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


here | assert that we have not sew.
enteen additional; ! do not know how
many have been discharged, but ]
know that as many as five on the
several days when have examined
the departments, were employed in
doing the work of the Senate so that
when that body says TO this branch oI
tho Legislature, ave will not agree
to anything of the kind" it comes
with very bad grace. As | said
before we professed to have and exer.
else as much dignity, if not refinement,
as the coordinate branch. / propose
that we go at this matter "right-end
foremost Ito commence at the com.
mencement, and 60 through with it as
men. Any question asked me as to my
having a "man" here has nothing to do
with the case at all. / acknowledge
that ! named, as ! supposed, and as
knoo, an honest, upright man, who
has always voted the Republican tick.
ct. If that be a sin, why, here you
have it. did not feel at liberty ia
bring 10 Democrat Ny district has
never had an employee in the House
Of Representatives since the formation
Of this Commonwealth therefore,
chose one, and he is here, performing
bis duty from morning until night
Now, let us get at this as we should.
Let us have joint resolution. Let
US get at it in way in which we can
know what we are doing-whether
tho coordinate branch of the Legisla-
ture will allow these men now EN-.
poyed their pay, and whether the
Executive of the Commonwealth, OF
whether both the coordinate branch
and the Executive will turn out oI
employment, without cent, these
poor men, who have been laboring
here to maintain their families. II
so, | want to send my man, ,home--to
give him money to pay his expenses
home. If he tells me that be cannot
get along with his poor family, ex.
pect to give him a hundred or two
dollars, because ! brought him here
Mr.. STRANo Mr. Speaker, / pro.
pose now to make in three minutes
my last "paster and folder speech
| was in hopes j had made il some
time ago. / take, it sir, that / occu
py a position in reference to this
question, which gives me as good a
right to make a speech as any gentle
man of the House | apprehend
have been about as much talked about
in this conneetion-about rs wei
abused by the high-toned press Of
this Commonwealth--as any Other
gentleman on this floor During the
four years | have had the honor Of q
seat here, l believe ! have not spent
four minutes 10 talking about myself;
and / do not intend to spend very
much time in talking about myself
now.
Now, sir, as TO the proposition be
fore us. We find ourselves in just
this fix. The Legislature Of last win
ter, which, as has been said over and
over again upon this floor, found il
necessary to employ for their conve
nience over one hundred officers dur
ing the entire session, became sc
economical just at the close Of the ses
sion-so willing, as the comic writer
said about the draft, "to sacrifice al
his wife's blood relations"-as TO say
that all future legislatures should BE-
confined to thirty.four employees, al
though over one hundred men wer,
necessary for their convenience. BuI
no man among all the rcformers whC
were active in the passage of that
resolution found that they had toe
many men then; but just at the close
Of The session they found themselves
able to say that We and all legislatures
who should come after them, shouIt
find thirty.four men sufficient, anC
they passed n law binding us TO thai
number. The Senate, and | give then
credit for it, d am not saying a wore
against the Senate in relation TO tha
question )--tho Senate, composed 0
thirty.three members, were smar
enough to manipulate that bill during
its passage, so as to provide themselve,
with twentyiour officers. All right
all right but as / am crcdibly in
formed, some Of the loudest-mouthet
among the reformcrs-some of thos,
who we're building themselves th,
most lofty reputation as economists
the fierccst watch.dogs of the treasury
Of this Commonwealth - and doing
their barking aud biting in that Sen
ate AAr 81 fh itt tAt
Mr. BRowN, (Dem. )Clarion. woult
ask the gentleman il these men ar,
not members of the same politica
party he Isl
Mr.. SrRAN0. | should not wondel
II they were should not wonder i
the party TO which the gentleman
from Clarion happens to belong, should
ever get in the ascedancy, either her,
or there, from the avidity which h,
manifests upon this question, he viii
be apt 20 get his full share.
Wen, sir, we got together, at tht
beginning of this session, aud looked
this thing over, and ] undertake iC
say that every honest man OF botl
political parties came to the conclu
sion that thirty.four men were toe
few for this House TO get along with
properly, comfortably and easily il
the transaction Of business. Why mol
sirl lftwcntyfour men are not toe
many for tho Senate, which is com
posed Of thirty-three members, arc
not thirty four men to few for thi,
House Z Ganting. sir, and | am will
ling to stand before the people Of thi.
Commonwealth, as | said in the few
remarks / made the other day on The
question, granting that perhaps sixty
one men may be half a dozen toe
many. | do not stand here denying
it. | never did and never intend ir
deny that sixty-onc men may be hal
a dozen more than are absolutely
necessary for the rigidly economical
transaction Of tho business of thi.
HOnse. unon the same nrinciplc which