The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-04-24
,rhe "SaIaries Ontrage. ;,

The following paragraphs from the
speech of General Farnesw orth, of
Illinois, on the salary plunder, dcliv-
cred in the House of Representatives
during the pendence OF that bill con-
tains sentiments worthy of the con-
sideration of the people. He said:
s-It strikes me that the spectacle of
Congress voting an increase OF sal
aries, commencing with the President
of the United States and ending with
themselves, such as is proposed in
this bill, is a more shameless specta-
Gle TO the country than has ever been
exhibited b~tore.
''Our fathers, Mr.. Chairman, who
made the constitution, and who, it
seems to me were wiser than we are,
provided that
'.The President shall at stated times
receive for his services compensa-
ton, which shall neither be increased
nor diminished during the period for
which he shall have been elected, and
he shall not receive within that peri
cd any other emoiument from the
United States, or any of them."
81 know that it is proposed to evade
this technically by making an increase
of salaries on the 4th of March next.
But does not the same President sign
the bill? Is not the same President
in Office to-day as will be in Office on
| the 4th of March? Is he not able to
exercise the same commanding influ-
ence oil members of Congress to in
duce them toVote this increase of sal
airy to-day as he will be on the 4th
day of March Why did the fathers
put that restriction. in the Coustitu-
ton 1t was that no President could
exercise the influence of his official
position to increase his own salary.
1T has come to be too much the
custom that the moment a man gets
inro Office, into an assistant cabinet
office, or chief clerksnip, or any such
Office, he comes 10 Congress and asks
an increase of salary. The purpose
of the fathers was that when a man
takes an office, knowing what the sal
ary shall be, he shall be content with
that salary until he gets through his
term of office.
.'You are violating as much the
spirit of the Constitution by making
this increase of compensation to the
President to day as the next Congress
"ouIu flO!dlc III IL LH0y uldtl0 III on the
3th OF March. 1t is the same Presi-
demt, who would sign bill to in
crease his own salary; and Presi-
dent that would sign bill TO increase
his own salary, in violation of any
spirit OF the Constitution ought to be
impeaehed. | know that this argu-
ment is made. Gentlemen frequent
ly say, sob if q gentleman does not
want the salaries increased he need
not take the increase" "rhis is not
ar argument. The question is, have
we right Ia vote ourselves this mom-
ey? Have we right just as we are
leaving Congress to vote ourselves
from the treasury of the Uuited States
five thousand dollars apiece? Why,
sir, the Credit Mobilier pales its i'll
etfcctvnl fires before such a PROPOSE
ton as this. There has not been SO
shameless a spectacle presented even
by this Congress, and when say that
say good deal, as this making of a
ring anu putting the President of the
United States at the head of it, and
putting in the Cabinet officers and
The Judges of the Supreme Court,
and then putting in our own selves, !
in between these high |
functionares. And we are to do this
just when we are shaking the dust off
our feet in leaving this hall"