, 1873-10-27

The following very pertinent article
we copy from late number of Har-
pers' Weekly. Considering that the
Harpers have always been warm
friends Of Grants Administration, this
may be considered an exceedingly mild
drawing Of the case. Many have asked
the question, can Congress, unaided By
= popular vote, increase its own and
the Presidents salaries? The question,
however, Is a good deal like the
assertion Of the man who was sent to
prison for being drunk. He told the
jailor, as the key was turned upon him,
''You can't lhie) put me in prison,
sir The congressional body has
voted ITSELF not only increased pay, but
back pay, and got and Is receiving the
money, and so is the President receiv-
ing his increased salary. These facts
are well worth being noted in the cat
alogue Of facts why a change of ad-
ministration as well as Of party is
necessary toinsure the thorough cleans
ing Of the befouled governmental
machinery at Washington
In his letter of last spring upon the
s.bacx pay Mr.. GARFIEI.D, very
properly asked why its Republican OPP
pOnents were not logical enough to
censure the President, whose salary
was doubled by the bill, and without
whose signature It would not have be-
come law. But many of them do so,
frankly. Many Of the best friends of
the President regret sincerely that he
signed the bill. Yet the circumstances
must not be forgotten, nOrthe exteIiua-
tions that may Be oifered ILe Piesi-
dents salary was believed 10 be wholly (
inadequate, Mr.. NIIl.AlsD. OF YER
mont, however, has recently published
a statement by which II appears that
the special appr0priatiouslO lOr Inc While /
House amount tor tlc.Ytar le13-74 10
seyenty-seven th0uaad do lars. and !
he says tlIat the PrtSideAt fifsiy ex- I
penses aud those OF his table are al
that are pad from his saaFg. We do,
not kn0k what changes Ia this inspect
there may have beeil since the carrier
days; but certainly, ii a salary of
cxfraYaglht for the President eighty
years ago, twice that sum can not be-
an immoderlte snary for him now.
If however an appropriation Of the
amount alAl for the purposes mentioned
by Mr.. NuLARD Is 70 be continued,
twenty-five thousand dollars is certain
~ an adequate compensation. Ii the
Object be 10 furnish a retiring COM
pefence for the President, let that pur-
pose be frankly stated and discussed ia /
Cougress. The only reason for fur
nislnng it indirectly IS that the country 7
would not approve 1t. And If that be
true, it IS conclusive reason against
it.
But beside the fact fnat the Presi-
dental salary was no larger than it had /
been at the close Of the last century,
when dollar was so much more va.li- /
able than now, Is the other considera-
-tion. that the chief offence ia the shack
grab is that it Is retroactive for Con-
gress. But it was not made SO in The
ease Of the President. Therefore ia
signing It he did not award himself
compensation qlor services ureaot
rendered ana recelptea .lor' as the mem.
bers DID, although, ol course ne aia
award It 10 them Moreover, Il the Dlil
were vetoed. the necessary approprla-
tons could fail, and an extra session
OF Congress would become lnulspens7
able, which would Involve = serious
drat upon the treasury. Inns = Lillei
and this apparently determined Selis
GARflFLD > vote, but altnohgh this Z
true. the expense Of an extra s' session. ssa J.