Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-06-27

The papers have been printing the fol
lowing list of fourteen Senators who hav
returned their back pay to the U. s. Treas
ury Senators Anthony, R. L.; Bayard
Del; Chandler, Mich; Casserly Cal; Fen
ton, n r.; Ferry, Mich. Frelinghuysen
n. j.; IIamlin, Me. /; Pratt, Ind; Schurz
Mo. Scott, Penn; Sumner, Mass. Thur
man, Ohio, and Wilson, Mass. This is goo'
as far as it goes but it does not include al
who have refused to pocket their back pay
Senator John Sherman of Ohio, in a pub
lished letter says
determined would not receive the bacl
pay, but would leave it where it now is, il
the Treasury of the United States. 50 no
titled the disbursing officer of the Senate
and when asked by anyone about the mat
ter, have answered that | would not re
ceiye it. did not, and do not now, deem
it necessary formally to receive the money
and pay it back again.
Senator Morrill, fof Vt, turned his back
pay into the State Treasury and we have
already stated that Senator Edmunds de-
clined to receive his. If this needs confirm
alton, the Providence Journal, Senator An
thongs paper, gives it. 1t says;
I'VE happen to know, from information
furnished by n gentleman at Washington,
what Mr.. Edmunds did with his back pay.
lie did nothing with it, but left 1T IN the
Treasury. lie directed his accounts to be
made up to the ith of March, on the basis
cal, 4 i -al ha ha l.
ance due to him on that computation, and
left the back pay to be covered into the
Treasury, where it goes by operation OF
law, at the end of the fiscal year for which
it was appropriated.
Senators Sherman and Anthony ought to
know-yet We suspect that they are in err
FOR, in supposing that not drawing the pay
is equivalent to drawing it and returning it
to the Treasury. We have stated hereto
fore that, as We understood the case, the
money, if not drawn, would remain indefin-
itely to the credit of the Congressman, and
could be drawn at any time by him or his
heirs. This is confirmed by the Washing
ton correspondent of the Boston Adrcrfiser.
who thus describes the practice of the De-
partment
When the appropriation bill containing
the items of compensation and mileage goes
into effect, the entire SUN appropriated be-
comes subject to the acquisitions of the dis
bursting officers of the respective houses and
it is no longer in the Treasury, and any
member of Congress can draw his share
whenever he chooses from the discussing
officer. No portion of the pay due any
member can be placed beyond his control
except by his drawing it and having it re-
turned To the Treasury, in which case it Is
no longer subject t. the action of appropri-
alton bills or di>bursing officers warrants,
but becomes again available for the general
purposes OF the government. Some of the
members are claiming that if they refrain
from drawing this back pay it will lapse
INTO the Treasury as unexpended balances.
This Is not the case, a. under the law as
at the department the certiti-
Gates OF the amounts due each Senator,
representative or delegate which the
President of the Senate and the Speaker
Of the House are obliged to make out, are
held to be conclusive upon all departments
md officers OF the government, and the GER
lhcates are passed as public accounts, and
he money can be drawn upon them By
congressman, their heirs or executors. at
my subsequent time. The books of the
lreasury Department show that Thomas
Benton drew back pay and constructive
Mileage five years after he had denounced |
he bill providing it as public robbery,
md notified the disbursing officers that he |
would not have it. The books also show
hat Andrew johnson drew for mileage he |
lad refused and the receiving of which by |
thers he had denounced on the stump after |
eaving Congress. The books also show
hat Robert j. Walker. after the close Of |
he late war. drew a sum due for construct
ye mileage for attending the first session of
he Senate in Folks administration, which
t the time he had refused to take from
he disbursing officers.
Senator Edmunds left for Europe imme-
lately on the adjournment of the Senate.
LAYING no time for consideration or COM
arson of views, he contented himself with
sttling his accounts on the old basis and
eclining to receive the back pay. When
c returns he will, we undertake TO say.
OF leave any room for doubt about the
nal disposition of the money.