The New York herald., 1873-12-12

service by reason OF the abolition Of said privilege.
At twenty minutes past two O'Clock the Senate
went into
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
At twenty minutes to four O'Clock P. NJ. the doors
were reopened, ana the Senate adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WASHINGTON, Dec II. 1873.
DUTIES REFUNDED
Mr. RANDALL, tdemJ OF Pa, offered q resolution
calling the Secretary OF the Treasury for infor-
nation as to the reiunding OF duties since March,
1873. Referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means.
| WABASH RIVER AND LAKE ERIE SHIP CANAL.
| Mr.. ORTIZ, rep) OF Ind, offered resolution
providing for a survey TO ascertain the practical
blity of ship canal connecting Lake Michigan
with the Wabash River. Adopted.
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT
| Mr.. PARKER, trep) OF Mo-, offered resolution
insuucting the Committee on Elections to examine
and report the best and most practicable method
OF electing the President and providing tribunal
to adjust and decide all contested questions there
with. Adopted.
HINGHAM HARBoR.
! Mr. HARRIS. trep.) or Mass, offered a resolution
directing the Secretary OF War to have an exami-
nation or survey made OF the harbOr OF bingham,
Mass, with view to the removal OF sunken rocks
and other obstrucnons to navigation. Adopted.
/
| Mr. BECK, (dem.) of KY, offered resolution di-
recting the Postmaster General to report how
many employees OF all grades 1t will require to carry
on tie postal savings institutions as recommended
by him in his report and that he furnish like in-
formation as to the postal telegraph system which
he recommends, when the same ls in full opera
| tiOn. Adopted.
AN EDUCATION FUND.
Mr.. G. f. HoAR, (rep.) OF Mass, from the Conn.,
mttee on Education and Labor, reported q bill to
establish an educational iund, and to apply the
proceeds OF the sale OF public lands to the educa-
tion OF the people. 1t enacts that the net proceeds
OF the sale OF public lands shall be forever cOnse
Grated and set apart Tor the education OF the peo-
pie, provided that the act shall not repeal impair
or suspend any law authorizing presumption or
homestead entries, nor abridge the power OF Con-
| gress over the pubic domain, nor interfere with
granting bounty lands to the soldiers and sailors
without discussion the bill went over till Tues
day next, and the House resumed consideration OF
the bill
IN RELATION TO SALARIES.
Mr. po sp I Spoke IN Of the
had been, lew days ago, in company with a large
number OF gentlemen, when the conversation
without exception, in saying that the increase Of
salary had been utterly condemned by the public
what did the bin reported BY the special
committee proposeS 1t proposed that all
e e back 1s'es sy ana members al
the increased pay received by members OF the
Forty-third Congress they should be allowed TO
Keep He asked the House whether that was con-
| forming to public Judgment on that subjects Was
| that what the people were demanding? Was that
what the public Judgment had demanded and
still demanded. WHAT was wanted was ths-that
they should be utterly wiped out, so that no benefit
or advantage which anybody had derived from it
should be kept and retained by him. That, and
that alone, would satisfy the pubic demand 1t
pose that he had offered his substitute:
the decision OF the people on that subject and
utterly wipe out all the effects and consequences
under the act Of the sd March Is7a He had Voted
against that measure. He had held public onice
IN his own state, where salaries were very small
| which he had acquired in that way he could very
well preserve in Washington, so that $4,000 a year
! was ample compensation for his services and fur
manner in which he chose to live. . Be. Be-
| very unfortunate time to make the increase. The
public mind had been for some time excited in re-
@ world had been agog % on IN that that Subject, and he
thought he knew that that increase OF salary and
especially the retroactive feature OF the law, would
| censure on Congress. Alter 1t became law the
question arose what was to be done with the back
pay. The press had begun to say that every one
who took it was robber and thief
The idea that he was to be called Q thief
was not very paatable to him. 1t did not COM
mend itself to his Judgment nor to his conscience
neither did he propose to be actuated or influenced
by any threat OF that sort, and therefore he had
taken the money and still retained 1t. Other gen.
tlemen's consciences had been more tender than
his. They began to be afrected differently. and, one
after another, many returned their back pay to the
| Treasury. The result OF that was that people be-
critics. and they did this merely for the purpose of
currylng public favor. That had brought him to
in regard to what he ought to do-whether
| he was on the one side to be called
thief and robber, or whether he should subject
| himself to be called a coward and hypocrite. The
result OF his self-communng was that he should be
altogether more amenable to the latter charge If
he returned the pay, and that he would rather
| retain II and subject himself to being charged by
the pubic press as robber and thief; therefore
| he had chosen to retain what mad received un-
| der the law, and TO make an endeavor to have
| the law regulate the thing SO that he might
be allowed to return the money the Treasury, il
that were the will OF the people, without sublecting
himself to the charge Of being nypocrite and
coward ne claimed m tnat, although they could not
Forty-second Congress, they had full power over
the salaries OF members Of the present Congress.
speaker He got on his feet with some aificuty
and not without assistance. Then he supported
| spoke with a clear, ringing voice. which was dis
| tinctly audible in every portion OF the chamber,
frequently at the close OF sentences. His manner
! was nervous and his remarks very digressive
many OF his sentences being left uncompeted. He
was listened to with the closest interest and atten-
ton by the members, officers and audience. He
commenced BY saying he would examine the
| then in its political aspect. He spoke OF the
| comments OF the public press on the subject. He
would say nothing in derogation OF the power or
usefulness OF the press. The position ofjournasts
| in this country was or the highest. The
Fourth Estate, did, in this age, control pubic
timent; but ne would in all earnestness say to the
| press and its conductors that nothing was more
| important than tnat, In treating OF subjects with
the masses OF the people, they should look well to
| the truth and correctness and principle OF what
| they addressed to the people. The press had de-
| nounced as thieves and robbers the members OF
| the last Congress- and he had seen one
| paper which represented the raid on the
| Treasury very much like the charge OF
| the 600 at Balakava. He had thought
the wit OF that represent entation more appropriate
| than Its wisdom The gentleman from New York
| (Mr. Tremain) had spoken yesterday OF demagog-
! ism. He (Mr. Stephens) maintained that there
| could be no statesmanship without it. There
| never had been statesman who was not dema-
| gogue. The word originally meant leader OF the
| people Pericles was demagogue. There were
| two kinds OF demagogues, the sham aud the
/ genuine The genuine demagogue was the man
| who led the people, who guided the people. The
| sham demagogue pandered to the errors and