New-York tribune., 1873-12-12
THE BACK-PAY DEBATE.

SPEECH BY SIR. STEPHENS IN OPPOSITION TO THE
RrPEAT-THE ABLEsr EFFORT YET MADE IN DE-
IENsE OF THE BACK-PhY GRAB-THE SPEAKER
LISTENED TO WITH UNUSUAL ArTES'rIoN-MR
GARFIELD EEPIIEs-rIE PREVIOUS QUESTION
MOVED AND NKGATIvI,D FURTHER ACTION
POSTPONED.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuHE.l
WASHINGTON, Dec 1.-THE notable feature OF the
debate on the Salary bill to-day the speech OF
Alex. II. Stephens of Georgia. The prominent posi-
tiOn OF Mr.. Stephens III the House and III national
politics before the war; his occupancy OF the second
Office in the Confederacy during the Rebellion, and
his return his old place in the National Legisa-
ture after If years absence with body wasted to an
extent almost phenomenal, but with intellect unIm-
paired combined to secure for him an attention
rarely accorded even to far more eloquent men. he
spoke for half an hour, standing behind his seat and
leaning upon his crutch on one side, while partly
supporting himself upon the other by placing his
hand upon "a desk. The peculiar effect produced by
bis feeble and emaciated form, and his sunken.
parchmcnt-like cheeks, and keen, dark eyes, was
heightened by his singular costume. Upon his head
he had black velvet skull-cap from under which
fell thin fringe of white hair. His hands were IN
cased in loosely-fttng gloves and he wore suit of
the blackest Of black clothes. His voice was sharp
quality, while at others, when apparently f.tigued
by exertiop it sank to lower tone, and
became with difficulty audible. The appearance of
this weird and unreal figure, amid the realistic sur
roundings of the House, actor in the common.
place drama of "legislation.o and in "A scene that
had more features of weariness than OF grandeur,
was an event of unusual interest. The members
thron ged around him, leaving the distant STATS to
congregate in dense masses where they could best
see and hear Some compared him afterward To n
picture Of an old Spanish "inqusitOr," and Others
saw resembances 10 Booths Richetteu IN has bearing
and gestures. All were profoundly Impressed
with the dramatic element in the scene.
Mr.. Stephens's speech by far the ablest de-
tense that has been made of the men who voted for
and took the back pay, and an advocacy OF large
salaries for all Government officers aud particularly
for members of Congress and high executive and
indical funetionaries. Those who were tdsposcd to
look upon Mr. Stephens the returning ghost of the
Rebellion and who expected some reference to the
events of the period that had elapsed since he left
Congress, were disappointed. 1t was obvious, by
the time be had spoken dozen sentences that ms
mind not meandering over the past, but was as
able To prapple with the ideas of the present that
Of the youngest member on the floor. He made not
the slightest reference to the Rebellion or TO hi old
ence he spoke of tho glory of the galaxy of States
in a way that sounded much like old time patriotic
elOquence
Condemning at first the attacks upon the clfarac-
ter of members for their past in the back kpay bus-
ness, Re drew pictures of the true and false dema-
gogues-the latter pandering to popular prejudices,
the other consulting the people, of them and with
them, feeling their pulse daily, but ready, like a
good physician. to administer o remedy in moments
of feverish excitement Every statesman was a
demagogue in the true sense OF the word. He held
that from moral point of view the members who
increased their salary and made the increase retro
active, had done no wrong there was no blot upon
them they had done what the Constitution gave
them the right TO do, and what had often been done
by great and wise men before.
Coming in the last part of his speech, TO the DIS
cussion of what salaries should be paid he SAID he
would have them much higher than hxed py the law
Of last year. The incentives to human exertlOn
were two-emolument and honor. The country
needed the best brains in Congress, and ought TO
pay AZ much AZ was paid for the best BRAIN
work elsewbere-as much ss the ablest law
yers, railway officers, merchants ana physi-
clans earn. Ten Thousand dollars year
no thought low enough for members OF the House,
and $4,000 for Senators. The President ought to
have $4,000 year; the Chef-Justice, $oo,oOc the
Associate Judges $4,000, and our Foreign Ministers
three times their present salaries. undef our pres
ent system, our Government was IN danger Oh DO
coming monstrosty, with its brain-power dwarfed.
Finally, he wanted to restore the Franking frivi-
lege an great fundamentally for enligbtening the
people.
When the old man finished two members helped
him to his chair and wrapped his cloak about MN
1t took some minutes for the Speaker to quiet the
buzz Of talk and the noise caused by the dispersion
of the dense throngs When silence was ~ ias. re-
stored, Mr. Garfield made short and eneet''e
speech in opposition to Mr.. Stephenss theory OF
high salaries Tie argued that the highest grade OF
brain power was never the best paid. Brain wos&
which was of marketable valne was not of the
greatest real worth. Lie inSstssisd bm sfs"-