Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-02-21

In the First Congress $1,000 year was
about the estimated average pay oil mem
bers.

| DerS-
When these men who estimated the value
of Congressman at about 81, oOOa year.
and who certainly had sufficient brains TO
frame Ineligible statutes, came to the con-
sideration of other salaries than their own.
they showed craftsmanship, n breadth oil
comprehension, that must make every
American who looks back to the past blush
anew for the ignorance, demagogiSm, ana
moral cowardIce that now prevail IN Con-
gress. The President S salary, it was said,
must be commensurate with the dignity OF
his high ofice-no citizen could desire 1t to
be less The committee charged with the
duty of ascertaining the proper amount en-
quired what had been the expenses OF
former Presidents of Congress-the position
coming nearest in dignity to the new Presi-
dency. 1t was found that their expenses
had varied from s. 200 to $4,000 year.
Apparently the style in which they had
| lived was not thought sufficiently suitable
| for the President of the United States, and
| $50 900, with furniture, servants, horses,
carriages, etc, was suggested. The House
determined to strike out these perquisites,
and then $40, 900 was proposed. This was
thought too high, and was reduced to S25,-
| 900, and the furniture already purchased
for the use of the President. But the enact
ment was avowedly an experiment-if the
salary was not sufficient, it was to be in
creased. ''NO one,' it was well said,
knows better how to unite dignity with
economy than the illustrious person who Is
now President In four years the statute
expired. but was then re-enacted, - as to
establish the permanent salary oi<the office.
But it was chiefly on the subject Of judi
cial officers that this early craftsmanship
was eyinced. Elbridge Gerry seemed to an
tlcipate some modern occurrences. Your
legislature may be corrupt, he said, land
your executive aspiring; but firm. indie
pendent judiciary will stop the course off de-
yaStation-at least it will shield individuals
from rapine and injustice" Some of the re
marks incidentally show the moderation Of
professional incomes in those days, which to
Il certain extent must have furnished q
standard for the judicial salaries. Fisher
Ames said that, speaking for the four New
England States. s 800 year for the Chief
Justice of the United States would be an
object sufficient to excite the attention Of
men of the first abilities in those States
Mr.. Nining said There are many gentle |
men in the practice Of the law whose abili- /
ties command a greater income than s., 900 |
per annum can it be expected that such |
persons will relinquish their lucrative pro-
tessions merely for serving the United |
States ?" With such statements as these |
before them, Congress fixed the salary of |
the Chief Justice at 1000, and of the /
Judges at 81 ,5O0-the aroieed purpose tang |
10 secure tie most eminent lawyers by paying /
more than they couH make m thar Jrrafe |
pracficc.
Let Us now look at the proceedings of the
last seven years. In 1850 the salary of the
Judges Of the Supreme Court was fixed at
$1,000. and in 1856 that Of members at
$1,000. Since then Congress have raised
their own pay STfy-ST per cent, lin 1860,
and that Of the Supreme Court thirfythree
per cent. lin ESD. The next move pro-
posed by the Judiciary Committee Is to in
crease the former from its present rate Slrfy
per cent. and the latter ttrenhy-fre Der
cent. We thus have on the one side an adj
vancement of siXty-six per cent. and sixty
per cent, against thirty-threc per cent and
twenty-five per cent. How long will it be.
at this rate, before the whole body of three
hundred and sixty-Seyen members and dele
Chiei-Justice of the United States
But 1t l. not only the extent Of this dis
advance and it. significant
rapldlty the manner Of it must also
awaken some apprehension. In lSj6, the
Judicial salaries had been first raised. and
the measure to increase the pay of Congress
was brought forward in a separate bin
standing upon IT, own merits In 1856.
the measure was sprung upon the public As
an amendment to some other bill it was
coupled with some other meritorious mat
ter, and it was introduced By a d0ubly
dangerous arrangement in which the two |
opposing parties netariouSly agreed to silence
the political press by equally sharing the
lniamy. The new project is in ike man
ner coupled with the proposition 10 increase
the pay OF an officer whose present salary
dates back 20 the first year of the govern
ment, and of judges whose responsibilities
exceed those Of any other tribunal in the
world, but whose pay is about what thi, /
,ity gives to justice Of the peace ,
There are two conclusive reasons. If no
more. why the pay of congressman should
leyer approach the pay of our Judges
lrst, because their great numbers Will make
The aggregate of high pay serious drain
lpon the Treasury; second, because the G
avs of the United States forbid the Judges |
he sacrifice of their entire time Of mem :
)ers of Congress there Is no such exaction. P
VT. Dawes keeps open his law-offce in a
'lttsheld, and runs home after adjournment e
% argue cases. Senator Carpenter receives q
or q week : work in the supreme Court as n
much Is the annual pay Of each Judge who a
.ecides his cases. General Butler has II
rains enough-we have his word for ito $
make two or three incomes outside of Con- Il
res. Mr.. Cakes AmeS could win the ad- q
liratlon Of his countrymen by building the b.
'aciiic railroad. An increase of Con-
resslonal pay may come. but il must come / y
asst. and by it~elf-N. J Nation c
THE BANSRrrr LAw.-The following is a n
orrect copy of Senator Edmunds' bin \
assed by Congress. 70 amend the Bankrupt al
aw, and which specially meets the case of -
lSolyent insurance companies: ii
bill to amend an act entitled An act TO 81
establish = uniform system Of bankruptcy 81
throughout the United States, approved W
March second, eighteen hundred and six
ty-seyen. at
Be a enacted by me Suafe end House of W
'eprcsntatires efthe United SUITES IF Auer- Il
a m Congress assembled IN
That whenever corporation created bv ~
ls laws Of any State, whose business Is car ~
ed on wholly within the State creating the T.,
me. and also any insurance company 50 y.
eated, whether all its business shall be he
FRIED on in such State or not. has had DC
-oceedings duly commenced against such W
rpOratiOn or company before the courts of
ch State, Tor the purpose Of winding up
le affairs OF such corporation or company To-
nj dividing its aSSests ratably among its sd
editors and lawfully among those entitled no
eret0, prior 10 proceedings having been vi
against such corporation or com
ny under the bankrupt laws ofthe United lie
ates, any order made or that shall be made To
such court. agreeably TO the State law VII
r the ratable distribution or payment of in,
y dividend OfaSsets to the creditors Ofsuch f,i
rporation or company, while such State Re
urt shall remain actually or cOnstructively Az
possession or control of the assets Of such Sta
operation or company. shall be deemed tai
I'D, notwithstanding proceedings in me
may have been commenced and / ,
pending against such corporation or 49,,
npany. wi
4 significant movement ON the part Of IN, IN
'rmons is that Brigham Young's son. ba,
I'm W, has divorced two Of his three the
YES, and will take up his residence in ado
iladelphia. There is also n well founded ~,
nor that the Mormon agents are nego- Con
ting for large tract of land in Mexico. o of,r
- who
The Worcester NDy SAYS scar
\ man who defrauds his neighbor of '''1
n OF money honestly the latter due. and !
convicted Ofthe deed, loses his social rank par
is punished by the Scorn of his felloIys clea
t a man who makes the government the
tim Of a similar misdemeanor. even not
ugh he be convicted, holds his head as c e,T
h as ever, and forieits not jot of pub mon
respect indeed, teiS rather admired and slay
graduated on his ''smartness" in r.t sAu
: an advantage over what seems to be re Rep
aNaaA