Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-07-22
GEN. WASHINGTON'S COACH.
AND-SIK.
BY JAMES PARTON.

No, Gentleman of the House Of Rep
resentatives President Washington did
not keep q coach-and-six and charge
the expense to a contingent fund. Al
low me, gentlemen to recall to your
recollection the facts relating TO the
first Presidents compensation and
equipage.
AT the first session of the first Con
gress, which assembled in New York
on the fourth of March, 1889, Com
mittee of twelve members of the House
of Representatives was appointed TO
take into consideration the compensa-
ton of the President, Vice-President
and members of both Houses, and TO
report upon the same at their con-
venicncc. The Committee had tho
matter under consideration for several
months. This long delay was owing
in part, to the very great difference of
opinion among the members as TO the
amount of the different salaries. Some
of them were disposed to fix the Presi.
dents salary as low as fifteen thousand
dollars, and others were inclined 10
place it as high as seventy thousand.
At length the Committee reported, ad-
vising that the salary of the President
be twenty thousand dollars a year and
that he be provided with furnished
house, secretaries, clerks, plate, car
riages and horses, at the public expense.
On the thirteenth of July, 1889, the
House of Representatives took this re-
port into consideration, and debated it
at considerable length.
The clause relating to the providing
of house and equipage was at once
objected TO, and ii was moved to strike
il out, which led to an animated dis
cussion. Mr.. Tucker was Of opinion
that for a new President TO buy plate
and furniture would subject him to
great Inconvenience, unless he received
a years salary in advance and when
he retired to private life they would
not sell for half their first cost. He,
therefore, wished the public to provide
house, furniture and plate, but not
horses and carriages
Mr.. Madison, afterward President,
thought that horses and carriages
would also cost new President great
deal of money, and would not sell for
much upon his retirement. He was
therefore of opinion that, if furniture
and plate should be provided, equipage
should be also.
Mr. Stone favored the payment Of
sufficient salary, without any extras.
The President, he thought, ought to
live in any style he judged most proper.
"But," said he, ''if you furnished him
with house, horses and carriages, you
declare that this is the house, the horses
and the carriages which he shall use.
But he may not choose to use them.
He may prefer equipage more splendid
or more plain and surely, if Presi-
dent chooses to live in an economical
manner, we ought not to prevent
him."
Mr. Vining, on the contrary, was of
opinion that the President of the United
States, being the representative of the
Nation, was bound in propriety to
maintain certain appearance of dig
nifty, and the House had a right to
show what they expected of him in
'"is ,e'pe''.
After iurther DEBATE II was decided
10 strike out the clause assigning the
Presidents horses, carriages, furniture
and plate at the expense of the public,
and TO pay him q salary large enough
10 AUNT OF MS proVluing these things
Tor himself
Then arose the question, what should
be the amount of the salary and this
led to another days debate. One
gentleman proposed to pay the Presi-
dent twenty-six thousand dollars for
the first year, and sixteen thousand
dollars for every other year. He pro-
posed, also, that he should be paid ten
thousand dollars the first year in ad-
vance, to meet the great expenses Of
providing house and equipage. 9th
er gentlemen favored thirty thousand
collars a year; and at length, upon
mouon oi MI; John rage, OF Virginia,
the sum was hxed at twenty-five thou
SAND. y =.
,.a,r;s' vsluen. sn, "asnllg,on, before this
,s'Jn hanJaa''' mau Deeh eoacnvu' nau oruefea
.'.;..s nas?,'. =, y, eoaon rom ni,g'anu wnicn
Tiis ,I.'eu - .no eouiso u .ne year i,os.
n,s '.noie, u whicn Mr. Tossing mas
go .ae Puono au engrasing ana
aeIIe.Puon' was u very nnnusome ~, ana
sI'a, .'hse1A s''ue'uio. Ing pouy anu
"nee,s VIZ u eIe"in coior' then
~ ~ a,i ,asnionaule, WIN giit reiiei' ana
sn. oouy was suspended upon the ola
asn'oneu, ,,aa" neasy iea,ner straps, nke
snoso ~ upon wnlcn 'ne s'age-coacnes
S;sa Msae .1 lol,nerly suspehucu. fart OF inc
S,ues Wa.s., aiiu 'iyn' r, were snausd py green
,,m ene'an ulinus incioseo ne py oiaeR
naaan ea.Ier w curtains, s s; Inc hnlng oi the
The Wash;n.,on a,.,,,s sra,.9 haaJso,no
lv na;nted on ,ha doors vv;,h ,ha mn,,o
so nerfsctiv chorao,o,;st;a os @ WI W.
ingtop-' E,s;,s ae,o 49,, 49, ,ho ros,It sS
proves actions TInon oaoh of no son,
panels Of the coach was = n;c,uro nm nm
blemat,c Of one Of tho ssasnns @ aSaor,nd
by an Italian artist Of renuta,ion
Tn ,h;s s,,hs,aa,;., - ~. D..
dent o nssd Iups'' tn ,iSn ans ,en,e'e tne iIesl-
M III o'eu ~ isuo apo9' Mammalian
s'a '.a a, wnien iarilisnee one OF the
na,,"a % veauel,ul .I ''i, urives IN 'ne world
IanoI y. ieI suo rouiuecn m,ies hounu-
ms, NJ ~ Up wna' y now ine Dowery and
pnaS u .,.t,, nsehuc 'nen cai'ea .he Boston
,,;os u " whon m, ras, con,,nahuea @ ,' oeautllui
and oo =, eau n's, as. ,,'er, ,lneu WIN iarms
an, s so ,o,. - ,va shn i.s ,nel, acr9ss ,nc up
H. H. blao',naa, o i, sny ,s,aho .aa snu down oy
,he % o;.s a,.a,s u'9 =. 'v"a lnrondwayl o,,', 10
'ne c''y aSain' ~ IL imposslole 10 I'M