The sun., 1873-11-11
Reform OF the Republican rarty.

We record with sincere cruunoation the
fact that the most Important journal OF
the Republican party, the NcH YORK Times,
mot only appreciates the necessity of re
form within the party, hW ha, energetic
nliy commenced the wprl, OF pointing out
the precise nature md scope Of the nds-
pensable measures. The following extract
h taken from the fhn,5 OF yesterday:
1--WE frequently legged the Senators and Rep-
Tcscuta,Nr- g. ar. ly themselves to piaeti, u
husinc--. hut ilc.riy practical measure which
the people yiyiih lis the olious back-paN
bill II may be- .,li t!,,t it T. unjust 70 Congress
thus 10 single out nu unpopular measure, and
tale It as the teprc-, tive work u the session.
Iav iii tuith,d thrir i.tcrc,ts vefy closely. and
was certain 70 Provoke fc-c cutment and indigna-
ton Why the Republicans who voted Tor Ii
and defended 1t never fJresaw these cou~e-
quenccs, ha. alwaNs been mNrtery To- us. This
was one n the c1sc- in which the party Journals
proved themselves much WI eT thAn the party
leaders.
We hope that the Times will go on 20 in
ti~t upon the full repeal of thi, odious bill,
not merely So far IA, II Affects the salary Of
members OF Congress, but the salary Of the
President also. Certainly, considering
how bad the hll j., and how thoroughly
the responsibility Tor II rests on the Rcpub-
hran party, there i no measure which can
lie more impcrativoly required by prudent
regard for the future II is true that the
members of Congress who have taken the
back pay cannot be compelled to di~gorGc
Il; neither, We suppose, can the President
bc expected to Surrender that part OF his
present years salary which he has already
drawn AT the Increased rate; but he can be
prevented from drawing that increase
hereafter, ma-much u the constitutional
provision against the reduction of the
Presidents pay during his period of office
does not apply in this case.
The clau.c of the hack-pay lin giving
the Prcsid, at S-nn00 a year is inserted in
the iiI~t part II tle act, among the appro-
prHtion~ for the legislative department:
while in the latter part Of the b!ll there j.
another clause giving him the old salary
of t2jo0Oaycar only. There is then COM
ilict between THESE two parts of the hIll;
and thus iIc attempt 10 raise the Prcsi-
dents pay, which is one of the most odious
features of the whole affair iu the eyes
of the reuplc. i> coutradictyd and nullihcl
by the bill itself. II the pay had been
clearly AMI positively mi cd without any
such contradiction, the increased rate
would OF course have 10 he retained until
the end OF the Presidents period Of once ;
but as the bill also provides that the pay
shall be $4,000 year, il IS evident, TO say
the least, that the que tion is left in an un-
settled state But more than this when
there Is such "A conflict IN "A law. the rule
Of Interpretation is that the latter clause
ihall be taken is expressing the final will
of the legislature; ana according to this
rule the President l. not entitled under
this law 10 draw any more shan 50 600 "A
year. II is, therefore clearly necessary
that Congress should pass a new act sell
fling This conflict and removing all doubt
upon the subject; and il is equally clear
that this explanatory act ought TO con-
tlnue the salary at the Old rate Of 81, 600 "A
year only.
We make this suggestion in the interest
of the Republican party ana Of ts future
revival; and We trust that II may De
adopted, and that the views which we
have set forth may be advocated by its
journals and statesmen generally.