The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-13

salaries Of members Of both Houses were thus
made equal The act OF Fsnrg,ass 49, ls0 sx
gates from TerrItories, and the same pay and
mileage as allowed Senators and Representatives.
Mr.. Madison was not entirely satisfied with the
constitution as adopted, and proposed during this
be- submitted 70 the state Iesisatures. Among
them was one providing that no increase In the
pay OF members OF Congress should go into effect
until the second session succeeding the one In
which the augmentation was authorized. Both
Houses adopted the propositions, and all but two
Legislatures One OF those that failed to be ratified
was that relating TO pay OF representatives, In Con-
gress. As Will be seen hereafter Tennessee IN 1877
porated In the constitution OF the United States,
and at the last session OF the Legislature OF Ohio 1t
salary Amendment proposed by Mr.. Madison in
1890.
Twenty veal passed, and members had served
In Congress satisfied with the existing rate OF pay
and mileage. The war with Great Britain had been
successfully brought to close. During Its progress
payments The depreciation in the value OF paper
%oney ss
were insufficiently compensated. The members OF
the Fourteenth Congress were elected during the
progress OF h0stties. II was sald that first class
business or professional men could make double
what was allowed by law, and that no competent
to pSo g.
himself and family on the stipend then allowed by
law II naa become usual to vote extra oompentsSa
incumDents OF several additional executive Offices
the creation oil which had become neces
ci salaries which were thought "' out Of
proportion to the compensation OF SenatOrs, Repre-
@ ana n Sa ne Of
appointed for the purpose, reported a bill chang
Ing the terms Of paying members which, from its
place the legislation Of tie nation in tie hands Of
the rlch-an argument put forward by Senator Car
ore him. AZ THIS time @ ooaTess hear
the close Of Its first session. and Colonel Johnson
recommended that. instead OF the 50 per day and
$1,000, and to the Speaker 5000. II was provided
however, in the bin reported that any member
S sa not or T. s tbs
close of the session, reduction was to be made
from the sum which would otherwise be allowed to
him, in proportion TO the time OF absence, except
in case Of sickness. The Salary bill Of 1873 does not
contain similar provision.
The bill passed without any serious opposition,
but there were indications on the part OF the peo
pie of the storm Of Indignation that was soon to
about $500 by this law The average length of the
sessions for series Of years had been before John
sons a 100 per ~ the 20 o t9
mileage being about the same In both cases, and
averaging about three hundred dollars to each
people in 1915 amounts to $4,000, as against
$500 900 increase under the law passed this year.
in ISIS Was Of course much rser
covering as It did two years. and being nearly one
and half million dollars, after deducting the mile
age that had already been paid to the members.
In the case Of the salary grab Of the Fourteenth
congress, Representatives got only one years back
frst session. In 1878 members voted themselves
two years. back pay The permanent debt Of the
country has as sa all yhs sse
obligations amounting to tens OF millions.
THE COUNTRY INDIGNANTLY PROTESTS.
During the debate on the bill Henry Clay ex.
pressed preference for an increase Of daily COM
ion to the Of fa tine a
In their decision; and Mr.. Calhoun expressed the
opinion, as Reverdy Johnson did at later day,
bound the Union together. There were many other
distinguished men in Congress at the time who.
scheme contaminated than an excitement ragged
throughout the country the IKE OF which was never
known before. People Of all classes and IN every
section Of the Union emphatcally protested against
It, The members who voted for the bill were de-
nounced, without exception, from one end Of the
in depressed condition and the people boiled
with indignation at seeing their Representa-
nS Rsse the 3na s into eas
own pockets. 1t was cOntended that
MEHBERs OF CONGRESS- SHOULD NOT MOTT BIB sALARIEp
Short robbers OF the Treasury. Plenty of compe.
tent persons 1t was said, could be found who would
Competition for seats in Congress- and 1t wei
known that many when elected were poor and at
the expiration oil their terms came home rich. II
members must purchase residences and keep up
establishments at Washington, become men
vi Visit samSng houses and other such psces
then their pay might not be equal to their
extravaganza, but the people would be best served
by allowing such persons to remain at home. IL
was said the Fourteenth Congress gave a bad
sample of what vain and avaricious men could do
plain talk of the people fifty six years ago. To all
this 1T was again answered that gentlemen, OF
talent who had OF their own to to to
leave 1t and transact the affairs OF the nation. A
respectable mechanic, It was said would not give
up his work for 1t, much less an extensive mer.
chant, manufacturer, practising lawyer. II
such would go to Congress 1t would be for other
considerations. The extra expense his position
balance for the support OF himself and family.
THE LAW OUGHT TO De REPEALED.
These arguments avail very little. Public meet
ings were held in various parts OF the United
States and resolutions cOndemnng the act were
most unanimous In denouncng the measure, which
was declared to be an abuse OF trust and passed
at time when the country was deep in debt and
pensation act was the theme OF popular songs and
Fourth OF July oratons, and there was hardly found
one Senator Carpenter or General Butler in the
land to stand up In its defence. The New York
Columbian, in July. 1915, observed that 1t had been
toasted until it was black and added 'This, at
be and Will he repealed"
THE LEGISLATURE OF VERMONT
IelJ DOuUu 'DclOTc we scpdIdtc eApresS our us
approval Of a late act of Congress raising the pay
OF It's members threefold It's former establishments,
and this when the public burthens hang heavily on
farming interests which are the nerve Of the coun-
try and when the frswns Of heaven hung dark
over our heads, threatening eur land with scarcity
and famine" In Rhode Island the Legislature
passed resolutions to the effect that the members
could not avoid expressing "the strong dissatisac-
ton which they feel at the late action OF Congress
in approprlatnQ salaries to themselves ont OF pub
lie moneys collected into the Treasury by course
ofburthensOme taxation, and which the people are
led to believe and had right to expect would be
strictly and prudently applied towards relieving
the country from the stu lncaculable expenses
caused by the late war" The more the subject
was discussed the greater became the whirlwind OF
public Indignation. But, in looking back at the re-
suit OF the congressional election that followed, the
moral OF the story can be best understood.
HENRY CLAY,
as stated, supported the measure. He was can.
didate for election. During the Campaign MS
democratic opponent Pope charged tnat the great
kentuckian had participated in the plumber OF the
Treasury and that extravaganza In living at
| Washington and the corrupt principles that were
being introduced at the capital were the causes Of
the breach OF aith, and that the confidence of the