all cycnts, Rctren 'bmcGt-t!oroash Re.