Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-15
Especial Correspondence of The Herald.
Washington Letter.
WAsHINGroN. May12 fS13

blage which choked it an hour ago. The
same place and much the same general
arrangements characterized the two
scenes. The gathering about doors and
waiting for them to be opened, was the
same the overlooking of galleries the
same; the same rules of distinction pre-
vailed in general upon the floor, and. in
many Instances, the same faces figured
! conspicuously in each But they were
not identical scenes. o, no, they were
in fact the very antipodes of each other.
These were the inaugural scenes of Off
! cial career at the very zenith of worldly
power; these were the last sad rites, the
closing scene in the great drama of all,
which, be he potentate or beggar, is al
ways one of earthly weakness, and low
illness and mystery. How aptly these
two scenes in conjunction transfgure
this sublime expression of the immortal
| Gray
! 'The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
! And all that beauty, all that wealth Ger
gave,
Await alike TIN inevitabl hour.
| The paths of glory lead but to the grave"
1t seems but yesterday that we studied
the fresh and vigorous, intellectual giant
presiding over the great high Court of
Impeachment. Then he exemplified the
hand that sways the ''rod of empire, :"
but to-day it is the same old story the
cankerworm always gnawing the heart
| of worldly ambition, the sad, uncertain,
mysterious end
The funeral services of Chief Justice
Chase were in part conducted in New
York by Drs. Tying and Hall of the Pro-
testant Episcopal Church. There the
service was suspended, the audience was
dismissed without benediction, and it
was announced that the services would
be concluded here. The officiating cler-
gymen here-Dr. Tiffany of the Metro
politan, assisted by Rev. II. A. Cleve-
land of the Foundry, and Rev. B. P.
Brown of Georgetown, all of the Metbo-
dist Episcopal Church-omitted much of
the burial service Of the Methodist
Church so far as performed, the two
services are identical. The Rev. II. A.
| Cleveland rendered with sublime effect
the 103d Psalm, commencing with the
words, "Bless the Lord, o my soul.
The Rev. B. p Brown followed with
a beautifully impressive prayer, after
which DR.. o. H. Tiffany pronounced
lengthy address, the first sentence being,
"The life of great man is a great les
son; the death of great man sad loss
the dying of a great man who worthily
! filled high position, is a mysterious
lesson of Woe" This was also the cen
trail thought of the address, and while it
was the tribute of one great mind to an
other, of great power and almost
matchless import, the orator was mind
full of all circumstances, and did not find
it necessary to go beyond the well-known
facts in the life of the great jurist, in
picturing a career of which the nation
may well feel proud, and coming genera
lions emulate. Of all Americas sons
that have fallen in the front rank of
craftsmanship, there are few better
representatives of American character
than Salmon p. Chase. Few combine
in such happy effect great intellectual
attainments with such personal purity Of
life. ThU work which he has done viii
live after him, and shine with brighter
lustre as years roll on and his person
atty dies away in the distance. He was
too human to be without failing; too
brave to steer clear of contests, and
often too near right to escape clamorous
censure, but now in the final summing
up, when the city is shaded by flags at
half aSt hall Ti,1
dirges, and men in the face of the com
mon enemy forget petty jealousies and
spites and hatreds, a sadness and a
genuine sense of bereavement sweeps
this city of great and little people as
has not since the sad end of the lamented
Lincoln.
THE SALARY BILL
seems to be as fresh before the public as
it was the day after it was passed. in
fact fresher, for in detail its effect is by
far more interesting and suggestive than
was to be anticipated then. The press,
with unaccountable (for it can generally
see the difference between wind and
water) unanimity, saw fit to denounce
the measure as a ''steal, and with every
attempted disposition of the back pay
on the part of members, a fresh wall has
tale of "The house that Jack built. in |
creased in volume, power and apparent
plausibility, until it would seem that
many have been worked into the con-
viction that it was really a theft.
Now we have studied this matter and |
read all criticisms one could get hold of, |
and our final conclusion is that a more
senseless and unjust cry was never raised |
than in applying the word, steal, in this
case. A dozen other words could be |
found to convey JAIL the merited censure |
the act deserved, and still be candid in |
their application, and, for goodness sake,
whittier called to condemn or praise, do /
let the press keep somewhere near the
line of fact and truth. So long as, be-
tween the people and Congress, there is
an understanding, both expressed and
implied, that Congress shall regulate It's
own as well as the salary of other de-
partments of government, it is difficult
to see precisely how Congress commits
the grave crime of theft in 50 doing.
Whether Congress raise or lower its pay
the principle of jurisdiction is the same,
and we doubt if any will deny the right
or legitimacy of Congress cutting its pay
down to revolutionary figures should
they see fit to do so. Should they make
tnelr pay much lower than the people
think it should be, it would hardly be
called high crime. How, then, does it
amount to stealing if, when the people
oblige them to fix their rate of compen-
sation, they fix it little higher than
people think it ought to be? In no
sense is the rise of salary possessed of
the elements of theft, for nothing was
done on the sly, nothing coYertly taken;
but, on the other hand, it was done with
full knowledge, if not intent, that their
constituents would sit in judgment with
full power to approve or condemn their
act Men don't 60 to work openly and /
aboveboard in that way to steal. OF all !
the men who come to Congress and sud- .
denly grow rich, more are remarkable !
for having done it by open and bold acts !
which they laid open in detail before !
their constituents as is this one. No
gentlemen, the word belongs to some of
the undefnable features of Washington /,
70 I'd