New-York tribune., 1873-12-11

Mr.. R0BERTS-when I assent to degrade this body
by personal controversy 1t will be when change my
abuse OF public men, this attempt to drag down gentle
men IN this body ia AN injury not TO party not to IN
diyduals, but % the country as whole. Look at tho
exhihitions this floor. What Is the effect OF them
abroad. Monarchsts conclude that In republics virtue
goes into retirement The great evil OF this general de-
nunciation Is that 1t strikes at the integrity
and honor OF the Republic; and yet this newspaper
criticism grows out of moral sentiment higher than has
ever before prevailed. 1t is the expression-morbld
perhaps-but still the expression OF something com
nendabe-the expression of aroused public conn
dence Let the iconocast break down the idols II he
wi but let his fury be stayed before he destroys the
household gods and the divinity OF the Republic Let
these critics restrain fury OF their denuncatons Let
us also be manly enough 10 accept what Is true III tne
criticism.
Mr.. NIBLACK Dem. Ind) said that he had opposed
increase OF salary last session. not only because ne
thought that IL carried bad faith further than IL had
ever been Carried before on that subject ana was set
1t placed the compensation Of members ana other ON
cials far higher than required by any exgeucy OF
the public service. He doubted whether the increase
to members was Of any real advantage 10 tnem. lie
thought that 1t made the contest Ior seas polo %
the old system He thought tnat unSer hn a., Al
DO was simply to reinstate substantially the Old
law leaving all other questions connected with 70 De
settled hereafter more appropriate OCCASION
He preferred the bill reported by the Select Comntee
to any other proposition that had oesn suDmtea,
because he believed 1t one on which the House was
more likely to harmonize than any other He did not
think that the compensation of the members OF the
Cabinet aud OF the Judges OF the Supreme Court was
too high but he thought that the Presidents salary was
our of ali proportion TO all the other salaries fixed last
msmber Of Of the c@bnet or Judge Of the Supreme
Court. and that out OF proportion 10 he nature VI
the and the oDgaons duties anu expenses oi
Mr.. DURHAM Dem, XVI said that while he did not
believe that the compensation OF members as nxed ~
nc last Congress was one much. he would still
vote for reduction in obedience 10 public sentiment
He would vote to the salary fixed at oo but at
the same time he believed that his district demanded.
ana that good of the whole country demanded the
restoration OF the frankng PRIVILEGE 900
Mr. PHELPS iRep, n. ID 1aEOTeu tne Dll itpOIltu
nv the Committee though ne was ratner inclined to pre-
fer 10 it the amendment proposed by Mr.. Townsend
Rep, Penu) n1iAs tne saaiy Va ine4no9i' '' ''''V
Mr. FRYE (Rep. Mel did not want to make a speech,
bf desired TO enter caveat at this stage of the pro-
ceedines IN the debate continued for two three days
ionrer and one or two hundred more speeches were
made ali of them In OF the repeal of the salary bill
his constituents would certainly come 10 the conclusion
tat ~ rennired An Immense amount Of powder to bring
him To- lie wished say not to the House, but to his
faro constituents that he should not make speech
that there need Of his making speech and that
ho had always been In ihe iaith and needed no
conversion he simply aSd s 10 u
Mr. DAWES Qsep, Massl said that he made no claim
when he opposed the increase OF salary last session. his
prediction was history now. if ne urged then any
peope OF the country well as the condition Of the
country pronounced them now to have been good
and valid reasons He had not then imputed any wrong
motive 10 any gentleman who differed with him that
OCCASION and II since then he had OCCASION N public or
otherwise to critclse that measure he had impugned
tne mOllNts VI ~ 49, W
passage OF that law He had beloved 1t then to be un
wise he believed it now more. If possible, than then TO
have been unwse measure Those who had sup
porte1 1t thought differently from him, and 10
reason which ne able 10 urge then could convince
them OF what lac thought was their error. He had
stated then that the proposition 60 impose for all
ing annual drain OF s25OOOOJ on the Treasury
Of the United states, was inOppOrtune ana unwise that
It at time when Tor the very quarter IN which ~
was DONE the revenues OF the country h1d fallen OF
Ss5OOOO0 and the expenditures had increased IN about
Today. he continued, VIC meet deficit in the reve.
uues of the country OF three times thar amount and
still further increase IN the estimates Of expenditures
for the coming year OF more than three times that
amount thought then that II mere t was some 60 occa
sion thought there was ana sun think Tor the re-
vision OF the rates of compensation OF ersons IN the
civil service of the United states. it was un-
those officers Of the Government who were best
compensated for their service l thonght then; and
every day has developed more the truth OF what then
said that there were officers OF the Government on
whose responsibility ana integrity tAe very revenues OF
the country depended and who were ekng out scanty
subsistence on a mere patience OF compensation, and
that it would be well for us. if there was any disposition
part to increase the compensation 10 begin WIN
them but the very result OF Presidential election
which has placed us in power as the party of economy
To tolerate this House, and to permit
to become law, measure which would single out our
selves those the capital the best paid OF all for
their services and TO let those on whose integrity the
collection of the revenue depended demand IN vain
sufficient TO keep them from temptation, was unwse;
but others thought differently.
While Speaker there were Treasury officials In
CustOm-hOuses who receiving more than 100000
for their services-the figures have at my command
could get no hearing mere on measure OF equaizinS
their compensation with that OF those on whose udg
ment appraisers and as measurers, and as other Off
cials, the collection Of the eoo revenues depended
The reasons that then urged the that
urge me the und0ng OF everything then did, lust
far the Consti ton OF tho Lnlted states VIII pei
nit u.s. We are mistaken n we suppose that anything
short OF will meet either the public expectations OF
to-day the fair and honest Judgment OF the future on
acts. we must uhdO an that We did
then as far as the Constitution OF the United
states VAL PERM. IT, The Constitution has
wisely guarded the Executive against any encroach
ment on his compensation We can, therefore, talk
freely about the salary Of the Executive, because
ecutIve He stands before the country, thank God as
one who sought that place as :. position Tor the
attainment or wealth. but we have made the cOmpensa
ton for the future. together with the per-
quisites of the oice so high that here
place we shall proclaim country that the highest
Office in its gift Is position for the attainment OF
selves with the idea that this whole condemnation is
confined the fact that it touches salary. we
allowed which vary very little every year from $50 900
sometimes above and sometimes below that figure, so
OF 100000 attached TO IL for the term and
submit that when We can do u without our motives
being mplgned, when we stand 50 far from any person
whom 1t affect and when We can do II under crcnm
stances that nobody say II Is reflection upon him
is duty TO meet that question, and meet fairly
The salaries Of the Judges of the Supreme Court were
only two years before that made SsOJ year by the
addition OF 1000 and with pension Tor life We cannot
touch their salaries but there poprety in my
pension for life have added s. 900 20 them Bur
that is covered by the Constitution TIE Cabinet officers
s. year. and their salaries increased In
$4,000 submit therefore, that the people understand
measure, which, when passed, not only embraced
our compensation aud put 1t at a unrea sonable
figure, but that II put all the others In like position
II did while there were other officers OF the Govern
ment demanding, under circumstances whch required |
our attention, tnat their compensation should be In.
creased. But we turned a deaf ear them. -
wish to call the attention of the House TO another
feature OF the bill OF the majority which never was in
any othor compensation pill Hitherto the salary OF the
President OF the Senate and Of the Speaker the Honse
just double the compensation OF member up 10 tho
last increase in 1866. Instead of being made sO OOo
double the compensation OF mem0ers IL put at a.
ODO which the compensation OF members of fbe |
Cabinet Now, in this bill. IL il propO,ed 20 |
bring down salary OF the President OF the Senate and
the Speaker OF the House to $780, and leave t. of
members OF the Cabinet at 10000 They are tbus nnt
below the standard at winch their compensation was
fixed up To this time, and while hod that it sbonId
remain at 5000 hold also that the salary of mebers
L.. L