Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-12-26
THE BACK-PAY.

THE BACK-PAY.
Whist the HOuse-Bill D8es and Does
Net Accomplish Seath-
ing Review.
From the New York SUM-
The lame and impotent conclusion in
| the house of representatives on the
back-pay grab and salary steal was TO
have been expected after the offensive
tone of the discussion which preceded
it. From the start there has been nc
sign of earnest intention to obey the
popular demand for repeal of the Offens.
| i've law or to restore the stolen money
A few demagogues, destitute of the
least sincerity, have sought to make
capital for themselves by setting up as
re formers and seeking to lead in q de-
ceptive movement. They had sounded
the house, knew its temper, and were
well aware that there was no real desire
on the part of the majority to undo the
base work of the last congress.
The bill as passed is in every respect q
gross wrong and defiance of public opin-
| ion. 1t was expressly cOncocted so as
to defeat the very object which 1t falsely
processes to seek. Mr.. Hurlbut, of Hi
nois, is the author OF this deception, as
| be was of another of about equal merit
| to scale the compensation into three
classes, allowing each member to choose
his swn status and pay. he perhaps
thought that proposition very funny;
but the people, who have to pay for all
such folly, will be apt to consider it i'm
pertinent rrifiing.
It is worth while to examine what
| this scheme does and fails to do, so that
it may be fully understood by the coun-
try:
First-It raises the pay to six thou
sand dollars from five thousand, as ii
stood before the fourth of March last.
SeeOnd-It does not restore the back
pay received by members Of the present
| congress who where also members Ol
| the last congress.
Third-It does not restore the five
| thousand six hundred and twenty five
dollars which each member of the pres
| ent congress, with a few honorable eX-
I CCDNtOhSg 4ECC1NE0 AAOAA4 AA4C AOAA NAA vi
| March last until December, before the
house was organized, and by which the
| treasury was depleted of about two mill
lion fifty-eight thousand seven hundred
and fifty dollars for that one item Of ex-
tortion.
| Fourth--It does not repeal the in
creased pay of the
Seven members Of the cabinet.
I rruyc assistant atorias nf state
Two assistant secretaries of the treas
ury.
One assistant secretary Of the interior
Four assistants to the postmaster
general.
Supervising architect to the treasury
! Examiner of claims.
Solicitor of the treasury.
Commissioner Of agriculture.
| Commissioner of customs.
Five auditors of the treasury.
One auditor Of the p0stOffice depart
ment.
Commissioner of the land office.
Commissioner Of pensions.
Superintendent of mOney-Order sys
tenn.
Superintendent of foreign mails.
Two chiefs Of diplomatic bureau.
Two chiefs of index and archives.
Secretary of the senate.
Clerk of the house of representatives
Chief clerk of the house Of representa-
tives.
/ Journal clerk of the house of repre-
sentatives.
Doorkeeper of the house of representa-
tives.
/ Assistant dOorkeeper of the house o
representatives.
Chief engineer Of the house of repre-
sentatives.
! Twenty-one clerks of the house OF re
presentatives.
Postmaster Of the senate.
Assistant-pOstmaste of the senate.
Two mail-carriers Of the senate.
| Superintendent of docUment-roOm o
i senate.
First assistant of document-room o
senate.
Second assistant of document-room o
senate.
Nearly all these officers and a host o
others covered by a sweeping amend
ment In general terms, whose pay wa
previously appropriated to the thirtietl
of June, were dated back to the fourth o
March, and allowed fifteen per cent. il
addition to the augmented salaries
Not one of them is touched by the &C
ton of the house, and it was not design
ed that they should be, in order to make
the pill more unpalatAble to the senate
and thus prevent any reform at all.
So far from repeating the President
double pay, or Tetrenehing his exOrbi
tant perquisites that we're voted at tn
same time, a purpose was clearly mani
tested to Fivet this fragrant abuse il
every way, which was expressed by Mr
Hale, of New York, most particularly
AS he had held profitable places by tn
Presidents appointment, even while
drawing his pay as member of tn,
house, and perhaps may expect others
his zeal in this cause is easily explained
Such a speech will strengthen him a
/ the White House, and that was its evi
dent object.
In the whole discussion, extending
over two weeks, not member on eithe
side exposed the incOngruity, contra
dictlons and illegality of the act relating
to these salaries. That fact illustrate
the degree of sincerity which animated
the movement. Two distinct and diff
, ferent rates of salary stan0 apprOpri
ated for the President, Vice-President
speaker, supreme court, cabinet, con
gress, and every other office
down TO the lowest whom that in
consistent and worthless act raised il
pay. Both salaries cannot be legal, anC
although the higher may have beeI
drawn only, still there is no reason why
the law should not be revised from tol
to bottom.
There is no escape from the RESPONSE
bility of this shameful conduct.
spf cial committee appointed by th'
speakeT, consisting of Messrs. Hale, o
Maine, Maynard, Kasson, Scofield
! Hale, of New York, Niblack and Jewet
five Republicans and two Democrats
The Republicans have one hundred anC
ninety-one members and a majority o.
one hundred and seven in the house, OIL
| thirty more than the whole Democratic
side. Consequently, they have absolute
! control of legislation, and with far
! greater power than in the last congress
And this is their first achievement
Look at it,
/ a missionary writes to the New York
/ Methodist. ''MissiOnRFy work in India
! is very difficult work. Success has
been achieved here and there, but the
main line of HindoOism has never been
broken, nor has there yet been single
| bona fCie evangelical movement among
/ the higher castes OF the country. The
! large accessions have been among the
lower castles, and all other victories
have been among the skirmlshers. A
/ hundred methods have been tried, but
thus far there has been no notable sue