New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-29


difference in the criminalty of the transaction 2
But who shall say, if members of Congress
raise their own salary from $4,000 to $780, they
are to be classed with the Infamous members Of
the New-York "Ringf" We say no such
thing. We make no such allegation. We make
every possible disclaimer. The members
of Congress are gentlemen and honorable men.
We know that by their titles. But will every
body be charitable The members of Congress
wanted more money. They went up to the public
chest in body, and took it. That is the simple
fact. The propriety of the action being ques-
toned, the response to the suggestion is Jocuar.
"Don't you wish you may get it backY" is sub
stantially the reply. The XXXIXth Congress
has an honorable record, with one exception.
The members took money to which they were
not entitled. This blot on their record has
caused many q true Republican to exclaim,
"Out, damned spot" There was perllous
conflict in the elections. Men swallowed their
regrets, and their indignatiOns and their con-
demnatons of this act, choosing to overlook
everything but the one main issue. They con-
sidered that patriotism demanded as much as
this. They left other things to be reviewed at
other times. The increased compensation was
one of them. There were plenty of men who
felt the act to be foul stain upon the party
to which they belonged, and in whose glorious
record they claimed a personal share. Ihey
felt their own individual pride humbled by 1t.
Their banner was no longer clean. IL
had the smut of greed upon it. They
still bore it aloft, but they averted their
faces. and to the taunts of their enemies they
hon, no culNi q olIuHp6
70 in the popular branch Of Congress, 1t is met
with chuckle: ave have taken the money
"You think it should be refunded. Don't you
you wish you may get itY" Even the
"Ringn could not improve upon that style OF
talk.
Now. what is the plain duty of Congress in
this matter of raising salaries2 Shall Congress
exercise no power over the pay of Congress 7
Certainly But not over its own pay. II 1t be
said that the salary of members Of Congress Is
insufficient let it be turned over to q proper
committee of the body for investigation. IL 1t
shall be determined that that compensation Is
inadequate, and should be increased, then
let tie increase be applied to prospective SER
vice-to future Congresses only. This is the only
honorable and manly proceeding. 1t is the
only way the tnlng cdn Dc uono "i'ho"0 o'
dalzing the whole body. Such an example OF
helter-skelter grab for extra pay as was made
by the members last session, such Sinking OF
personal responsibility for dirty act, such
lodging of yeas and nays on the vote such at
tempts to retreat into the dark to avoid censure
for an act that would not bear the light, were q
burning disgrace. If the present Congress is too
mean to do anything but skulk on the sub
iect let that which is to assemble on
the 4th of March have the grace to enact
promptly that no future Congress shall raise
their own pay. If they will not do so much as
that, we may some day have Congress elected
that may conclude to take fifty thousand dol
lars a year apiece out of the Treasury, instead
of five thousand. On principle, the one act
would be just as defensibe as the other.