Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-10-03
The Back Pay Question.
LETTER FROM SENATOR EDNUNDs.
IIFGF RrrcIrru. Aup. %. 1873.


LIEGE, BELGIUM, Aug. %, 1873.
Dear Free Press:
One Of your numbers overlook me at
Coblenz. In it is reference to the back
salary appropriation of March Sd, 1873, to
my attitude respecting the same, and to the
state of the law of unexpended appropria-
tions.
opposed the salary affair all in my pow
er, and in earnest. Before the bill was
signed freely expressed the hope in the
quarter where l thought it might be con-
sidered, that the President would veto it.
Three or four days after, the accounting
officer of the Senate settled my pay account,
excluding, by my direction, all increase and
paying me on the old law solely !; for it did
not appear to me that | could properly take
more than the prior law gave. This, as
understood, left the money in the treasury.
The new law having made me a creditor
Of the government in respect in which L
did not choose to be one, the simplest and
most consistent course seemed to be, to re-
fuse to take the money. | knew that
should have the legal power to reconsider
and draw the money within the time limit
ed for lapsed appropria tiOns, but was not
greatly in fear of the temptation, and did
not wish to exercise any ownership over 1t
whatever. Therefore, the direction was
given not to bring it into my account at all.
~. \ Ia If
Senators from Ohio, and perhaps others.
Your paragraph holds, however, that the
money is mine in law, and that some gbir-
Dlatire act is needtul in order to give the
treasury the benefit of it. IfyOu are right,
| shall perform the act but | think you
are not My view was at the time, and still
is, what have stated, and for this reason;
The law was an appropriation of money for
certain purposes, which authorized the
treasury officers to pay it out. The money
still belonged to the Treasury. 1t was not
the property of the persons to be benefited
until it should be duly paid to them. An
account with the appropriation Is opened
in the Treasury, and as the money is needed
it is drawn upon by the officer charged with
its disbursement. lie pays it out separate
~ to each Of the persons who have claim
to be paid, on his receipt, which as his r0uch
e-, and he cannot by TAR or IN practice, hare
credit for penny Jyond the sums actually
pad and. for rhict produces herccapt. Then
at the end ola fixed time all the money 50 ap-
propriated, and not actually paid out is
transferred on the books of the treasury to
the general fund, the appropriation account
is closed, and it becomes impossible to draw
money on that account without 4 new law.
The reasons for such n course are numerous,
and are mainly 50 obvious as not to need
stating
| speak 50 confidently upon the sub
iect at this distance, for the reason that only
4 few years ago, | assisted with some earn
estness in passing law for unexpended APP
preparations, which was understood to pos
sess the qualities | have named. 1t was
designed to correct great abuses, and it has
done So Without the act before me, have
no doubt it covers the case in question.
Hoping to sec the Green Mountains in =
few weeks. remain,
Nonrs firmly