Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-05-16
our Warrington Letter,


You have but stated the plain truth IN say
ing that to call any Congressman to sharp
account for voting for the increase OF pay,
for accepting it when voted, and for dis
posing Of it after acceptance, Is piece OF
impudent injustice The right Of Congress
to fix its own pay Is 50 clearly constltu-
tional endowment that there need be no
argument on that point; and yet the
ignorant " popular impression, 80 called,
seems to be that these men have violated a
sort Of compac; or contract lately entered
into. TO always serve the nation for exactly
the same pay they found attached to the
Office when first elected. Suppose, for the
sake Of argument. that Congress had exe-
cis,l their clear. constitutional right, and
voted to re9ace the pay, a. excessive, TO
-. 900. or 81 600. could Congressman
elected when the pay was 5000 be re
rnrded As n sane man if he stamped ana
sw,re and pleaded violation of contract
and compact. and called the reduction
steal and a robbery, A. some yirtuous
fellows stvle the late increase OF pay? Now,
Mr. Editor. | agree with you that the only
n,ipt 10 he argued i Was the increase OF
nav voted. in point of fact excessive? l
d,n't think it was. and what Is more, if l
remember right. Senator Morrill,, who has
given his pay TO the Treasury Of the State
of Vermont. a generous and rightinl dis
po.ition of money honorably his, admitted
in the Senate that the increase was not
exorbitant-nay. more. was not really AIDE
ouatc. and he disapproyed Of it principally
ON the ground that the people would not
ike it: and in my opinion, his pay has gone
into the State Treasury not because he
de,.u,s it unworthily or disreputably come
hy, hut because lie thinks the people would
like it 1.-THE pay); they didn't want 1t
VISITED. but if voted would like 1t IN their
Treasury: " don't 90 a fishing, but if you
do. always bring home the fish. Now
Mr. Morrill, Is entitled to thanks for his
generosity in giving the State very con-
siderable sum of money that Of course he
cannot but consider honorably and right
fully his; and yet l cannot see why any
other Congressman, the country over. who
cannot afford or may not choose TO present
his State with his pay, should be subject to
any animadversion or unfavorable COM
parison. For my part, l admire any Con-
gresham, if he cannot afford to give
- largesses' to his State, who has the good
sense to devote this timely increase to the
comfort of the family that he has, in all
probability, been living in a state Of IN
natural and injurious separation from
during the session, because of the niggardly
nav hitherto awarded him. Mr. Morrill,
drew his, and placed it where he thought It
would do the most good the Congressman
who drew his and put it in his pocket may
not be - generous to = fault, may need 1t
for himself and family. and in either event
is not justly open 10 criticism, for even
if he could afford to be generous, any
honest use of it would be entirely just.
In point of fact s., 900 a year was about
half what the pay ola Congressman should
have been. respectfully submit that in
fixing their pay You have no business to as
sumo that the average Congressman Is
childless, wifeless, or rich in his own right,
and vet the meanness of their former pay
could only be justified on this absurd sup
position. 4 Congressman ought to be
paid enough to surround himself with those
best restraints ofreckles. conduct and eviiim
pulses. his wife and children, and to support
them in 8 style of comfort and decency con-
sonant with the dignity of the position, ITS
natural associations and unavoidable obi
cations, and not be compelled to leave the
angels Of his house" at home because he
cannot bring them with him, and live other
than as Crackers and cheese Congress
mana state irksome to himself and morti-
flying to his family, since they are compelled
often to accept hospitality private citizen
would not be offered, and could easily de-
cline Those who have no aspiration
beyond desire to multiply their opportu-
mites to eat, to drink and to sleep, do not
and cannot understand that a Congressman
must sometimes avail himself Of his honor
able social opportunities that legitimately
add to his influence, and yet entail consid-
cradle expense. | do not mean those fash
ionable follies practised by those who are
at once rich and extravagant. but those
simple, quiet social appearances among
friends Of their own standing that every
man of family was accustomed to enjoy as
4 yirtuous and elevating recreation, in the
quiet of his country home in some peaceful |
New England or Western village. Board |
and rooms that are not more than ''reSpec-
table" in a decent neighborhood, with |
not the slightest pretension to elegance, |
will cost Congressman and wife, who are
sternly anxious to be strictly economical, |
from $40 to $50 4 week. This Is simply |
board and rooms for two persons. Now add
to this the expenses Of clothes, of children.
il they have them, of returning occasional
Of attention to the numerous
personal and political friends among their
constituents. who are always represented in
he ranks OF visitors during the session, and
10 Congressman witha wife and family even
( he lives temporarily and uprightly, can
i've without the smallest kind of scrimping
N much les than O,O00 a year Were
hey all paid at this rate the members would
II be the better, morally, for the extinction
# any further excuse for isolation from
heir families during long session. and
here would be fewer instances Of young.
right, ambitious men getting gradually
mastered by the seducing circumstances Of
heir position. trying to exc out their
lender salaries with speculative steals, and
nally catching and dying of Credit
iobilier, or some equally contagious and
a;al form Of political "epizoo."
And here am reminded Of another class
r. men that are far more inconsiderately
nd uluS:ly treated. | mean that large
la>s Of men you find the country over in
'osition- of severely trying posts. monetary
nd other important responsibility, that
ct wages not greatly in excess of those
wardei to a dull hind whose coarse, IN
killed labor calls for the presence Of no
more moral or mental qualities than reside
"a steam shovel, and yet the world won
Ter when, under terrible temptation, men
'"' Young in lie experience to appreciate
''c csiaiiiIis al io>; reputation. of vanished
'ea e 81 mind, ill-raid in tie heart Of great
itieS, where. after the hum Of labor is ,
ieSi'ed, tie air isvOealwith the siren songs
u n'th Nirtuocs recreations and base de-
ights, are sometimes found false to their ,
rust The world often wonders when If 1t
would only think more it would wonder
ess. A man 'spay should be reasonably COM
with the rare qualities of charac-
er he is expected to exhibit. With some
hing more than a mere pittance. to saer;-
tr.ua L. L |