Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-09-27
ABOUT g BACK PAM

ASSuCS, ttt ANNONSNfhS bPOh
which the people arc a unit, or in con-
demning these which are already subject
to universal condemnation. There are
some poiRts of Governmental policy upon
which all parties are agreed, and no good
can evolve by bringing these points before
the people, and in endeavoring to cou-
vince them that they are justified in re-
tanning the opinions which they have al
ready formed, and which are not sub
ject of dispute in the minds of any one.
Such point is that which is sought to be
made against the Republican party in the
coming Judicial election, by resolutions
relating to the "Salary Grab" or "Back
Pay Steal" The press and political con-
ventions of both parties, throughout the
entire country, have, with great unanim-
ity declared against the legislation by the
late Congress, increasing the salary of its
members, and making the increase retro
active. There is no diversity of opinion
among our people upon the injustice of
such legislation to the country, and with
the general election of the Sd inst, all
harping on political questions could have
been safely dropped until the time for
legislative action arrived.
The late Republican State judicial con-
vention recognized the fact that political
questions are no longer before the people,
and wisely declined passing any resolu-
tions of political character. This, as
we'll as IFS entire proceedings, in all re-
spects, was distasteiul to the would be
Thunderer, the Sacramento Union, and
the omission of any resolutions was point
edly alluded to in the next issue of that
/ harpng sheet. The Democratic Conven-
tion, which assembled Immediately after
/ bowed to the behests of the Union, and
although that convention, like that of the
Republican, was convened for the purpose
of nominating purely judicial officers, it
passed string Of resolutions Of the clap
trap order, in the hope probably, that a
"platform" would add strength to their
nominees before the peoplc> Among
these resolutions is one directed at the
Back Pay" legislation, apd the design
is apparent in this, as in the other resolu-
tions, to make little party capital by
striking in with the known current Of
public sentiment. We therefore propose
to analyze the vote on the now somewhat
celebrated SALARY Grab,' and ascertain
the relative vote on its passage.
The party in power is usually held re-
sponsible for any abuses which creep into
legislation and, generally speaking, it is
fair that this should be the case. But in
the present instance we hold to the re-
verse. That this measure, now by COM
mon consent deemed inlquitous, disgraces
the statute books Of the nation, is due to
the fact that the strength of the Demo-
cratic party, in both houses of Congress
was arrayed on the side of the swindle
Had the measure depended upon the sup
port of the Republican members of Con-
gress, it would have fallen to the ground.
In the Senate, the bill was passed by a
vote of "a to q. OF the majority, 81
were Republicans and 13 Democrats.
OF the p who voted against the measure
2l were Republicans and 6 Democrats.
In the House, the Democrats made n
worse showing than in the Senate. The
bill was carried by vote of 1O2 to 05.
OF those voting for the bill 50 were Re-
publicans and so democrats; while the
95 votes against the iniquity showed 81
Republicans and 33 Democrats. The
com bined vote of the Senators and Rep
resentatives upon the bill shows that u
majority of s Republican Senators and
Representatives voted against the bill
while majority of "a of the Democratic
Senators and Representatives voted in its
/ favor.
We submit then, in view of the above
figures, that any attempt to make party
capital for the Democracy out of the
"Salary Grab" will be impotent; that it
does not become them as a party to make
this charge. Nor do we refer to these
votes, which show that large majority
of the Democrats in both houses were
salary grabbers, by way OF justification of
the Republicans who were among its
supporters. But we say that the Repub-
licans as party, are not responsible for
the passage Of the bill, and that any at
tempt to make party capital of the fact
that it became law under Republican
administration is an unfair one that the
fair minded men of all parties are opposed
to the law and demand its repeal and
that all who voted for it, whether Dem
ocrats or Republ Leans, will be held indi-
vidually responsible and placed under
the ban Of public ostracislp to ell future
time,
OPPOSED TO EXToRTIoN.-The Sacra-