The New York herald., 1871-01-15
@ o N G. r e 8 8 .
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
WASHINGTON Jan. IA, 1871.
BUSINESS OF ruR COMMITTEE on TERRITORIES.
Mr. CuLLoa, rep.) OF H., asked consent to have
day assigned for the business of the Committee on
Territories.
Mr. RANDALL (dem.l OF Pa, objected, unless with
the understanding that bill for the admission OF
Territories as States should be acted on.
Mr.. cuLLoM declined 10 accept that condition.
Mr. RANDALL then objected Internationally.
RELIEF OF CAPTAIN LYNCH.
ON motion OF Mr.. SoofIEID, repl oil Pa, the
Senate amendment to the House bu fer the restora-
tion OF Captain Lynch TO the active list OF the navy
as captain was concurred III.
PRIVATE BILLS PASSED.
The House then proceeded 20 the cali Of COM
mittees FOR bills uf private character.
Bills passed Tor the relief Of John X. Bennett
late registrar OF the Land Once AT Chatfeld, Mimi.
confirming the title or Nathan Boyer TO CERTAIN lands
IN Illinois; 10 amend an act confirming the title to
CERTAIN lands III Illinois, for reneI OF Richard z.
Hammond, late collector OF customs at San Fran
DISCO, Icing Senate bill with House amendments:
authorizing nesettement OF the accounts OF William
G. Patcn late collector OF Internal revenue for the
FIRST district Oh California; granting condemned
ordnance Tor soldiers monument at Cleveland.
OHIO; TO cause the removal OF machinery, arms
and stores n now " s al Inc inc Aesneny Arsenal
and appurtenances TO the municipal author
ties OF PittsDurg; 10 pay two companies OF Oregon
volunteers Tor the relief OF Mrs. Polly W. Cotton OF
TENNESSEE for the relief OF Robert b. Chowden OF
Tennessee Tor the relief OF A. v. Richards late sg-
mai olcer IN the army; for the relief OF Captain e.
W. Bass, OF Tennessee; granting condemned cannon
for soldiers monument to associations In Alle-
gheny county, Pa; Knoxville, Tenn; Stevenson
county, Ill.,. Lasalie county, H.; Tuscarora Pa;
Eastford, Conn; Finley, ohio, and Youngstown,
ONO; FOR relief James T. Elliott Of Michigan;
for the relief or Isaac u. kinkead oi Ohio.
BILLS INTRODUCED AND REFERRED.
BY MIR. SARGENT, trep.l Of Cal-Authorlzing the
between The United States ana Australia. ''i '''e
BY Mr.. OoNGER, rep.f OF Mich.-for the survey
ana sale OF a portion OF the cemetery grounds OF
the Fort Gratiot military reservation.
by Mr. SHELDON, rep or La.-To incorporate the
Union Life Association OF the United States
THE LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIAL APPRo-
PRlATIoN BILL.
The House then at twenty minutes to two p. NJ,
went into Committee OF the Whole, Mr. Scnofeld
In the cnafr and resumed the consideration OF the
Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appropriation
salary OF the Chief Justice OF the Supreme court or
the United States S1050o, instead OF ST. 500 and or
each OF the Associate Justices $4,000, instead Of
Mr.. Ella ,lrep.) of N. H., made the point OF order
that the amendment proposed 20 change an existing
law, and was, therefore, not order The chair
man 0yerruled the objection
Mr.. HALE. lrepJ OF Ne, moved to make the salary
retired Justices $4,000.
Mr. POTTER. tdem.l OF n. Y. opposed Mr.. Hale's
amendment and favored the motion Of Mr.. Arm
offces in l7S9-S4,500 for the Chief Justice and
81 900 for the Associate Justices-were nearly
than TO the sums indicated IN the amendment or the
gentleman from Pennsylvania Those salaries were
increased in 1855 TO 500 and 50, O00 which were
equal In purchasing power TO S12 900 now. He con-
trasted the liberal policy OF the English governments
In fixing the compensation OF judges with the parsi-
mony pracficed by the United States government.
Mr. DAWES, (rep.I OF Mass. was satisfied that the
time had come when IL was not only proper but
absolutely necessary to increase the compensation
Of the Judges OF the Supreme Court The only ques-
t0n was to the sum OF which IL ought to be fixed
In considering that question the provision OF lite
gig ght Of
He believed that the present compensation should
be increased by two thou and dollars year, and he
would. therefore, support the amendment offered by
Mr.. Hale.
Mr.. ARMSTRONG argued in support OF the amend
ment which he had offered as being a fair and pro-
per one.
TO enter on the system OF increasing salaries when
the people were already overtaxed As TO the nc
cessty OF such increase on account of an increase
In the cost oil living. the reverse was the fact The
expenses OF living mad decreased more than fifty
per cent within the last two years.
ment oiiered by Mr. Armstrong, conrendInc that the
upright Judge was the poor mans counsel, anl
therefore, to the interest of taxpayers have
the judge literally compensated.
Mr.. HoAR, (rep.) OF Mass, argued on the same
side He SAID that when the ablest members of the
bar entered English court room they found them
selves in the presence OF an intellectual superior.
The Judge brought TO the determination OF the case
weight OF learning and Intellectual power which
nothing at the bar could match. On the contrary,
the policy which prevailed In too many OF the Amer
lean states mad brought about that saddest OF all
spectacies. justice administered by feeble Judge In
the presence OF able and powerful advocates. The
Supreme Court OF the United States Ia dignity
and importance and as source OF national pride
immeasuraDly superior TO any other tribunal on the
lace OF the earth. To II were brought sovereign
states as plaintiffs or defendants. II tribunal
which, IN the last resort, exhausted grave consitu-
toDal questions on which the political rights OF the
people were TO depend: and vet those judges were
accorded salary not equal to the ordinary income
OF respectable attorney IN rurai district IN an
interior State.
Mr.. KELSEY. rep.) OF N. Y, warned the House
that If 1t went to increasing salaries Of judges-and
he was Lot prepared to say there should be none-lt
could not close the food gates; it would be compelled
to 60 into general raising OF salaries OF all en-
poyes of the government. The increase Of judicial
salaries. II made, should be made In a special BILL
not In a general appropriation bill.
Mr.. BECK tdeml of KY, favored the amendment
proposed by Mr. Bale Cabinet Officers were now
paid $4,000 a year. They began with about the same
salaries as the Judges; but were gradually raised to
that sum.
Mr.. BINGHAM rep, OF Ohio, suggested that the
gentleman from Pennsylvania tMr. Armstrong;
Should accept the amendment offered by Mr.. Hale,
although, IL the matter left to himself ne would
vote the larger SUN, and would then be satisfied that
he had voted no more than due TO the court
Itself and the people behind the court.
Mr. BUTLER trep.) ol Mass, said he would vote
for the larger sum proposed, and argued that in
proportion TO the wealth aud prices OF the country
OF the two periods the first salary fixed for the
judges was much more liberal than that now pro-
posed.
The debate was Ydrther continued by Mr.. Potter,
In favor OF the proposed Increase, and by Messrs.
BENJAMIN. Ella and Benton against it,
Mr.. ARMSTRONG, in conformity with suggestions
made to him. accepted the amendment ohered by
Mr.. Hale instead or his own.
The amendment was adopted fixing the salary Of
the Chief Justice at 800, and Of the Associates and
retired Justices at sS, 900 each.
The Committee then rose, leaving two pages OF
the bill unfinished and the House at haifpast three
O'Clock adjourned.
THE scAHE ABOUT THE CS0T0N