Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-04-18
The DELAwARE GAZETTE, established 1874
From the baltimore Evcnius News. Of yesterday.
SENATOR BAYARD OF DELAWARE,
MS HACK PAY RETURNED.
ruuv m rorpn IrfAts TIE pTTT
WHY he VOTED FOR THE BILL.

Senator Bayard, OF Delaware, this morning
transmitted to Secretary Richardson, $50 so th'
amount of his back pay. Senator Bayard says
ence to whom this bill was referred, endeavoT.
ed unavailingly 10 have this feature OF retroactive
increased pay stricken out had then the alter.
native of voting - defeat one Of the necessary ex-
penses OF the government, because OF this object
lonabls feature and as consequence to make an
extra session Of Congress immediatOly necessary
the cost of which would alone have exceeded the
amount Of this back pay and which for other rea-
sons deemed prejudicial to tho public interests,
and therefore preferred the bill should pass. 1t
was my undoubted legal right to receive this back
pay, and it rests solely IN my own discretion
whsther to retain it. MY hesitency on the ques-
tion has chiefly arisen from an Willingness, even
possibly to seem to reflect in refusing TO keep this
money upon those of my fellow-members who
hOnorably and cOnseentiensly tdke different
view of the matter. tf
We have not the slightest doabt that the con-
-stituents of Senator BAYARD viii approve and COM
mend his course in returning the "back pay" 10
the Treasury Of the United States. We have ne7.
or heard an act passed by Congress so universally
condemned by the people If these gentlemen can
legally pass sueh an act this why can they mot
open any account aud double the paye The peo-
pie are becoming to understand that there is no
power to restrain a corrupt Congress with will
ing Executive at Its head. The veto is tho only
saving resort; but who expected Grant to veto the
bill raising his salary to $4,000? Nobody did
He had shown to the world that he was ready to
receive all the gifts that oOuld be got; and when
they were stopped, and such as Leek and Stock
ing exposed, with whom inferentiAl charges are
made Of his too close alliance he set about getting
a cool hundred thousand out Of the peoples trea-
sury.
There is no restraining force except virtue and
moral uprightness to prevent Congress from re-
doubling their pay But the act Of passing a bill
for back pay is simply monstrOus. We doubt
whether Grant will ever return the extra $4,000
which was voted him, it was said. as a mistake
He viii doubtless now infer that as the members
Of Congress voted themselves back pay, they also
intended 70 vote him S25,oOO back pay, in adj
ditiOn to the $4,000 salary. 1t may be said what
ever Congress does in such cases is legal, because
It is giVen supreme power over its own actions 80
long a. there is executive cooperation And il has
only to 30 little further to show, that 50 far as
the principle is involved, it may extend the terms
Of its memben a. readily. All that 10 necessary
Is to make it party measure and secure the CO.
operation Of the Executive. With the army and
navy under his control. surrounded by officers, the
amount of whose pay depending upon the action
OF the same body, where would the people find a
remedy. The voice of the people must be hoard
IN checking the career that Congress is taking to-
ward despOtism, and that soon, or it may be TOO
late to prevent, what seems at some day inevita-
BILE, the lOss Of their Liberty, or its retention in
mere forns that may be disposed Of at the will Of
any corrupt body Of men that may be assembled
under the name Of a Congress.