The national Republican., 1868-12-15

chase OF Cuba-The Clerks 20 per
um-Reconstruction I'm Missis-
sIppi and Virginia.
DECEMBER "a, lSGs.
To rnK RBrusLicAS: II oau hardly happen
that the proposltion 10 increase The Presidents
salary WI fail TO become law. The current
salary Of that fanstionary was nxed on at the
eloss Of the revolutionary war, not as com.
pensation for tho Presidents services, but as
being the sum that General Washington neces.
sarily expended per annum, in disohargipg
the duties Of the Presidency. He refused to
receive compensation for his services as Presi-
dent; accepting only the amount of his an
nusl expenses while in the ONCE. This Is, In
few words, the history Of the arrangement by
Congress of the President's salary at s25, 900
per annum. need hardly add that $780,
900 now will not 20 further than $25, 900 won't
at the close of tho revolution. Nevertheless.
the national treasury meets q considerable
portion of the President's household sI-
psnsss, which are provided for in general ap.
preparation bills but by no means sufficient
to make 81, 200 fair compensation for the
Presidents services, with their attendant OK.
penses. Washington could administer the
government on $25, 900 per annum, as he was
one Of the richest Americans Of his times.
Neither Jefferson. Madison nor Monroe could
All Of them died bsnkrupts. Both the Adamses
wsre rich mon, and were not broken BY the
ofiee. jackson, after the end Of his term,
felt severely the pscunisry cost to him Of
having been President; Tyler, too. wss
broken BY the Presidency. He went into the
ofics worth, possibly, $50, 900, and oims out
Of II not worth 1000, cls,r Of his debts,
apprehend.
Grant lisa man of unpretending and sce.
nomical personal and domestic habits. Yet
unless the Prudential salary bs increased, il
o,n hardly fall TO happen that be will nsess.
sariIy spend all he has to-day in living four
years in the Presidential Mansion, as . Presi.
dent Of the United States must necessarily
live In these times. believe that tho salary
attached to every other office or employment
under the Government has been raised at
some period. II Is high time that was raised
in somo proportion to tho increased cost Of
living throughout the land.
1t is surmised in diplomatic circles here
that the new revolution in Spain Is the work
OF emisssrie, OF Isabella's late government, In
great part. Nothing Is more likely. Its
chief point Of American interests, however,
lies in its probable effect upon the prospect Of
the success Of the Cuban revolution. The
deeper Spain becomes involved In civil cen.
fusion and war, the greater the charcs for the
success Of the Cuban revolution. spain's
weakness Is tie strength Of republiosnism in
Cuba, which already holds 4 considerable $50
tion OF the island, Of which 1t can hardly be
dispossessed without far greater military
assistance from tho mother country than
Prim's government is likely to DO able to send
to the island IL assailsd seriously BY the nov
revolution at homo.
The clerks twenty per ceutuu amendment
went by the board again in the House o.dsy
A motion to lay 1t on the table prevailed BY .
vote Of 9l to II. Nevertheless, its ultimate
defeat Is by no means certain There are
half a dozen ways In which 1t may again bs
brought up for confederation. If its friends
can but induce eight Of its House opponent,
Of to-day to change their votes, they will ulti
mately secure its enactment. The game 10
worth the candle, decidedly, and will doubt
i.ss h. r-----i -i,L ,ieo.. rLs J..es. 10,
that more or less Of Its outside advocates will
ovordo their share Of the work, as before
They have but to repeat their experiment o,
applaudiDg, from the galleries, its supporters,
and sisnifying their disspprobation Of the
course Of its opponents to mako It's defeat
doubly sure.
Tho Radical committee from Mississippi
wsro before the Reconstruction Com nitles
again to-day, to induce congressional action
setting aside the declared result Of tho Lat.
vote on the adoption Of a constitution for
their State, and admitting her. While,
doubt not, the disunionists Of the State per.
petrated frauds and used intimidation at tha,
election sufficient to defeat the real will Of the
people, it strikes me rs being exceedingly
questionable whether good will result from
congressional action to cure the evil, such as
| Is sought. In three months q new vote can
be had in Mississippi under circumstances
| embracing positive assurance that any who
| attempt to use intimidation or to perpstrate
fraud to defeat fair and full veto will be
summarily punished. II the constitution be
then submitted, It cannot be said to have
been forced on Mississippi BY direct con-
grestional action-a point that should surely
be guarded against. do not doubt It's adop
tion upon fair vote by an overwhelming ma
jority, and certainly deprscate any con.
gressional interference that may be twisted by
the constitutions opponents into congressional
Interference to too great an extent in the
StAte's affairs.
The Virginia advocates for holding their
State election on tho goth proIimo, now here,
arc very active. To 4 man, they are CONF
dent of the success Of tho Republican party
II the vote be then taken. They apprshend no
effort on the part Of late rebsls to prevent a
fair vote. II they are correct In this impres.
sion, the sooner the vote be taken In Virginia
the better. Yet, fear they are too sAnguins
with reference to the intentions of their oppo-
nsnts. They are hardly to be trusted not to
repeat the Georgia and Louisiana rebel policy
unless hold in check BY fear Of promp. rstalia
tion and punishment by the general Govern.