The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-05-08

-Att~
they not believed that they retained the
right to amend their State Constitution
subject to the requirements of the Federal
Constitution. The people expect this to be
done; We are all pledged to it. and I shall
vote for the resolution.
Reply OF w. s. HerndOn 90 the Attacks
OF tho Press for His Vote on the Late
Act Increasing Salaries.
As a member of Congress, I regard my
self as the public servant of the people
whom represent and while such, respect
their right to demand an explanation Of
every public act. Official acts are public
property, and the press and the people have
the right to criticise, approve OF condemn
them. But deny the right of either tC
condemn and then SANDER a public servant
without hearing. The press, with but
few exceptions, has stigmatized the act in
creasing salaries with unrelenting ferceness;
denounced the actors with all manner of
vituperatiOn and opprobious epithets, de-
manded their expulsion from office; that
the Legislature of Texas become their ac-
cusers, that the mark of Cain be set upon
them, and Rdicelg intimates that they will
not be allowed to rest. This is fearful, and
calculated to drive to madness the timid
demagogue and parasite, who are afraid to
even whisper above their breath q word in
their own defense, lest the press will renew
its attacks. l am neither alarmed at their
fury nor ashamed of my vote; believe that
/ have done my duty to my constituents and
country, and can stand up and look my
accusers in the face, and defy them TO truth
fully show wherein am wrong.
The press is a great power in this country,
and has done much good but it does not
possess all power, nor has it done all the
good. It has some honesty, purity and vir-
tue, but it cannot justly claim a monopoly
of all these. 1t has exposed many wroRgs,
corrected many errors, and often advocated
the principles of freedom; but for all this,
it cannot say that it is the only purifier of
morals, the only champion and defender of
the rights of the people. Ask yourself the
question, who constitute the members OF
the press? Are they wiser than their gener-
ation2 Are they the only reformers2 Are
they incapable of errorl If So then their
assumptions and assertions may be right.
AS the press has made haste to condemn
the law, will it be half so swift to correct
the error, when pointed out, and do justice
to the men it has injuredS This viii not
create such a sensation, but it viii be decid-
" more Just and noble than to persist in a
wrong.
l will submit brief statement of the
charges, the law and the facts, and leave
others to judge between us, who is right.
And in doing so will state the issues strong
est against myself, for do not seek to evade
the charges or escape their logical conclu-
sion. The chief objections are:
I. Congress has no constitutional right
to fix or increase the pay of its own mem
bers.
II. Congress has no right to increase
the salary of its members and make it retro
active
III. That the members elect to Congress
make contract with the people, express or
implied, to serve for such sum as may then
be fixed by law, and violation of this stip-
ulation is bad faith.
~. That the late increase of salaries was
without a precedent in the history of
legislation that it was a conspiracy TO
steal $4,000 for each member out Of the
treasury; that it is blot upon our stat
ute books, and a disgrace to the American
people.
v. That the increase was too much, and
those who did it are thieves and rob
beFs,' and should be speedily driven from
public life.
Now, If it can be shown to every fair and
rational mind that every proposition here
stated is not only untrue, but the very re-
verse of truth. then it will be difficult to
escape the conclusion that those who have
persistently insisted upon such charges are
either grossly ignorant OF maliciously and
wilfully wrong
II might be fair and proper to allude to
the bill in which this increase was incOrDo-
rated, and Of which il made a part. The
Legislative. executive and judicial bill, in
volving over thirty millions Of dollars, being
made to a large extent an omnibus bill, the
failure of which must have precipitated an
extra session Of Congress, costing millions
itself; the failure Of this bill would have
defeated the law to recover the forty mill
ions squsndered by the Credit Mobilier COM
pany for the government. But it would
have done more; with an extra session, and
40 new members. and two-thirds major
ity OF Republicans, the Morrill, amendment
would have become law, and by which
the South would have lost over twenty-five
millions Of dollars And hence one reason
for the unanimity Of the southern vote.
Again il might be proper to call attention
70 the fact that there was not and could not
have been under the rules a vote taken on
the retroactive clause IN the bin to increase
salaries, and had such vote been possible
as q single proposition, do not believe il
would have received Eve votes in either
house. The measure was voted on as
whole, and therefore the whole question
had 70 be met squarcly, the good and bad
together The iiercest assaults have been
made against the reiroaciive part. carefully
conceaiing ali the facts Of the importance
and magnitude Of the bill, and the most
important part Of III, that no such vote a.
attacked was ever actually cast.
To use these grounds w0uld be eminontly
fair and my right, but am not 20 closely
pressed for argument. II would Be bottles
to 60 round such a question; win meet
It fully IN It's most Objectionable form, Just
as though the vote was actually cast directly
upon the retroactive clause. while
should never have cast my vote for Il as
single proposition, Iargue upon the hyp0fh-
esis that l did. as i is charged IL. then, the
retroactive clause Of the law car be shown
20 he right pr e. and fully authorized then
the other ob ELECTIONS may b easily answered.
The 6rst three propositions and part Of
the fourth may Ne treated together. and 50
answered The trainers of the Constitution
made 20 pr0Tision whatever for the COM
nensafion 81 the members 81 fhc ifsi Con
rresz. that assembled on the fourth 81
March. i7e9. cxcept where Is says that Sen
afors and Repre- seniatiFes shell receive COM
nansation FOR their services 10 BE aecer-
tanned hF law and that the legislative
nouer siian De vested 81 Congress that
each hill passing both houses shall 81 sp-
proved ~ thr Preidnk &c. Had re-
inmer a. ERE Constitution Inlcn1cI Iri
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