Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-04-26
iutsres, Of the GOvernmcn, would greatly

Only a single day and night renamed be-
fore the hnal adjournment and three other
great appropriation bills were sull unfinished
These considerations were inseparably con.
nected with the deieat Of this appropriation
bill j knew that ii IL failed from any act of
minc the responsibility OF its failure would
rest more heavily upon me than upon any
other member l had been made responsible
for It's management but was in no way re-
spoDsible for the adoption of the salary
amendment
After weighing ihe case as we'll as' could,
Iconcluded il was my duty to stand by the
bill and did so. .---...-- --.--,-- .t.-
remained IN the conference, and did what
could TO perfect the bill aud reduce tie
amount appropriated by IT, On my mo ion,
the following proviso was made part of llhe
bill "PrOvided, that in settling the pay and
allowances OF members of the AZ Congress,
all mileage shall be deducted, and no allJw.
ances shall be made for expenses OF travelp
The sum deducted from the additional back
pay under this provis0, amounted in the ag-
grcgat6 to nearly 100000; aud the pay 10
The members of the late Congress, is made
less than to those Of the next Congress 10y the
total amount of actual travelling expenses.
The other sixty four amendments TO the bill
were satisfactorily adjusted, after many hours
OF deliberation. Having done what could
TO perfect the bill signed the conference rc-
| port and presented IL ~ tue House but in do
| llS sd sldtcu ludt L ulOue Uhu oppOScu Nnt
! salary clause in the conference committee and
had done what could to strike il out; and
| that bad signed the report rather than run
the risk of losing the bill. l then voted for
! the bill not for the increase of salaries, nor
for the retroactive clause, for was opposed
| to both, but for the bill rs whole
1t is clear that il would have passed If
had voted against It, But believing that it
was better 10 pass the bill, even with the sal
AIRY amendment included, than risk the conse-
quences OF its failure, voted for IL. 1t would
have been an inconsistent and cowardly act
on my part to vote against il merely to escape
criticism. 'r.l
| Ii the bill, as reported from the conference
corsmittee, ought to have been defeated, there
was one well known and very easy way to
| do it, One.iitth of the members present, by
dilatory and flibustering motions, and calling
the ayes and noes. could have prevented a
| vote on the report till The end of the sessoL.
Should the ninety.sx members who voted
against the conference report be censured for
not preventing its adoptiunY Less than half OF
their number could easily have done So But
no one of thenl 50 far as know, Thought II
his duty to defeat the bill Certainly, | did
not think il the duty OF the Chairman Ol the
Committee on Appropriations to Lead such IA
movement.
1t has been said that the conference report
might have been rGcommitte1, for further
attempt to strike off the salary clause. The
answer to this is that he House, on m aye
and no vote, by nineteen majority, ordered
the question To eput ON the adopuOn Of the
report. Hg ,I 'H
The plain fact Is, that the final vote on the
bill was not II testUf the sentiments of men,
brrs OF the House on the salary question, The
responsibility for the increase of salaries rests
upon those who forced the amendment upon
|, the bill. t.f Htr .H. ,...l....
There is one feature of the case to which
| refer with great reluctance, and with decl
? sense of the injustice that is done me. 1t Il
! charged that voted for the bill for the pur
pose of putting $4,000 of back pay into my
own pocket. | trurhssly appeal TO friends
aud enemies alike to say whether any act o
my public life has warranted them III imput
ing TO me unworthy nd mercenary motives
: The point here raised is Que To which die
2 not intend to refer in this, letter prelerrcC
TO leave my personal motives To the future fo
S vindicatiOn. But already, without my llnowl
{ edge or procurement, u paragraph has tount
r its way TO the press whcA makes 1t prop
> for me to say what L did not wish TO parade
in public, that moi only did NOT receive lh'
$ back pay nor any part of H. but i ordered j
} 50 covered into the general Treasury us 10 b'
! placed beyond the reach OF myself or my
heirs -.'
; you may know precisely what did, and lii
{ reasons for it. desire that this and every
1 other act OF my public lite shall be full.
= known 10 you. Ten years ago, you called m
from another field OF duty and honor, to rep
$ resent you in the national legislation. Sine
= then you have expressed your confidence AM
= esteem in many ways, and III none NOR
i s,rikiugly than in the tive re.elections viii
y which you have honOped me- '''''
/; have not been insensibe to, these evidence
G of your approval ] have copscicnlious
l sought to serve you and lre country with th
J, best of my ability. ! have spared neithG
y time nor labor faithfully 10 discharge the 'lu
j. ties of the place assigned me- 'H
l. Doubtless L have made my full share o
mistakes and blunders-und my vote on tbi
"A bill may baye added another to the list. l re-
r snect no man the less ior thinking so, but II
i. this MS in all my Official conduct, acted 10
J.. what l considered the public good Whethe
8 wise or unwise detsnsible or indetepsible, tina
!, vote had the approval OF my judgment and
Il do not shrink from any responsibility growing
;. out Of 1t.
/, But | do not affect to conceal my suFprs
d and disappointment NJ the construction whlc
r has been gwen to that vote. Probably n
,s man, whu conscious of his own integrity, hu
8 served constituency as long as have serve
II YOU could see the bpsest of motives attribute
10 him. and listen 10 u public demand Tor hi
h Instant resignation, with Indifference. Gen
c tainly, | can not, We're 70 follow my o~l
g inclina,ions merely, would, at once, aOan
# don position so difficult 10 ill acceptably
c dered ON SO many accounts undesirable. Bu
d the chargr ON which the demand Of the Wai
i rem convention is based, Is an injustice I
e which cannot consent, The principle o
Z which it Is made rises above any merely pei
o sonul consideration. Ii ought 10 resign to
casting this vote every elective officer shout
i resign whenever amy oI his official acts, don
y in good faith, are strongly dsapproyed b.
II those who elected him. Ii the delegates be
j. ieye that the retroactive clause is 50 miamou
l. that I ought To resign tor voting for the nppra
e priation bill to which ii was attached, vii
. they follow out their logic and Insist that ID
s President ought to resign for signing it, NJ.
{; vote did not make II II law HIS signature di(
do not consent TO the logic that leads 10 sue
Il u conclusion, 3It' ..ifH i ''''
l. The facts nre before you. am ready any
l. where and At any tune, To make good N
y statements herein set forth; aud upon th
Is facts appeal from the action of the convei
h tion to your more deliberate Judgment. q ''
70 Very respectfully, id ti
:. JAMEs a ApFIEIp