The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-07-31

necessary 10 refer 10 -I1e principles lald
down in the speech of Matt Carpenter,
published in the Gazette. If the princi-
pies and facts which he states are true,
then this republic has not many years to
live, at most but two or three genera
tions. You might rs well expect an AL
! derman, who dimes on turtle soup and
I brandy, to live to old age, as O republic
whose frugality and economy are scorned
and the vices of Europe are initiated
Mr.. Carpenter boldly lays down the
principle, that whatever may be the
highest style of }aLraay and ertraudqalcs in
the country, that a member of Congress
is entitled to This he says when he
claims that a member of Congress must
have s., 800 per annuml Not more than
one in five hundred of the respectable
business men of this country, or even
men of wealth, have any such income
The following is something like fair
average of incomes in this country:
\ laborer, $3.50
Clergymen and country doctors, 81 ,000
Average lawyers, s., 800.
Literary men and officers of banks,
from s., 900 to So, 800.
Eminent lawyers large merchants, and
men of wealth, ST 900 to $4,000
These are rather too high than too low.
There are over three hundred lawyers
at the bar of Cincinnati, and they do not
average 50 500 apiece, and the Presbyter-
ian clergymen average only $500 We
state these facts just to show where Mr..
Carpenters principle leads to. He de
mands that members of Congress, two
thirds of whom are the most common
place, half educated sort of men, and
half of whom strive to go to Congress
only for the salary, shall be salaries
which shall enable them to lee IN the
highest style Of ltrUTy and ertraUagance. Two
things are the consequences Of this. lst.
The government (Congress) sets an eX-
ample to the whole nation of frivolous,
luxurious, extravagant living. I'd. The
poor laborers, the clergy, the literary
men, and the great body of business men
mechanics, storekeepers, and farmers
are taxed on their small incomes got by
the labor of their hands and heads, to
pay enormous salaries to such men as
Carpenter, Cameron, Sumner Conkling,
and fifty others who are already reveling
in all the luxuPies of the landl If the
spirits of the dead could revisit the Hv
ing what would the shades of jeremiah
Morrow, Nathaniel Macon, and Thomas
Jefferson say to this bold, reckless, and
unprincipled desertion and defiance of
all republican principles? The sin of
Congress was not merely that it had the
unparalleled effrontery to vote itself a
new salary and double it for the future.
1t was worse than that 1t was striking
a blow at the first principles of republi-
can government. The act was infamous
ly bad The principle was worse. But
Mr.. Matt Carpenter has the audacity to
bring up another matter for which we
are thankful, for it needs airing. He
says that by the accident Of being law
yer he can afford to live at Washington,
for he got 3d. 900 retaining fee before
he opened his mouth Let US ask any
honest man-let it be Carpenter Gf he
thinks he is one)-whether the people
have sent members of Congress to Wash
ington and give them high salaries for
the purpose of practicing law there?
Does he think it honest that he should
20 to Washingto as the Senator of the
State Of Wisconsin, receiving more salary
than any but a few dozen men in Wis
consin have Incomes, TO leave his busi-
ness in Congress and practice law before
the Supreme Court? Is that what he
was sent to Washington for? Mr.. Car
penter has lived SO long in the atmosphere
of lobbies and courts, and schemers and
gpecplators, with the Ameses and But
lers, that-he has forgotten the first prin-
ciples of morals
Mr.. Carpenter may cite the usage of
many members Of Congress-even Daniel
Webster = but neither usage nor num-
bers can make public robbery just. A
farmer goes to Congress with Mr.. Car
Pentpp, lie can't piGw tbs atFeets of
Washington or pursue his vocation. But
Mr.. c. can leave the halls OF Congress to
argue case before the Supreme Court
and get 1000 for it. Is this fair? Is it
honest that one member of Congress
should be allowed to practice his profess
ion at the expense Of the government
when another can not Let the people
laolS to these things before this country
becomes as corrupt as pagan Rome.
E. D. NJ.
Yamoydep, July "A.