, 1873-06-10

members, amount to 81, 900 yoar, and because
Of tho repeal Of tho tranking privilege, which, ho
aays, will subject him to an annual expense Of
$500 to 1000 for postage on correspondence
mud on tons of documents which ho will dis
tribute. Thie ia not only special but vcry potty
pleading. Congross voted tho incroaso Of $4,000
to oil tho memhers alike, lous tho nt1eage and
atationory. Tha allowance for stationery was
e100 year, and that for miloago WAS according
to dlatanco. II h1r Avorill resided at creator
distance from the Capital than tho aversgo mon-
bors, that was his misfortune; but when ho voted
to pay nimaelf aomothing extra, ho also voted to
pay tho Increase to tho great body OF tho mo'1-
bora whose mileagewas Of inconAiderablo amount.
II ho voted for this incroaso, as he says ho
did, because he thought he waa entitled to 1t,
thcn he went into tho combination to plumber
tho Trcnsury, receiving for hia vote much lcss
in tho distribution than othors. In extonuating
tho guilt Of persona committing robbery, tho fact
that ono received less Of tho plundor -than the
othors does not mitigate tho offonso. Tho tur-
pisudo is in tho act Of robbery, and not tho
amount takon. but Mr. Avoriu Ia excessively
liberal III his estimate of what ho has exchanged
for tho advance pay: Mileage 81 900, and dpostago
81, 600, make s2 900 year; hiB bach pny was
g. 600 netrecoipta by linn for two yoars u ,o00 or
an annual increase Of only s500por yoar. Let US
etato the casc differently: Under tho law he
would hnyo received for two years salary,
$4,000; mileage and stationery, $4,000 post
ago, $4,000; total $4,000. He voted to
Increase tho selary for the past two
yours, ana, according to his own estimate re-
ooiyod: Salary, $4,000; postage, $4,000; total,
817, 900, or $500 yoar. When lie voted him
self tho increase of back salary, ho did not ro-
quire TINT ho should puy for tho $4,000 worth Of
FREQ postage which lo had onjoyod; but adding
that to his other receipts, his net incroaso, ac-
cording to his own figures, wore $4,000 ycar,
which iR tho largest statoment Of tho cxtont Of
tho robbery which wo hnye got soon. Mr.
Ayerill cannot oscapo tho alternative presented
| by LiB own figures. II tho loss Of the franking
privilege is equal to 1000 year, then its pos
| aossiou must have boen worth that sum /; and Us
| ho did not refund tho postage when he took tho
| incroaso of Balary, ho must admit ho voted
! himself IN annual not increase OF $1,000
(aftor. dedueting lls mileago), or thnt
his clnim that tho loss Of his
franking privilege will involve linn in any u1lu-
sual expenditure for postage, Is gross oxaggcr-
alton. AL porsons writing to Mr. Ayorill. here
after, will hayo to pay thor own postage, and, Of
| course, like all othor persons writing On thoir
own buaincsB, will incloBe stamps for return
lottor. Tho tons Of documents which Mr. Aycrill
| expects to pay the postage On will not o1ist-
| ono purpose Of repeating the franking privilege
being to got rid Of that businoHs. IIoroaftor. all
persona. needing documents will haye to remit
the postage tor thom.
AIr. Ayerll declares that, II the net increasing
tho pay Of mombors OF Congrcsa had stood
/ alone, 1t would hayo passed, which statement
is probably untrue to tho extent that, Ind it
| not boen included IN III appropriation bill, 1t
would not Laye received one-haH tho votes
that passed 1t. Members Of CongrcsB know II
WIS fraud and robbery, and thoy would not
allow tho proposition to come to vote as Ill i'll
lopondont measure.
Mr. Averil bogs the question whom hc dcclarce
that it is universally conceded, in viow Of the
largely-incroased cost Of living at Washington,
that Justice demanded that tho 1alhrios OF nom.
bors OF Congress should ho incroased, and thore.
fore there is no complaint against the increase
made in tho pay Of members of tho no1t
Congress. Tho talk about tho incroaao in the
cost Of living at Washington is all nonscnso
| Mr. Avorill can 1.-Two at Washington for as
little money o. he can ut st. Paul, II
llo wants to do Bo But there arc In Congress q
lnrge number Of wealthy mon, who havo ostab.
lishcd residences there, and who oxpond annua!l,
five to ton tlmes tho anount of their salary ii
tho exponso Of their households ANY mombol
OF Congress who attempts to imltato that styls
Of living can do 30, so long as his money lastB
Members Of Congress arc not elected to repro
aent their constituents In tho social. but In tht
political, circles OF Washington; they do not aent
mon thoro expecting them to entor into sooia
; rivalry with foreign Ministers, wealthy capital
ista, or with tue lobbyists, whoae establishment
are tho most expensive OF all. They do not OK
poet their representatives to live aEy moro OK
pensively at Washington than they tlo at home
aud thoy havo tho right to domaud that rerre
Hontatiyos who tako their families to tho Capita
,, and ontor Into tho fashionable and e1trava
giant lavishneHs OF social life will do q
they would Aayo to do at home, pay tho OK
panHea out Of their own pockets. There ar
! membera Of Congress whoao expcnHos at Wash
ington do not exceed IN average Of e1,200
year; and II mcmbora will dance, dino, wno
aud entertain large assemblios, and will aeok Il
; drcss md other charges to initiate their NOR
) wealthy associates, LOT thom do 30 ut thoir ow
and not at the public expense. Tho salary 9
members Of Oongreaa was but $4,000 and mile
ago up until l805-0, and tho cost OF living va
as high then as 1t Ia now.
Mr. Ayerill refuses to recognize any difrcrenc
! in tho morality Of tho last CougFoHa inoroasin
4 | A.. Al, oov& auoaao5fpo 1oprro.u ~,