The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-20

Peoss-Vno back.Poy Quost1On-VtcWs
Of Distinguished Politicians.
General Butler, as q candidate for the Office
OF Governor of Massachusetts,. occupies the
conspicuous position of chief defender of the
amendment to bin, passed in the closing
hours of the last Congress, for the relief of
the members thereof, now universally known
as the ''back-pay grab" By this act each
member Of the expiring Congress was awarded
some fivo thousand dollars extra pay for his
services to the public during said Congress-
notwithstanding his implied contract with the
United States, which, down to the hour
of the approval of this back-pay bill,
morally bound him to serve for five thousand
| year. Herein lies the cause OF the general
public indignation against this so-called 'back-
pay grab" 1t is gratuity from the public
treasury voted to themselves by the custo-
dams of tho Treasury in the form of o def
cheney bill But while morally no member
has right to this gratuity many members
who have pocketed it, and others who have
turned it over to some charitable purpose or
purposes, justify their course from the law and
from precedents, and generally plead the plea
that upon five thousand year member Of
Congress could not decently live in Wash
ington
The principle involved is either right or
wrong. We hold that these Congressional
gratuities to members of Congress are oil
wrong; General Butler boldly contends that
they are right, and without qualification justi-
fies this shack pay" bill as lawful and proper
And lis mainly upon this issue that his friends
are laboring to secure his nomination for
Governor by the approaching Republican State
Convention, and it is chiefly upon this issue
that his adversaries, or the Puritans of his
party count upon his defeat. In this connec-
ton the views of Senator Cameron, the chief
engineer Of the republican party in Pennsyl-
vania, in regard to this back pay, and in refer
ence to the public character, services and
claims Of General Butler-as given in the
HERALD of Monday last, in letter from Bed
ford Springs-will doubtless operate powerfully
among the Massachusetts republicans in be-
half of Buffers nomination and election
for Governor. General Cameron freely ex-
presses his profound love and admiration for
General Butler" and says che is so very able
and has all that indomitable courage
and political training which I so
much ADMIRE and that, though OPP
posed by all such "week-kneed sisters
as 'your Forneys, your Curtins and
your Colfaxes, your Garfelds and Daweses,
and Wilson's and Hears, yet he towers above
them in ability and honesty, and in everything
else that is noble and good" This enthusiast
tic endorsement of General Butler is continued
in the statement by his admiring Pennsylvania
friend, of Cutters splendid conduct at Bal
timore, when, with his brigade of Massachu- !,
sets soldiers he clutched that city from the
very grasp Of the rebels and opened up COM
munication between Washington and the
North" and did it, too, Gin direct opposition
to the orders of General Scott"
But the most remarkable bit of history in
support of General Butler that has appeared in
print since his seizure of Baltimore, is that
communicated from General Cameron to the
public, through our correspondent from Bedford
determined to run Mr.. Lincoln for second
term it was the desire OF Lincoln, Stanton,
and Cameron that General Butler should be
placed on the ticket with him for Vice Pres-
dent; that the offer, accordingly, through
special committee was made to him; but that
Butler said "there was nothing in the
Vice Presidency, and he preferred remain
ing in command Of his army, where he
thought he was OF more service to the country"
With these remembrances and associations of
the war, it naturally follows that General Cam
eron hopes shat Butler will be elected
Governor, because he wants to be, though l
would rather have him remain in the House
or come to the Senate" But, after declining
all offer which would have made him Vice
President of the United States, instead of
Andrew johnson, why should General Butler
descend to a contest for the Governors chair
of Massachusetts as the uitimatum of his po-
htical aspirations?" The answer to this in
quiry will probably not appear this side the
opening of the Republican Presidential Con-
vention of 1876. Meantime, we cannot resist
the conclusion that the hope of General CAM
eron of Buffers election as Governor of
Massachusetts is leaf in the political pro-
gramme of the national administration.
The happy accord between the venerable
Senator from Pennsylvania and the enta'a ter
ribk OF Massachusetts, is complete in COM
pletely covering the "back-pay grab" Says
Senator Cameron to the question, ''Have you
taken your back pay?" "Why, certainly have.
1t belongs to me as much as any dollar ever
earned in my life; and do you suppose would
act the demagogue as some OF these poor
devils are doing in returning ii" And then
follows the argument that 'the miserable pit
tances we are paying our public officers are
tending to the absorption OF these Offices by