Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-10-03
OUs MODEST PRESIDENT.

II turns out at last that President
Grant did b0tton-hole members Of con-
gress and canvass for the passage Of the
bill known as the ssisry-grab. Hon. c.
W. Willard, Republican congressman
from Vermont, smarting under the criti-
cism Of the press, comes out with plain
history Of the case, as we find in the
New York Tribune, and lets theNcat out
Of the bag. The people have almost
forgotten this little matter, but in view
Of the incense constantly burned before
the Presidential shrine by such journals
as .HaTpeT's Weekly, in honor of
his economical administration his policy
of retrencb bment and reform, and
all that sort Of thing, you know, it is
well the truth should be kept before the
people. "The President, ," says Mr.. Will
lard, Favored the bill before it passed
either house, and personally expressed
10 members a desire to have his own
salary increased; and the selfish interests
Of members in increasing their own pay
was only one Of the devices by which
the Presidents salary was raised-in
other words, it pulled that increase
through, and the whole measure had
favor at the White House on that ac-
COUNT So here we find General Grant
lobbying to have hisown pay increased,
and working on the selfish interests of
members Of congress 10 have that in
crease 'pulled through congress. Mem
bers Of congress have been well cursed
on account Of this infamous measure,
while General Grant smoked his cigar
and smiled in easy consciousness
at the laudation of the policy
OF "retreuchment and reform, i" which
a serviie Republican press was credit
ing his administration with! Now,
II this increase Of the Presidential
salary from twenty-five thousand dol
lars 10 fifty thousand dollars We're neces-
sary, we should have had nothing what
ever TO say about it; but even Repub-
hcan congressman, from Vermont, too,
volunteers TO place the fact on record
that this increase Of pay was neither
just nor necessary, and in plain facts
and figures tells US why. Besides, the
twenty-five thousand dollars a year with
which all other Presidents, from Wash
ingtOn down-and away far down-to
Grants immediate predecessor, were
more than satisfied with, there is
an annual appropriation OF from
twenty TO sixty thousand dollars
made for keeping up the White
House establishment. The grounds
about the Presidential mansion are kept
at the public charge, and the gas, coal,
firewood, furniture, carpets and nearly
all the servants are paid out Of a sepa-
rate appropriation, that does not i'm
pinge upon the twenty-five thousand
dollars. The appropriation for the White
House for the current year, exclusive OF
the salary, amounts to seventy-seven /
thousand dollars. In truth, the expenses
Of the President are infinitely lighter, ,ex-
cept on rare occasions, and even then 4
an accommodating appropriation" 1
fOots the bill, than the expenses Of any
private gentleman at Washington whose
family sees much company. But Gene
raj Grant "gOes in" for making the
highest Office in the gift of the people
lustrous with gold, since it is extremely
dull and sombre in everything else, and
if his tumpeters Of the Republican press
can see the glitter Of economy and re-
trenchment ia the Presidential yellow
boys, il might be as well to say 50 the
next time, the ma destiny forms the
subject Of their pufH q