The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-08-28

the price Ol living HAS lHCTFdSSd, tnS
world has gone forward the style has
changed, and we Democrats and Republi-
cans of 1873 can not live unless we live
in luxury and fashion, and extravaganza.
Why not? You have mistaken your
time and place in the world. You have
mistaken vulgarity for decency, and as
sumption for intelligence. The price of
living has increased, but no man ac-
quainted with the facts will pretend it
has increased three fold. Groceries,
cloth, travelling, and many things were
higher then than now. The convention
is not giving high salaries on account of
increased cost, but on account Of increased
style and ertravagdnce, and it is that which
l say is inconsistent with republican gov
ernment.
3. Do you think that Thomas Worth
ington and jeremiah Morrow did not
know what good living was? or that they
had not as much of human nature as you
have? The point of difference was that,
emerging from the fires of the revolution,
having studied the principles of repub-
lies in other ages, and settling down in
the great and almost illimitable West,
they saw things in the reality of truth.
They beheld and realized the grandeur
of those simple ideas which lie at the
foundation of all republics They did
not ask themselves what does shoddy
think? What does fashion think? They
did not ask what is the price of oysters,
or satins or china, or fttrhiture2 If we
can afford them, very well; but these are
not the tests of republican government.
Now the thing is exactly reversed. The
question is not what style of thing is
proper for republican government? But
what is proper for fashion? What is
proper for midnight party, in which the
OF sI,al ha inv taI fyo
the Governor and Judges, drinking wine,
eating hot suppers, and having high
time generally! That is republicanism
That is dignity That is what the con-
vention voted $1,000 a year for! But
there is difference of opinion on this
subject; and we were speaking of the
practice of the fathers. Some years ago |
was riding by North Bend, and inquired
the road of a plowman in the field. He
answered civilly, and with dignity. That
plowman was William Henry Harrison,
ninth President of the United States.
III was obliged to earn his living by cul-
tivating farm. There was no time in
which he would not have been grateful
to the State of Ohio for half the salary
(for any services he could render) which
the convention proposes to pay to set of
lawyers in the Supreme Court. But let
us take another instance. Some twenty
five years ago the Duke of Saxe-W eimar
was travelling in this country, and heard
of the republican statesman, Morrow
He went to see him on the Miami, and
encountered him blowing in his field.
He had a mill and a farm. The Duke
lodged with the Governor, partook of his
simple fare, and went away pleased with
the reality of republican simplicity. If
Morrow had S. 900 a year, would he have
been any BETTER any more digniied, any
more of statesman?
f. The last point is that of principle
and this l have stated in reply to Matt
Carpenters speech. 1t is no matter, in
regard to cost, whether the salary is
$4,000, $1,000, or $4,000 The State can
afford to pay it, and the people are not
ungenerous. The fatal vice of Congress,
of the convention, and of all their at
tempts to make high salaries, is that they
are based on false and dangerous prin-
ciple. The advocates of these measures
say that it is not enough that public Off
GERS should have what the ablest and
most respected members Of society have
they must have what fashion demands,
and they must live in tie highest style of
htrury and ertrdvagGnce. This principle
can not be accepted. 1t is fatal to the
republic and it is fatal to any well or
dered Christian community. Yet this
IalSo pflQC1pIe was nOG only stated Dy
Carpenter in his GAINESVILLE speech; but
it was stated, few days since, by Lami-
son in Democratic convention He is
thus reported to have said:
at was an honest expression of his
opinion that the salary was due him );
that Congress had ample authority by
constitutional provision to say what they
shall receive, &C.; that, in view of the
expensive surroundings of Washington, q
Representative could not maintain the
I standing and dignity due his station with
less amount than the increased salary"
Capt. Turpin is honest! Who can COM
plain of him? In view of the Expensive
surroundings of Washing gton," and to
maintain the standing and dignity due
to his station" and having the power, he
puts his hand in the Treasury, and walks
off with the opimia Spolia This is wor-
thy of the aristocratic plunder of Europe
as well as the peccadilloes of the renown-
ed Turpin.
Here we have principle stated distinctly.
The surroundings of luxury and extrava.
gance must be. lived up to by member
of Congress (the member from Mercer and
Auglaize,) and he must maintain the dig
nity of his position! We propose only to
show the principle, and leave the people
to the calm consideration of this princi
pie and its results. E. D. NJ
Morrow, July 26.