The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-08-29
In the Senate it was as follows:
SENATE.

COuIlefn senators hlil 2b
Northern Senators for the bill il............ 10
southern Senators against the bill ............
Northern Senators against the bill ............ "a
In the House of Representatives
as follows:
HOUSE.
Republican Representatives for the bill . 50
Republican Representatives against the bill -. 62
Democratic Representatives for the bill -,-..... so
Democratic Representatives against the bill 80. SO
Outgoing members, d. and r., for the bill. -. IS
Southern Republicans for the bill ............ "a
Southern Democrats for the bill 80
The united vote of both houses
was:
Republican membess and Senators for tile bill. 20
Rep. members and Senators againts the bill -. SO
democratic members and Senators for the bill l.. So
Dem. members and Senators agaitst the bill -. SO
Outgoing Senators and members for the bill.... IS
Southern Senators and members for the bill..-. so
1t will be noticed that a large pro-
portion of the affirmative vote came
from the South, and that the per
centage of Democrats was very
much larger than that of Republi-
cans. Out Of the Ohio delegation
three out of six Democrats in the
House were in favor Of the bill while
only three out of thirteen Republi-
cans voted for it, and one of these
vigorously opposed 1t until the last
moment, and only voted for it then
to save the appropriation bill to
which it was attached, and for which
he was responsible. Not q single
Democratic member of the House
from Ohio, has covered his back
pay into the Treasury, while very
considerable number Of the Repub-
lican members have already done so.
DEMOCRATIC TESTIMONY.
Judge Van Taump, as you all know
an able and conspicions Democratic
member of Congress from this State,
in a letter to his constituents ex-
planning his action on the salary bill
says:
81 had voted steadily and uniform
ly againgt the measure, without hes
itation or shadow of turning, az
though a majority ofnay party voted
the other aeag."
"And yet as applied to the salary
question alone, / do not speak of it
as party capital. AS a party ques-
ton il remains at rest; majority of
the Democrats, ifthe southern mem
bers can be classed as strict Demo
Gratis, voted for it; without their aid |
coupled with the northern Democrats
who united with them, it could not |
have been carried"
In describing the manner of TAX
ing one of the test votes, Judge Van
Trump ontinues:
"ThIc vote was taken amidst the
widest excitement in the House. It |
was manifest from the way in which |
the vote was running, that the con
test would be q close one. After
the voting was closed and the names
were being slowly read at the desk
by the reading clerk, it was ascertain
ed that the question was lost by
three or four majority. Then com
menced a most ludicrous scene.
Five or six members sprang to their
feet and changed their votes from
the negative to the affirmative, thus
turning the majority to two on the
other side, and I am sorry to say
that the majority of those changing
votes came from the democratic side
of the House"
Then follows the distinguished
gentleman's views of the morality of
the whole business, after which he
proceeded to draw his backpay with
the rest:
81 felt high and controlling sense
of duty in whatever 1 did from its
inception to its close. l could not
bring myself to feel it to be consist
ent either with propriety or duty, at
the very close of a term Of Congress
of two years, by nay o,on vote, to
put money in my purse, against the
will of my constituents. There was
perhaps no man in Congress who
needed money more than 1 did. but
have not yet come to the conclu-
sion to abandon the consoling idea
that there yet remains in this world
of ours, bad as it is, something which
is still better than money, an approx
ing conscience and sense of duty
honestly performed"
I refer to these facts and figures
not for the purpose of defending or
in the slightest degree
those Republicans who, by their in
1uence and votes, promoted the back
salary iniquity, but only to show
hat it does not lie in the mouths of
Democrats to make party capital out
Of ii. All members of both parties
who voted for the bill will be held
Individually responsible for their
lets by the people. Neither polite
Il party is responsible, so long as it
and condemns the scan
lelous proceeding. The prospective I
Notwithstanding the time
vas inopportune, would probably
rave been borne by the people, but
connected as it was by the back
Jay provision, the whole transaction
S tainted, and the Conventions very
demand the repeal of the
7hole bill. 1