The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-10
Returning the Back Pay.

The w Washington correspondent OF the Ciu-
cinnati Gazette thus alludes to the list pre-
viously given of Congressman who have
returned sheir back pay under the salary grab,
explaining the phrase covering intothe Treas
.nryt" and giving some historical illustrations
on the su1ject:
| Several members of Congress in various parts
Of the coantry!are either questioning the accu-
racy of the lists lately printed in these dis
patches of those Congressman who have cov-
cred their back pay into the Treasury, or are
attempting to create the impression that be-
cause they have not actually drawn their money
it lis still IN the Treasury. The lists as already
published were yesterday carefully compared
again VITA the official record in the Treasury De-
partment, and found to be accurate They in
clude every member of either House who has
either opsnly or under injunction of secrecy, re-
turned his money to the Treasury, and made it
available for the use of the government; so
that, as printed, they show all who, up to June
10TH, have replaced their back pay in the
Treaaury in such shape that it is beyond their
control. The claim of many Senators and
members, that they have notified the dsbursing
officers of their respective houses that they
will not draw their back pay, simply amounts
to leaving the money where it can be drawn by
those members at any time; nor do such in
structions cause the back pay of those giving
them to remain in the Treasury. Congressmen
do bot themselves draw their pay from the
Treasury, and could not do so if they wished.
When the appropriation bill containing the
items of compensation and mileage goes into
effect, the entire sum appropriated becomes
subject to the acquisitions of the disbursing
officers cf the respective houses, and it is no
longer i'll the Treasury, and any member of
Congress can draw his part whenever he
chooses from the disbursing officers. No por.
Ition of The pay due any member can be placed
beyond his control, except by his drawing it,
and having it,covered again into the Treasury,
in which case it is NO longer subject to the
action Of the appropriation bills or disbursing
officers warrants, but becomes again available
for the general purposes of the government, =.
Some of the members are claiming that if
lapse into the Treasury as unexpended bal
aices. This is not the case, as, under the law
as construed at the department, the certificates
of amounts due each Senator, Representative
or Delegate, which the President of the Senate
and Speaker of the House are obliged to make
out, are held to be conclusive upon all depart
ments snd officers of the government, and the
certificates are passed as public accounts, and
the money can be drawn upon them by the
Congressman, their heirs or executors, at any
subsequent time.
The books of the Treasury Department show
that Thomas Benton drew his back pay and
constructive mileage five years after he had de-
nouncel the bill providing it as public rob-
berry, and notified the disbursing officer that he
would not take it.
.The books also show that Andrew Johnson
drew fer mileage he had refused, and the re-
ceiving of which he had denounced on the
stump, after he had left Congress, served as
Governor of Tennessee, and afterward been re-
turned as member Of another Congress.
Inc BOOKS also show that Robert j. Walker,
after the close of the late war, drew sum due
for constructive mileage for attending the first
special session of the Senate under Polks ad.
mainistration, which at the time he had refused
to take from the dsbursing officer.