The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-04-24

1T is really amusing TO witness the
twistings and turnings of Gen. Gar
field and his worshipers in their vain
efforts to apologize for his vote in ia
vor of the increase of salary bill
on the occasion of its final passage.
They don't exactly like to come up to
the scratch and openly defend that in
iquious measure. Oh no, that is gen.
orally, we may say, almost universally
admitted to be a stupendous robbery,
an act at onc@oBe of the most corrupt,
outrageous and uDjuAtifyable ever
perpetrated by a legislative body in
this country, and one which if perpe-
trated by any men in any other en-
ployment or capacity would haye
given them employment for the State
within the walls of a penitentiary.
But then, our loyal, pious and patriots
ic Garfield must not be condemned
for the part he played in the bold
plunder. And pray, why not? Did
he not know from first to last that it
was a monstrous theft? Did he not
by his every vote up to the final one
on its passage acknowledge that it
was great wrong; and even by his
words when he cast his vote i'm favor
of the iniquitous measure? Then why
SO tender of him? Why of all these
who aided in perpetrating the foul
wrong, single him out to be exhonor-
ated from the merited condemnation
and denunciation of the people against
their betrayers lie knew his duty and
did it not. There is some consisten
cy on the part of those members who
from first to last voted for the plum
der, claiming the while that it was
right aud proper; but it is difficult to
understand what show of justification
or apology can be offered in behalf of
a Representative who acts against his
settled convictions and votes for a
measure in the very same breath in
which he denounces it as a wrong
But it is claimed that the defeat of this
swindle would have defeated the ap-
preparation bill and rendered an ex-
pensiye extra session necessary. This
is mere balderdasli, the thinnest Kind
of nonsense. Do they suppose the
people are to be deiuded with that
kind of twaddIe that they don't know
that members of Congress were paid
by the year, and that their salaries
amounted to no more when Congress
was not in session than when it was,
and that the only necessary additional
axpense to the Government would
have been the mileage of the new
members not alread in Washington
and q small amount for incidental
expenges? But supposing it were
true. Those who voted for the rights
and interests OF the people would
have been in no wise responsible for
that. Besides the members being
paid by the year, the expenses of an
extra session could not have been
such frightful thing. But no such
measure could have succeeded there
in, hoNeFer anxious the members
might be for their share of the plum
der, as the constitution provides
against enlarging the salary of the
President during his term of office,
and Grant would have promptly
vetoed any scheme of the kind il:
which he could not come in for his
share of the plumber. This would
have saved not only the steal of the
present Congress, but many millions
in the years to come. The people de-
mand retrenchment and reform in the
expenses of the Government, and not
extravaganza and profiigacy. asu