, 1873-03-25
THE BALARY-GRAB.


salary bill ias provoked moro popular indigna-
tion than my other legislation ainco the Kansas
Nebraska bill twenty yoaraago. It meets with uni
yorsal dissent. 1ts retroactive operation stamps
it In tho popular judgment as deliberate
robbery. Fifty years ago, Congress- attempted n
like robbery, voting to tho members salary Of
81, 500 year. Tho public indignation WAS so
universal that tho people ut the next election
rejected noarly every momber who voted for or
received tho advanced pay, and the net was I'M
mediately repealed. The compensation Of
SO por day continued from that time
until q fow yoars ago, when 1t was
changed to $4,000 ycar. The Into Congress-
advanced 1t to s7,5o0, dating the advance two
years back, and also doubled tho SALARY Of tho
President, md 1argc1y Increased those Of tho
Cabinet. Tho roason. and tho only roason, giyon
for this act is, that mombors cannot afford to
1.-Two in Washington at e5. 0oD salary, and IN arer-
ago Of 81 1000 each additional for mileage. How
las 1t been in tho past? Henry Clay, John @.
Calhoun, Daniel Webster, Thomas II. Donton,
Edward Everett, John Davis, silas Wright,
James Buchanan, William Il. Seward, 1Iillard
Fillmore, Martin Yum Buron, Stephen a. Doug
las, LOWS Cass, George EynnB, Reyordy John
son, Rufus Cloato, Salmon P. Chase, and John
Quincy Adams, all Of whom Woro above personal
reproacl, NIL lived at Warrington, rccoiving no
othor componaation for their services in Con-
greas than So pos day, for IN average Of
150 days each year. None Of tleso atatesmon
found it impossible to 1.-Two at Washington. It
elected representative to Congress- should ront q
mansion at $4,000 yoar, and 1.-Two after tho
manner Of royalty. Thoso statcsmon lived
within reasonable limits. They did not giyo
weekly entertainments costing from $4,000 to
So, 600 oach, ind got tho society Of thoir ay was
Of as high standard, intellectually, morally,
and in every other souse, aa ut proaont. We ad-
nit that the cost Of living has advanced Binco
tho war, mud that comfortable board at Wasl-
ington now costa more per week than it did in
1860. But, ton yoars ago, Congress- incroaaod
tho salaries to $1,000, exclusive Of milcago,
being four times Oh great as 1t was in 1860.
In lig dofonae Of this recent robbery, Alr.
Banks olaimod that man elected to Congress-
should tako bis wifo and family with him to tho
Capital, and that he should DO pnid a sa1ary
equal to tile proper maintenance and support Of
that family; and there is tho true explanation of
the reason why mombors cannot live on their
e5, 900 and mileage. There ARa of late years
onterod Congress- clasa of Senators aud Repro
Mi fnr
las boon their great wealth; there hnR also on
torod Congress another class who havo done 30
to mako wealth by tho abuse Of tAoir station.
Those two olassos, accustomed all their
lives to comparative aooial obscurlty at homo,
hayo sought purchase distinction by display OF
thoirwealth, by their oxtravagaut entertainments,
their extravaganza in dresB, md their general
profuBonoBs Of expenditure. All those people
hayo purchased costly establishments, furnished
them In tho most oxtrayagant nlaunor, give en-
tertainnlents conspicuous for their costlinoss,
1naIntain their oarrlagoa aud livery, aud spond
moro n,onoy in ono Yoar for wine than would
maintain Aooro Of such Congressman aa Olay,
Benton, Calhoun, Everett and tho mon Of tho
anto-war period. Senators and Representatives
who can afford to pay $4,000 fora scat In Con-
gresa do not expect to live on 81, 600 yoar, Mrs
A, Mrs. D, and Mra. Q, tho wlvos Of Senators
aud Representatives, eonaidor themselves
lust az good socially as Airs. D, who
gives tAousand-dollar dinnors, aud Ayo
thousanl-dolar balls; and Mrs. a, D, and aro
not going to accept Invitations all tho year round
tho extrayagance begun by the vulgar riol, and
kopt up by tie men within tho bar who sell legls-
latlon, accept loans and bribes, il adopted by tho
whole Congressional oirclo. Mra. A, who las
dlnod aud 1auced at tho AousoB Of MI these rich