Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-03-03

Democrat on this side Of tho House
should refuse to vote for a joint reso-
luton providing for the payment Of
these men, simply because they choose
to mako political question: No sir
Let them mako il political question
If they choose; let them censure me,
as they have censured me already for
voting for it. But cir, their censures
pass by me like "the idle wind, = for
which | care not, / believe ! have
a duty to perform, and in the con
scientious performance of that du.
ty ] stand here to-day; and win
perform it., no matter who find fault
whether they be Democrats or Re.
publicans. ] will perform that duty
icarlessly and regardless Of any indi-
vidual
Now, sir, ] stand here an indepen.
dent manin this matter. / have no
instructions from my constituency,
and If they had attempted TO instruct
me upon matters of legislation, /
would have said TO them, "No; l will
stay at homo before | will be instruc.
ted" ] came here to perform my
duties as member OF this Legislature
according to the best of my ability
and understanding, and ] will perform
those duties ferrlessly and regardless
of what may be said TO the contrary,
eiLher on one side of the House or the
other | hope therefore, that this
resolution will be amended and made
a Joint resolution. fa
Mr.. PLAYFoRD | feel reluctant TO
occupy a moment of the time of this
House in the discussion of this resolu.
ton | know that the Chairman Of
the Ways and Means Committee Mr..
Wilson is anxious 10 call mp the ap.
preparation bill, and | do not desire TO
delay it Il moment | promise that
/ will not consume over three minutes
of our valuable time. frIsw
All through this session we have
heard a great deal about the fairness
and unfairness of the apportionment
Of these employees, and from the be
ginning we have had the discussions
connected with the passage Of the act
Of 1868, aud the small number Of Off
GERS provided by that act TO discharge
tho business of this House. The
House resolution proyidingfor twenty
seven additional officers followed, in
tho passage of which there was shown
some disrespoet TO the Senate. am
not here as the apologist of that body
or its defender; but | say the proper
way in relation TO that matter would
have been TO introduce q Joint resolu.
tion increasing the number of officers
of this House, and after its passage
here, 10 have sent il over to the Senate
when the action Of that body could
have been taken upon it.
Mr.. WILSON Ifmy memory serves
me right, that is Just the course il is
now proposed to take. iian iolow
Mr.. PLAYFoRp. ln case the Senate
refused to concur, then it would have
been proper TO have cut these men
adrift, and dispensed with all these
extra officers. t ,nmf esa
Mr. SrRANG. Does the gentleman
think thirty.four officers enough for
the transaction Of the business Of the
House n 81. .l ar .rfa.fr rra
Mr. PLAYFoRD. ] do not know the
amount of business TO botransacted
but there was no necessity for going
on and employing these men, and then
compelling them to run this risk ol
receiving their pay.
Mr. STRASG. Does tho gentleman
know that in 1863, when the Demo.
Gratis were in a majority, that the
number Of officers in this House was
one hundred and three z n1 gaHi N
Mr.. PLAYFoRD. ! know this, that
the expenses Of tho House were much
less under Democratic rule, than thoy
have been since. HaHi 7ni gaff 80 u.
AS to this matter, think no risk
should have been run. There is no
implied contract on the part Of the
Senate to vote for the payment Of
these men. There is nothing binding
upon my morals, or upon my con.
science to vote one single dollar as
compensation 10 these men. Lot
them who brought them here pay
them of, If il comes 10 that. n
am in favor of this resolution, but
! think the Senate will stullify itself
II il agrees TO pay one dollar towards
compromising these men, in the capa.
city Of employees 'oi m e..
Z Mr. WiLsoS. ! am exceedingly
anxious to bring the consideration OF
this resolutionsto a close and | hope
il will be made a joint matter. ] nov.
er had any doubt, sir, OF the right OF
this House to employ these additional
officers, under the Constitution, and
for making that assertion, ! have ro.
ceived, perhaps, more abuse, cxcep-
ting the gentleman from Tioga Mr.
Strangl than any other gentleman in
the House. rHi't7H
Mr. DAVIS, tPhiladclphiaO | insist
that the gentleman includes the mem.
Der from the Tenth district of Phila.
delphia IMr Davis. tInughtcr.l
Mr.. Wilson. | have received par
tieular notice, aud especially in ono
paper published | believe IN Cambria
county my attention was allied TO
that notice through, | suppose, the
editor Of the paper, who took partic.
ulai pains TO send me a eopy-othor.
wise | would never have known Of thc
existence of the sheet | suppose he
presumed wouldgive him five dol
lars TO tell the truth, but did not do
any such thing In that paper
was mcst grossly abused, and 10 other
Journals l have been most unlustly
censured on account Of this matter.
Mr. NICHOLSON | hope tha. this
amendment will not pass | leave
this suggestion TO the good sense OF
the House. Let us pass this resolution
dismissing these men, and then let
some gentleman get up joint rcsolu-
ton TO pay them. Let me assure you
that this joint resolution, with the