The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-03-11

| vance in salary they have so patiently peti-
\ toned for-to poor clerks, underpaid drudges
Of Government, whom they have driven and
burdened with their work year after wear.
There was little hearty, earnest opposition
| in the House. Congressman, after all. are
only human, and the devil was busy iinelins
coin, or rustling Treasury notes in their
ears. The best backbone gave way before
the gusty yehemence and bullying persist
| ence OF Butler. though Mr. Blaine stood out
| grandly, and by his action showed himself
| both high-minded and long-headed, and
Farnsworth spoke some brave, indignant
words OF protest, which, if clinched by re-
fusal like to MIR: Blaine's, to take the back
salary, would lead us to say of him that
''naught in his Congressional life became
him like the leaving of it'' 1t was grand
| opportunity to be virtuous and polite at the
| same time. Why did not more of them see
| it? In the Senate some of the men we CO.
| curely counted on to defeat the iniouitons
proposition, seemed rather reluctant than res
Quite. Ihey let Il dare Lot wait upon
| would; declining and deprecating with the
sly coyness of Juiiets's' nurse in refusing
Romeo's bribe. ''Not penny! Not a pen,
ny!' all the while her greedy old hand held
back for the purse. Chandler Cragin, Thur
man, Morrill, of VT, and that faithful watch
dog OF the Senate, Edmunds, did themselves
credlt, Dnt not one of them made the oow-
erful, whitening speech we hoped for; and
Logan was allowed to cross-examine the rich
senators like an investigating Communist,
and Upton to joke like the political Sancho
Panza he is; and Carpenter to hammer at
small social ambition, conceit, envy, and Gu
pidity, striking the nail on the head every
time; and Flanagan, the male Scheherezade
of the Senate, to beguie with marvellous
stories and lull the moral sense of his sleepy
hearers, and so the deed was done.
Some Congressman doubtless earn more
than they receive, and should be paid more :.
for future, not past services. should like to
see the Senators and members classified, and
their salaries graded according to ability, in
telligence, and the amount of service per-
formed. OF course competitive c1techising
would be necessary, and even Mr.. Logan and
Mr.. Flanagan would be obliged to submit to
the same strict examination in, say English
gramma, and composition, that the poor girl
who aspires out OF her sphere, to a 5000
clerkship has to undergo. l think Govern
ment would save money by this system. This
salary bill was clear case of bribery. The
in-staying Congressman knew they could not
pass the act without the help of the outgoing,
and so called them up to the United States
Treasury as to a great grab-bag saving,
''Help yourselves! Let's all help ourselves
for nothingf All the time they were voting
on this infamous act, an excited crowd Of
tailors, boo makers, and livery-keepers, pale
women, who looked like clearinghouse
keepers, dress-makers and laundresses, surg
ed back and forth from House to Senate.
Their anxiety was touching, and | should
have been more reconciled to the measure
on their account, could feel assured that out
ofsome Of the grabs they would be paid. Per-
haps some of the Congressman had in their
minds those little outstanding accounts when
they voted that night; if SO, probably the re-
cording angel dropped small tear on the rec
ord But l am accused of erring too often on
the side of charity. A friend, writing from
the North, marvels that / can ''say good
word for Ben Butler" and evidently doubts
my moral soundness. must respect power
and will, prompt, swift, and inex,,rable,
though sometimes used for evil, as must de-
spise, in pitying sort cf way, weak good
intent, feebly ''wriggling toward the right"
and never reaching it in turn. Perhaps my
friend never heard the story of the charitable
old lady, of whom one of her daughters said,
81 believe mother would find something good
TO say of the devil" The gentle old dame,
smiling over herspectacles, responded, ''Well,
dear, / only wish we had his perseverance,