The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-07-10

they were passed. Here was the source
of profit made by the Credit Mobiller
It was the ordinary case of a contra G.
which tu-ne I out not to be as diff cult t
perform as both partiesssupposed il to b.
when it was entered into" Mr.. Carpen
ter may believe the fact to be as he says
but we think be must be nearly alone il
his belief. We believe the fact to be tina
every one out of the Union Pacific Rail
road Company, the Credit Mobilier anc
Congress, and every ono in Congress ex
cept Senator Carpenter. believed that th'
Rocky Mountains were only succession
ofinclined planes and that it would no
be very expensive to Construct Q railroad
over them ~ (. tn'' a. ~
Unnecessary as the defense of the Cred
it Mobilier was for the defense Of the
Back Pay Bill what Mr.. Carpenter say.
about Congress directing suit 10 BIZ
brought and the Attorney General bring,
ing q suit against the Credit Mobilier was
still more unnecessary. He says thal
during the panic last winter Congress
directed a suit to de 1ermine. sfav ~
81 Whether the United States should do
what it had agreed to do; and Q. To de
termine every thing else in which it had
~
no interest whatever" and that the A tor
ney General has entered upon the holy
crusade and brought suit iii the name
of the United States against mankind in
general with what result we shall see
when the courts pass upon it. The suit
has no parallel in The annals of any civ
ilized country; and the real question to
be determined is, whether the courts are
as weak in a popular storm as Congress
has proved itself to be-"
Mr.. Carpenters panic of 40, 900, 900 of
people and of Congress was wide spread
belief that Congress forme- Congresses
and perhaps the forty-second-had be.
come demoralized. And the Credit Mo-
bilier Investigation was a result of this
general belief. 'Simply this and nothing
more" And the result OF the investiga
ton rather confirmed than removed the
belief In this condition OF affairs Con-
g:ess passed the bill for the increase of
salaries and for the back pay of the forty
second Congress. And tbs Back Pay
was the particular subject Mr.. Carpenter
was invited to Evansville to discuss.
The constitution provides that "Sena,
tors ard Representatives shall receive a
for their services. to be as
certained by law, and paid out of the
treasury of She United States" And there
is no prohibition from making the law
apply to the pay and even back pay of
the Congress passing the law as we'll as
Of subsequent Congresses. Two questions
arise in relation to it. 1. Was 1T in good
-aste to make the law paying $1,000 to
apply to The back pay of the Congress
passing it? 2. Was $4,000 compensation
for the service of Member of Congress?
The pay has been Increased several
times end once decreased and each time
the pay of the Congress passing the law
has been made the same as of subsequent
congresses. It does not follow however
That Congress is always to. follow prece4
dents. And Congress increasing It's own
pay and providing for back pay may be
In bad taste notwithstanding precedents.
A compensation for the services of Mem
bers OF Congress depends much on times
and circumstances. In ordinary times
and under ordinary circumstances $4,000
would be compens ,tion. $1,000 seems a
!afs,e sum to pay Member Of Congress
and yet at the present time and under ex.
lsting circumstances it maybe no more han
compensation. If s., Congress was
Justified in increasing the salary
provided IL does not tend to demon
alization and extravaganza. If more
than a compensation or tending to de-
,morali2ation and extravagarce Congress
was rot justified
Some of Mr.. Carpenters remarks on
the compensation of Members of Congress
are very pertinent and some very ;mperti-
nent. twill hardly do to take his ex-
penditures and professional charges as a
standard in fixing the compensation of
Members of Congress. The present times