The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1866-10-11
PREsIDENT1AL ExTRAvAaANCR,

PRESIDENTIAL ExTRAvAaANcEs,
Letter from Mrs. svvisshelrn.
The President has been prodigal in
bis abuse Of Congress because of the
passage Of the act increasing their sala.
ry--a measure, by the way, which was
voted for by every Democrat and voted
against by number of Republicans
In a letter to. the franklin (Pa) Re
lpostto'y, from which some extracts are
printed below, Mn. Swisshelm throws
some light on the reckless expenditures
Of the Humble Individual:
=. One of the things which troubles the
umble individual is the increase of SAL
ary Of. Congressman. He "The umble
Individual" ""The Tribune of the peo-
ple," receives something less than one
hundred thousand dollars per annum,
in salary, house rent, and apprspria-
tions and salary of attendants, special
travelling facilities and other perquis-
ties, while Congressman get FIVE thou
sand. The depreciation Of the merits
Of the umble individual, shown by this
arrangement, is an insult which, could
not be borne by any but "umble In
dividual."
To ask Tennessee tailor, who can
cut a coat, as we'll as any man, one who
can read, write and cypher clear up to
the rule Of three, to serve the people
for the paltry sum Of ninety or one hun
dred thousand per annum, while the
man who has laborcd all the day, and
studied the greater part of the night,
for succession Of years, to win clas-
steal education and fit himself to do
honor to his country, gets full five thou
sand and mileage, is depreciation OF
tailors and the readin' and writin' quail
i6cation which ought not to be allow
ed.
To speak seriously on this subject,
more money has been appropriated for
President johnson by Congress in its
last sess on than was ever before ap-
propriated for any President during his
entire term. Elected for four years he
brings his family here; and has no 9TH
er home to support. Here he has his
house furnished throughout aud the
greater part Of his servants paid. Pres
ents Of all imaginable kinds are thrust
upon himself and family and although
he made q parade Of rejecting them at
first, he certainly has not persevered in
that policy: for his friends, WHO are
proud to share his hospitality, boast
that he has ten thousand dollars worth
Of liquors in his sideboard. It is not
probable he would expend two-fifths Of
his salary in liquor; and this supply
was most: likely furnished, as it is said
to have been, by his admirers, as
gratuitous endorsement Of my policy.
.Mr, Randall is an extensive liquor deal
er, and his Post Master Generalship,
and the contents of the sideboard may
have: some connection. 1t is also be-
lieyed that there are some WOMEN who
would have claims upon "the Tribune
Of the people" if they were not provi-
ded for BY commissions on pardons.-
Whether the cotton agents, who have
stolen two hundred million dollars worth
Of cotton, have pocketed the entire pro-
ceeds or divided with the appointing
power, which has steadily refused to in
terferc with their business, is question
which ought to enter into the calcula-
tlon Of perquls1tes.
1t would require very determined
ly honest man to resist the oppo1tuni-
ties presented to "The Tribune" to
make a large fortune; and his political
course does not place him above sus-
picion. Congress did an unwise thing
in raising the salary Of members but
they generally maintain their homes in
their own states and for whatever Pc
riod of the year they are here, must
pay a full years rent if not full years
board. A Congressman cannot begin
to support . wife and family here, 10 a
style common to an ordinary successful
| merchant or professional man in a
| northern Or western city, on the
salary they have been getting. A
furnished house such az are counted bV
thousands in the three story blocks Of
Philadelphia or New York, rents for
one thousand or twelve hundred year.
The old slave stamp on the labor mar
ket runs up the cost of mechanics and
servants here to q degree Of which
northern people have no idea. Every
thing in the way Of work is on the plan
of one laborer and two overseers, and
all hove to be paid. The marketing is
principally brought from distance and
passes through the hands Of several
middle men before it reaches the con.
sumer. Fuel is generally from oae'
fourth to one-third more than IN Phil
adelphia. The wives of Congressman
are brought into contact with the ladies
Of the White House; and of Foreign
Ministers, who always dress magni6
Gently; and unfortunately, few Of then
have the courage to adopt, and hold t.
any standard OF Republican simplicity
and Congressman, who has nothing
but his salary, is not in q very cnv,a
bio financial position even at FIVE thou
sand a year. Until the people, them
selves cease to regard money and fu'
clothes as tho standard OF merit, they
have no right to expect their represen
tatives to estimate their Office BY othe
rule than its emoluments.
/ Some Of s'The Tribune's' friends ar'
troubled about his recent speeches ant
one Of his prominent supporters says b
would willingly pay his hack hire t.
get him home. Two clerks in the Wa
4 Department were arrested and plaoet
under guard for speaking disrespectfall!
of the Cleveland speech.
A COPPERHEAD RIOT.
i: CAIRO, Oct. 6.
| Col. Stencil, Of Texas, aud Col
| BINGHAM. of Alabama, constituting th