The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-09-25
THURMAN ASD THE SALARY BILL.

Senator Thurman, who is the real
eprinciplen for which the Democracy
are fighting this fall, is intense in his
denunelation of the salary bill. In
that he is right enough only he as
sumes to himself and his brethren in
Congress too much virtue on the SUBJ
jeet. With one exception Thurman
voted right as against the bill, but he
did not lift his virtuohs voice against
II to get his brother Democrats to vote
nay to the bill. He is loud about it
now, when he wants to secure new
lease on the Senatorship, and after
the mischief is done-after he had de-
cided to return his back pay into the
the Treasury which he concluded to
do when he had considered upon it
three months. H. v. Boynton, a
Washington correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Gazette, from the records gives
fioh to the back pay and sslairST a T'l5ffr 6lff-
and he leader. Here it is in all its
intensity:
THURMAN's ANTI-sALARY SPEECHES
IN THE SENATE, ,o
The tone OF Senator Thurman's
speeches in the campaign would lead
everyone to suppose that he must
have made valiant fighton the floor
Of the Senate when the iniquity he
paints in such dark colors was under
discussion there. Everyone would
naturally suppose from the sound be-
rating which he gives Republicans,
that all his Democratic associates
must have stood shoulder to shoulder
with him opposing, both by voice,
vote, and ali parliamentary weapons,
the contamination of this swfndle,
which he now talks so frequently and
80 virtuously about. La
Through all the first struggle in the
Senate Mr.. Thurman sat silent. He
voted right, with the exception al
ready noted but though vote after
vote was taken where one 50 promi-
nent as he is could have Obliged the
Democratic side to unite and crush
the measure, he still continued silent.
Not only this, but Mr.. Thurman
did not submit a single motion look
ing to the defeat of the salary increase,
or even to delaying action thereon, so
far as to have full debate upon the
monstrous proposition. 19as9..rs
And this example set by Mr. Thur
man, q leader, was followed by all the
Democrats. Not one of them sought
TO defeat or delay by even so much as
calling for a yote on motions contain
ing test. - -
And SO 1t was all through. On the
direct question OF the back pay the
Democrats were silent. They not on
iy did not oppose, but at every stage
they saved it from defeat by direct
votes for It. ..-..- -. -
On the motion to recommit it to the
committee, but sDithosst instructions to
strike out the salary clause, Mr.. Thur
man voted in the Affirmative.
Finally, after the several contests in
the Senate had been fought through,
and by the active aid of enough DEM
0crats Totes to defeat it, the back pay
victory won, except that formal vote
upon agreeing to the conference report
Mr.. Thurman rose. ~
OF course, it was to rally the Demo-.
Gratis at the last moment, and strike
the matter with lasting distinction !.
In all the long and heated struggle he
had restrained himself. Now the SEN
ate would hear what an honest Dem
ocrat, bursting with the pent up indig-
nation Of days, had to say upon the
black poposition before the American
SenateI Now the Democracy would
be rallied TO man by tais eloquent
leader, and the salary bill would fail Il
So thought many as he rose.
Senator Cragin had just read dis
patch from New Hampshire beseech-
ing the Senate not to pass the bill.
and had warned his associates that
the Republican party In New England
would be beaten if it should become
q law. He had taken his seat, an6
the roll was about 20 be called on the
final vote which decided the fate of
the measure in the Senate, and when
Mr.. Thurman took the floor all SUD-
posed It wss to assist In the defeat of
the bill, and strong and most effec-
tive assault upon twas expected. He
spkoe as follovs-his sole effort on
the salary question during all the con-
test in the Senate:
Mr.. Thurman = Mr.. President. |
There have been some very extraor-
binary things about this bill, and |
about this raising of salaries. 1 think |
there has been about the greatest leg
erdemain in the way Of legislation |
that / have ever seen, and now at |
this late hour for the Senator from
New Hampshire TO get up and make
an argument apparently against the
bill, but really TO carry all the DEM
Ocratic votes for II, is the most extra
ordinary of all. ILanghter. .W
Such is all that the Globe contains
from Mr.. Thurman on the subject Of
back pay. ..,s--s- -.
Those who heard his late speeches
Or those who read them viii hardly
credit it, but, short as it is, It contains /
Ru his spoken opposition to the meas
nre during both che contests over It. /
And so Mr. Thurman's speech In the
Senate against the backpay, which
he now finds such q fraud upon the
people, is reduced to joke, and an
to ridicule Republican who
was honestly trying 70 defeat the