The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-09-04

/ ~
portion of the affirmative vote came
from the South, and the percentage o.
Democrats was very much larger thar
that of Republicans. OF the Ohio dele
I CATION three out of six Democrats in
the House were in favor OF the bill
while three out of thirteenRepu5lieans
voted for it, and one of these vigor-
Ously opposed it till the last moment,
and only voted for it then to save the
appropriation hill to which it was at
tached, and for which he was respOn.
sible. Not a single Democratic mem
Der of Ohio has covered his back pay
/ into the Treasury, while q very con.
siderable number OF .he Republican
members have already done it.
DEMOCRATIC TESTIMONY.
Judge Van Trump, as you all know,
an able and conspicuous Democratic
member of Congress from this State
in letter to his constituents, explain
ing his action on the salary bill, saysl
81 hsd voted steadily and uniformly
! against the measure, without hesita'
tiOn or shadow Of turning, although q
majority Of nly party VOted the othe'
tOdy.
"And vet, as applied to the salary
\ question alone, do not speak of it as
party capital. AS party question il
remains at rest; a mai0rity OF the
/ Democrats, il the Southern mem
bers can be elassed as strict
! Democrats, voted for t.; with
out their aid, coupled with the North
! ern Democrats who united with them
it could not have Leen carried"
In describing the manner Of taking
one Of the test votes, Judge Van
Trump continues
''This vote was taken amid the
widest excitement in the House. II
was manifest, from the way in which
/ the vote was running, that the con-
\ test would be a close one. After the
voting was closed, and the names
were being slowly read at the desk
by the reading clerk, it was ascertain
ed that the question was lost by three
or four majority. Then commenced
a most ludicrous scene. Five or six
members sprang to their feet and
changed their votes from the Eega-
tive TO the affirmative, thus turning
the majority to two on the other side,
and am sorry to say that 4 msiOrity
Of those changing votes came from
the Democratic side of the House."
/ Then follows the distinguished gen.
tIeman's views Of the morality Of the
whole business, after which he pro
ceeded to draw his back pay with the
rest:
al feel q high and controlling sense
of duty in whatever did from IT'S in
ception to its close. could not bTins
10 yself to feel it to be consistent eth
er with propriety. or duty, at the very
close of a term Of Congress Of TIVE
years, BIZ Hlg OuOn UOte, To put money
in my purse against the will Of my
constituents. There was perhaps ID
man in Congress who needed money
more than / did, but have not ye
come to the conclusion to abandon
the cOnsoling idea that there yet re
mains in this world OF ours, bad as i
is, something which is still better thar
money-an approving conscience anC
sense of duty honestly.perfOrmed."
1 refer to these facts and figures no
for the purpose Of defending or shield
ing in the slightest degree those Re
publieans who, by their influence ant
votes, promoted the back salary in
iquity, but only TO show that 1t doe
not lie in the mouths of Democrats Z
. make party capital out Of IL. Al
members OF both parties who vOte'
for the bill will be held individual.
responsible for their acts by the peO
pie. Neither political party Is re
sponsible 50 long as it disapprOves AM
condemns the scandalOus proceeding
The prospective increase, notwitn
standing tue time was inOpportune
would probably have been borne b.
the people, but connected as it wa
with the back pay provision, tn
whole transaction is tainted, and tn
, conventions very properly demanI
the repeal OF the whole bill.
Z CREDIT MOBILIER-
e OF the Credit Mobilier matter, It
necessary to say that it was an unmii
1 tigated swInAle of the government
e without excuse or DAlllatiOn. Th