Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-18


| character of all these men for saying tiiag
| they will not stand up before this country
| and insist upon it that we will go 10 IN
! creasing the burdens of the people in oruer
| to meet this increase of their-own salaries,
while we cut down our own and all Diners.
Mr.. Wood-Will the gentleman froiit
Massachusetts permit me to ask whethef
The President Has Drawn
his increased salary.
Mr.. Dawes-Ohl l know nothing about
such things. Sarcastic laughter on the
Democratic side
Mr.. Storm defended the increase ofsalary
act as just, right and fair.
Mr.. Tremain at the request OF Mr.. BiaLlie
modified his amendment so as to omit the
Speaker from the scope of it. The amend
ment was then rejected, yeas 10, lays W..
Mr.. Butler, Of Massachusetts, on his
name being called said that under the IN
Structions of his State he voted aye.
The question then required on Mr.. Hales
amendment in reference to the Presidents
salary and it was rejected, yeas 10, nays ls6.
Back Pay.
Mr.. Poland offered an amendment re-
curing members of the present Congress
who received back as members of the last
Congress to refund by monthly installmentsf
and directing the Treasurer to communicate
the passage of this bill to the members OF
the last Congress, and to cover into the
Treasury the money that should be re-
turned.
Mr.. Beck asked MIR. Poland whether
Congress had any power to take from exz
members money drawn by them as back
pay.
Mr.. Poland replied that his amendment
did not propose to do so.
Sauce for the Goose.
Mr. Beck-Then if they have as much
right to retain it as the President has to re-
tain his, why undertake to insult them be
hind their backs and not dare to put the
same proposition to the President.
Mr.. Poland wanted to speak to his
| amendment.
Mr.. Hale, of Maine, asked Mr.. Poland
whether Congress had the right to pass an
| act which should affect certain members Of
| Congress, leaving their salaries at one rate
| and the salaries of other members of the
| same Congress at another rate.
Mr.. Poland replied that he proposed TO
make all the salaries of members at the
same rate.
Mr.. Hale-Why dOyOu deduct from some
and not from others?
Mr.. Poland-In pointOf fact we make the
| salaries equal but we have the right to make
| them unequal if we choose. This is not a
mere oratum fnlmen. 1t is pretty efficient
! legal remedy against these men. II there
are any of them who look to any political
future, he will heed the requisitiOn of the
Treasurer of the United States. That
money would
Burn in HIS Pocket.
Mr.. Beck-Does the gentleman from
| Vermont think that the Presidents money
will burn in his pocket?
Mr. Poland-That question is hardly ger
main to the amendment. Laughter.
Mr.. Holman moved as a substitute for
| Mr.. Poland's amendment, one applying only
| 10 members of the present Congress who
were also members of the last Congress,
| emitting everything as to ex-members.
Air. Poland accepted Mr.. HOlman's
amendment as substitute for his own.
Mr.. Kasson made the point Of order that
| the amendment was unconstitutional.
| The speaker said that he did not sit as 4
| judicial officer to decide constitutional
questions. If he ruled out Of order every
thing that he considered unconstitutional,
his duties would be very much enlarged.
The question was taken on Mr.. Holman
amendment and it was agreed TO. Yeas,
1916; nays, 101,
Maynard Suppressed.
Mr. MAYNARD offered an amendment to
except from the proposed reduction the EN-
| ployes of Congress, and spoke in support OF
that proposition, His amendment was re-
| iected without yeas and nays.
Ben. Batter SerisIssea Trap. -
Mr.. Batter. of Massachusetts, moved to
amend by adding a proyiso requiring that
| all members who lad also been members
of preceding Congress in which they had
received back pay to return the same to the
| Treasury. He appealed to the House to
come up to the matter squaraly and like
men, and support a substitute which would
be offered for the whole bill by a gen
tleman from Illinois, (iurlbut) fixing the
| salary at $4,000 to take effect from the pas
sage of the act. Cries of good, good,
''That is right
The question was taken viva vOce on Mr..
| Buffers amendment, and it was carried by
113 to 20.
Mr.. Hurlbut then offered the following
as a substitute for the whole bill.
That from and after the passage Of this
act the compensation of Senators, Repre-
sentatives and Delegates shall be at the rate
Of $4,000 per annum, payable monthly, and
in addition thereto the actual individual
expenses of each Senator, Representative
and Delegate in going to and returning
from the seat of government once in each
session, to be certified in writing by each.
Sec. 2. That the compensation Of the
Speaker of the House of Representatives
shall be at the rate of $1,000 in addition to
his pay as a Representative, amounting in
all to $1,000, and that Of the Vice Presi-
dent shall be the same amount, with the
same allowance for travelling expenses as
herein before provided
Sec, 5. That all laws and parts OF laws
inconsistent with the provisions Of this act
are hereby repealed.
Sec. 4. That the Secretary of the Treasu-
~ is required TO cover into the Treasury all
sums that may remain untlrawn, which
have been received as increased cOmpensa
ton. under the provisions Of said act, ap
proved March s, 1873, which shall have
or NAV come into lis possession by the re-
turn thereof.
Mr.. Beck spoke on the general subject
and defended his action in voting for the
increase last session on the ground that the
alternative would have been an extra SEES.
sion, and there would have been incalcula
BILE mischief to the country, involving the
postal telegraph scheme, postal savings
bank scheme, and other propositions.
Mr.. HuIlbut moved the previous cues
tiGn on his substitute.
Mr.. Dawes eudeavOred to get in a prOpO-
sition to substitute the bill US reported by
the committee under Mr.. Orth's instUc-
i tiOns,
Sir. Butler and others ohiected and de,
manded thai the previous question should
be put on Mr.. Hurlbut's substitute.
: Trick
On being 3gain read il appeared that il
had been changed after il was first offered
by fixing the salary of the Speaker and Vice
President at $4,000 and 5000.
Mr.. Dawes called attention to it ano
claimed that he had right to debate the
proposition III the present form.
The Speaker ruled THAT the point was