The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-06-05


sildtild he increased. Justice Requires
it, 4avf I do not know but the pay of
these men ought to be raised. How
much credit is dne to Mr.. Garfield for
opposing. the increase of compensa-
ton of these laborers-he admitting
af2the same time that he did not know
wnetifgr- it ought to be increased or
mott wilt not pretend TO say; but l.
do much fear that the reasons given
and arguments by him used were well
calculated 10 pave the way for fa-
,yorable reception Of that which W Rs
to come. -,
But Why refer to these things? Tits
not increasing the pay Of 4e W labor
ieFs of which dhe country complains,
but the 4eudaeious robbery which W ssI
committed for the benefit of the Leg
islative and executive brances of the
Government. l do not call it rob-
berry because the Cleveland Herald
and Leadcr editoriaIly. called it Rob-
derry Theft, Steal and Plunder w hen,
Il ~ as3 fret perpetrsted,. butt beoa1se
,ielvouI hire = serxant5at n stipulated
Orice per year. aad intrBst him with
the keysl to your house and. your safe,
and he aakess to himself thereIrotlI
SROu BE, his hire aVhen IL Ia a OF in lyOAE
OoVfer TO. prevent him; Ill. Is .rObbery.-
NSv is isaheaorime any less, because ydu
say 10 hign, t9 L hGvB lfound syouguh-
Gaithfup to your. trsst, andyno longer
a3osine5voSE serVices,9 n and he replies
that be will stay yet.tWO years, and
at the saInerate, and you
ag1huHo yourself If .yuoMi eau. And
1zhf AfRs Garfield takes exceptions to &c
4. -.ll.fA ,.<aR.6Asv4 Ar
haRak keEm. He says iEiG not q ascrime,
s0d I'VE have no right TO say that. those
sEhozflo. 80 are thieves or robbers. IL
iaaFtlIsz expsceed:a late minister. of the
GOSPEL to express such sentiments Of.
morality, aud | cannot but think We.
have good cause to fear that he has
strong sYirpati1y with those who do
sl,elf stifin1s,I. aleiiough he Opposed il,
~ ne Gays, SO strehuonsly. 45-iiz -
? { But let us look at the opposition,
and INVESTIGATES a. little 'fufther the
i,roceed dings in this increase of Con-.
'zF-ahanionHF. k8farfes.ss moe -. lot ais7
= IA rs V9elr. kfioRn that the mileage
Of mem bers lfs exeessive1 when COM
pared with the aetuaf expense OF the
travel performed : and it appears by
the record 10 have been the opinion Of
u1asiy members that niakiHg the salary
Of ali NS6,5Oo,a and allowing no mile
aye, only actual travelling. Expenses,
would not increase the amount re-
CURED to- pa y Congfessneh, and
would be more just than sthe present.
system, while beyond that they weFe
not willing to 60. By the bill W which
was presented Do the conference com
mittee, and which has become q law,
the e.safaPy. of Congressman is fixed ii
$500 per 7annufn and Mr.. Garfield, :,
In his letter, claims that the salary in
crease was fixed by, and the respon-.
fifiaT vote making it law, but TO the
vote in the House which attached that
salary increase TO the appropriation
bill. He SAYS, i" The battle was fought
:. and lost before the bill went 10 tie
:. conference committee: Now lie
record shows that the $500 amend
propriation bill by the House but
that this very amendment was before
the House, and the battle upon lt was
aot fought and lost. but was fought
and won, by vote of 32I against, TO
only So in favor of the amendment,
which was the last vote upon The
, laDOO lACTC1S0 GNrA S0ACn OOAOI q GAAC
meeting of that conference committee.
Yet that COMMITTEES report 9 bill rais-
ing the salary to $500, directly In
opposition to the votes against it in
che Heuse, which bill was signed by
Er; Garfield, aud has now become a
law. and respecting which he Says
g The battle against the salary clause
e was Fought and lost before the bill
q went to the conference coTnmitteeP
Had Mr.. Garfield forgotten the vote
of nearly two to one by which that
very clause was defeated in the
House? or did he think his mere as
sertion would so blind the eyes of his
that they could not read
and understand the record
Mr.. Garfield. says, after signing the
bill he; presented it to the House, and
voted for the bilI-not for the increase
OF Galafies, nor for the retroactive
clause, but for the whole bilk Mr..
Garfield q statement that in voting for
the, whole blu he did notgvote for that
which was in the bill, reminds rs Of
an, inebriate who,i when called as a
witness against the vendor of iptoxi-
eating liqusr denied upon oath that he
ever dEapk or knew of any whisky
being sold upon the premises; and
when it was proven. that he had will
fully. told an untruth. said I" We al
ways mixed sugar with it, and, it was
the mixture we drank, and we did not
drink the whisky at sall."' When we
look for the truth. is it not about as
apparent in. the one case as in the 9th
er 2 or does the fact of Mr.. Garfield
heing . Congressman make that truth
in his case which was talsehood in
the case of the inebriate? Was not
the salary-increase-whisky so strong
In this Congressional mixture, that,
according to, Mr.. Garfield's statement,
Six hours outof the ten spent in con-
ference; committee were upon that
sloue7, And the report shows that
the entiEe debate upon the final pass
,aga OF the bill Was upon that clause
sud nothing else and in that debate
we find Mr.. Garfield expressing his
opinion upon. this very salary ques-
tfon.' Let us remember that we have
now arrived at the point in this legis-
Istion where declarations and votes
sre, of consequence, and mean what
they say. Al that had been said and
done up to this time was butFrelimi-
uary! aud had really liked aud deter
mined nothing. What had been said
vac merely tRlt aud argument, which,
whether real or pretended, was, until
this point, free to be changed accord
ing 20 the will of the member. Every
vote heretofore taken made ITO law,
but was Q mereexpressiOD of fopiRion,
and that also was free 60 be changed.
But the YbitIsis now upon its final pas
cage; dress parade lis past, and the
battle in. earnest has come; within
less than one hour this ubiquitous
scheme 10 to be defeated or it is to be-
,eome a law. etevery true soldier OF
honest legislation stand firm. And
where is the valiant general who has
volunteered to lead them in this war !?
The last hour of the debate is his, and
God grant that he may make bare his
arm to battle for justice and for right.
Listen We men who have believed
him an hohest opponent of that wrong.
and hide your faces in shame, we men
Of Ohicssl Nj Xth District, at his words.
He is talking now of this very salary
increase. AZ contained in the bill. Mr..