New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-06-29

had twice as much taxable property as
Georgia with l.00t,0 900 inhabitants, Rhode
Island should haC twice the representa-
ton in the Senate that Georgia had. In
this he was defeated. II was determined
that the Senate should represent States.
He then made his stand upon the PROPOSE
ton that Senators should receive no COM
pensation. because he said, il no compeH-
sation was paid to Senators, only rich men
could 81. in the Senate. ana that none Others
ought to SIT there. No one doubted the cor
rectness OF his ressonin. ia regard 20 the
effect 70 be pcodlcet by paying nc com
peasatiGn - SelaDTs. Cut he was defeated
because TIE convection did not entertain
his belief that the Senate ought 70 te filed
with only RIGA MC. Ia other words. 10
one questioned that the means he proposed
would produce the end he desired. but the
majority did not G6slrc t" pcOui!ce. that end.
And any one who will examine those
discussions, c. consider the subject
philosophcai!y. will find that the
question OK compensation. or some
thing less than compensation, Tor
public service goes ~ the very root of the
distinction between monarchy and repuo-
iicanism. II the PEOPLE OF this country de-
sire to govern themselves. desire that the
laws should be male and administered in
the interest OF he people and not in the in
teres. OF capital. they must pay the eX-
pense Of government. When they get tired
of governing. the capital Of the country
will take the .bb 1T their hands. and adj
minister the government with0u. any COM
pensation whaevG.
Turn to the British government. The
theory upon wlichit rests IS mat the peo-
pie ought to have no voice in making the
laws; thai prG,er- should govern. How
do they secure this They pay no salary
to member Of Parliament. What IS the
consequence II. House Of Commons is
the riches. boiy 4 men in England. A
poor man might GET the votes: but while he
was sitting i'll Parliament his family would
starve: therefore lie abandons the field to
the rich, who can afford il. What is the re-
suit : There i! net a government ON earth
which makes slch DETERMINATIONS III favor
OF the rich: IDt government on earth 50
prOdigai OF expenses. nor one which lays
its hand SO heavily upon the poor. Capital
is protected AMI LABOR taxed withou. a par
aliel in any otter government The means
adopted are culnilsly devised to secure the
end desired-tie exclusion of the poor from
all participation in making the laws.
But there isOneGepartment OF the Brit
ish monarchy vhee the theory is exactly
the reverse: tlat Is. the judicial depart
ment. To the credit of John Bull. be it
SAID. tina: Will, ht maintains that only the
rich should have yoice in making the law,
yet be admits that the rich and the poor
alike should be subject to the law after it
is made. Thentor a nobleman who COM
mits murder is as likely to swing for it as a
laborer. And how is this impartiaIity be-
tween the rick ana poor secured! By the
exact reverse Of tie practice in regard 10
Parliament From Parliament poor men
are excluded iy tib refusal Of government
to pay salaries but the bench is left open
to rich and poor alike, and made equally
accessible to 10Th by the payment OF SO
high a salary to tlp judge as to abolish all
distinctions between the rich and poor. II
is estimated that rich nobleman would
spend $4,000 a year as Chief Justice of
England. Tlerefre England pays her
Chief Justice $1,000 year, and her other
judges in proportion, with pensions upon
retiring. And heIce the poorest man in
England can sit IN the bench. and SO the
law is administered impartially between
the rich and poor.
am TO adnirer of the British govern
menr. but with all her injustice. with her
oppression of Irel:nd, and the blood that
stains her garments in India and her other
possessions. vet toher glory it must be said
that in no other naion on earth is the law,
after Il Is maize, 8 impartlaliy applied to
all classes OF slciet as IN England Wealth
and influence. ev'n noble blood. give no
immunity to c:imein a British court. The
rich and the Door the nObieman and the
peasant. prince the blood and a scav-
enger o! London stand on perfect level at
the bar OF Justice il a British court.
In America. the theory is that the rich
and the poor shOuu be on leve! in max
ing as well as administering the Ia VS.. and
I'd n,,Yo <ar
the government concerned. And the
fathers in framing the constitution, took
good care to secure this end by providing
as follows: 1.-The Snators and Representa-
tives shall received compensation FOR their
services, to be ascetained by law. and paid
out of the treasury of the United States"
Mark the significant and emphatic language
of the constitution 1t is not provided that
the Congress shall have power to fix the
rate OF compensation. nor that Congress
may, by law, determine what compensation
the Senators and members shall be entitled
to receive. but thelanguae,e Is: "The Sena.
tors and Representatives shall receive a
COMPENSATION Tor ,neir services. to he as
certained by law. aud paid out OF the treas
urv OF the United States" Suppose con-
sniracv 20 be enter.d into tomorrow among
the mili;onaires of the Senate-Sprague, OF
Rhode Island; Yah Chandler and Ferry.
OF Michigan: Frelilghuvsen, of New Jersey;
Hamilton. OF MARYLAND; Jones. o. Nevada,
and others, not to pce!vc any compensation
fO- their services. and not 70 associate with
or recognize as Gentlemen those who should
receive any such compensation. Can there
re g doubt that such an aristocratical com
hination to chang the character of the
Senate, and force ,oO- men out CT its seats.
would be direct and onen violation of the
constitution. which expressly provides that
Senators '.shGN recicc" the compensation
w!.ici. is fixed by law. The tendency, Of
late, has been to fiji the Selate with men of
wealth. And vhel their numbers shall be
increased, a combination between them,
like that supposed, might produce practi-
cal revolution OF he government, and Gs-
tablish a conGitiO. O.. Otiicia. life which
would fuake it 81 uncomfortable for poor
men to hold seats in the Senate, that they
would decline to d, so. and give the Senate
over to the milliOniires of the country. |
acGuit the Honorable gentlemen named of
any such intention st present. Bnt i. is
worthy Of notice, that with the exception
of Simon Cameron not rich man in the
Senate voted for tie increase OF pay; and
believe that :ne ni!lionaires OF the Senate
today would. rejoice to sea provision en-.
grated upon the constitution that no Sene.
tor should receive any compensation what
ever.
1t was said by a 'agacious man that if he
could write the stngs OF a people he did
not care who might make their laws. The
laws would have - conform to the songs.
II is SO with the distinctions which social
life may establish. The constitution qua
rantees to every N)rtbern man the right TO
emigrate to and reside in the South. But
social ostracsm makes this legal RICH,
worthless. So combination of wealthy
men in Congress. specially It they should
constitute majohty, u..ghs create a des-
po.;sm under which poor men could not
live. which would practically result in Civ
ing the government in1o the hands ei the
rich. Indeed none but poor men are inter
ested in keeping salaries up to the point OF
The sich do not desire
salaries. If sa,arts were wholly abolished
only the rich could participate IN the gov
and this -iIa rich wOyll rejoice a I