New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-05
A THIEVISH CONGRESS.

A THIEVISH CONGKESS.
The table which we print this morning has
an eloduence of its own beyond any power OF
words to highteD. The back-pay outrage is
now five months old. 1t has received the
unanimous denuneiation of the press. 1t has
been singled out by State conventions and by
county meetings for severe and energetic
reprobatiOn. No one has risen to defend 1T
except one OF two of the most audacious OF
the men who carry the plumber in their
pockets. The country has rarely ever been so
united in feeling and expression in regard to
any public question. 1t is everywhere agreed,
where two or three men meet and talk poll
tics, or where a larger number come together
to take action in political affairs, that this
performance of the majority of Congress was
low and thieyish and that every man who
profted by it stole $4,000 of money to which
he had no claim but his own vote. 1t is one
of those acts which are as disreputable
as they are dishOnest-as bad in taste as In
morals Yet look at our table and note the
result. This storm of public indignation has
been blowing for months, and the Congress
men still cling tightly to their plumber. About
one in ten of the members of the House of
Representatives, and about one in five of the
Senators, have been led by conscience or
driven by shame, or induced by considerations
of policy, to return to the Treasury the money
of which it was robbed by the Salary bill.
This is certainly not q cheering exhibit
yet it should surprise no one. Of course the
majority voted for the robbery, and in COM
mon consistency they must take the fruits OF
it, Many who had cunning enough to vote
against it secretly desired its passage, and
ayailed themselves of the votes of their more
cynical colleagues to handle the cash. The
men who voted against the outrage are there
fore greatly in excess of those who have
refused to profit by it. They have plenty
of sneaking arguments to justify this
meanness Some say it would be the act of
demagogue to give the money back; some
pretend it would be reflection on their
friends; some think they need the money
more than the Government; some have begun
hauling sand for their new houses. But at
the bottom of every mans heart who takes
this stolen cash is the thought that people are
not in earnest in condemning it. that the dam
age to their character is not $4,000 worth. The
moral tone of the political class to which these
Back Pay Congressman belong has, by slow gra-
dations, fallen so low that they refuse to believe
in the existence of q conscientious scruple
in which they do not share. They persuade
themselves that the public criticism this act
has met with is as conventional and theatrical
as their own professions of patriotism and
honesty upon the stump. 1t certainly is annoy
ing while it lasts. But they think it will not
last long This is dull season in politics,
they say, and the newspapers must have some
thing to talk about. They will keep their
money, and defy "the other side" as they
persist in calling their critics, to make $1,000
of capital out of it.
But this is no question of political capital.
No party or faction, no State or section can
carry this miserable business into partisan fight
and try to make slogan of what is too gen.
eral shame. Republicans and Democrats and
Liberals are all stained alike with the same un
cleanness. The frugal Highlander and the
liberal Westerner have yielded to the same
temptation. There are bankrupts and million
aires on the same list Of course, the more
prominent part in the swindle was taken by the
Republican leaders of both Houses, and it is
upon them that the heaviest responsibility must
fall. But the Democrats with equal greedi-
ness aided with their votes and shared in the
plumber, and even the little band of Liberals
furnished their full contingent 10 the grab
bers. 1t is disgrace to the party under
whose rule it was accomplished, and dis
grace no less to the opposition which permit
ted and abetted, and divided the spOils. 1t
is a symptom of grave general disease
which cannot be localized. We shall make
great mistake if we content ourselves by pun
ishing a few scapegoats. In Massachusetts,
most respectable body of gentlemen make
of this outrageous theft their principal indict-
ment against the reckless politician who car
red it through Congress. But while they de-
nounce him, they have only praises for the
President, by whose signature this fraud be-
came law, and who profted by that dishonest
legislation ten times as much as any Congress
man. We shall draw no wholesome moral
we shall take no effective warning from
this lamentable occurrence. if we try
to use it to fatter our own preju-
diees. 1t is incumbent upon every citizen
to mark bis disapproval of the men who COM
mtted this larceny at whatever cost of per-
sOnal or political feeling. 1t is only when
the mass of voters rise above party, and show
that they consider common honesty i'll public
affairs more important matter than party
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