Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-02-25
WASHINGTON. Jan. Zl. 1874.

ne 1OllOWln0 Is JuigS L OldHu , lcIleI
to T. S. Treasurer Spinner, on congresson-
al pay:
WASHINGTON. Jan. 81 1874.
Geo. p Z Spinner Treasurer of the United States:
SIG: herewith hand y"u draft f,r the amount
received hy me Tor Increased s'lary H. IA member
of The Forty Second COngrets, under the act of
Mach 3, 1873, 10 lie paid INTO the Treasury or The
United iaes. take this occasion to >tate shortly
my reas"n> for so DONG The constitution pro
vId.- that senators and Representatives. sh III
receive com enc;lion Tor their services 10 be as
ceTtanrd Dv law
C,mp.nsa ion includes reasonable support while
pertaining the service. AMI reas nable reward for
the service performed. The compensation hereto
for, ptnvi,lei hv law has always prOiessed tn be
uniform (hough the la ge mileage TO merly allowed
de- It III iacL very unrqua). in con>I'ieri &
what is Il proper compensation. difficulty once
from the different conditions aud different
habits ol the VarI us members AMI INST and ma in
ly. to the support of living while performing
Sc VICE In congress there are always some men
of large wealth who are able to live and d. live in
a style altogether beyond any salary vet fixed OF
even pruro- ell. On the 9th, hlnd there Is ii much
ger number who have other support Tor
them-elve- an | families but the compensation they
rece Il tlary, tiut many OF this class can
not be content To live within their means, but are
foolish enough To + ei that they must copy the ex-
pensIve STYLE OF their more wealthy colleagues or
fal Ell equal social position.
but a-rle hom ihi> there is a great diversity in
the actual an necrs-a expenses of different
members. Some have 'arse and expressive families
10 support; others have none. Or less numerous
and expensive ones. Some have been accustomed
10 me iuAuIlous aud expensive habits of fashion
able HE; others have heen ell t6ebabts OF iru
gal economy aud have no desire to depart from
them.
Compensation for service Is perhaps still more
fhcult to equa ile There art always men-ints6n
gieas ol lar-e abil ~ and attainment who could
command III business in the professions very
much larger incomes than they receive In Congress
On the other hand Congress always contains men
whose services IN department of private life
woul't not be thought very valuable. Many mem
bers devote themselves assiduOusly and labOriously
TO their duties; some do veryiitlle except to look
alter the local and sonai matters ir ID their i'm
mediate district and state.
1t is apparent therefore. that in fixing a COM
pensaton Tor members there.would naturally be
very great diversity oi opinions as to the proper
amount. But This amount must be fixed by on
gress Itself for the power is vested nowhere else
In deciding what was proper each man wou d
naturally be governed much br his own individual
case. and the aggregate judgment of the whole
body must by the criterion.
When the proposition for an increase of the
salary of members was brought into tho last Con-
gTess the house ne.atived it by quite q decisive
majority but just at the end Of The session it hav-
,ng been placed upon an important appropriation
, H enough members were found who felt OF
II to feel that disagreement to the salary
use as passed by the SENATE would involve th
loss VI the ""p.oVi.tio.. bill aud make special