Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-13
The Senate Acts on the Salary
Grab.
The Presidents Salary Left at
$4,000.
White House Perquisites Undis-
turbed.
The POcketers of Back Pay Left
Free.
AS to the Rest the Old Law Re
established.
The Substitute Goes to the House
for Cnncrrr.-ancn
The Substitute Goes to the House
for Concurrence.
SENATE.

the reception OF the petition as II was from
foreign citizens.
Army Salaries, Etc.
The morning hour having expired, the
consideration of the salary bill was resum
ed, the pending question being an amend
ment of Gordon of Georgia. He asked
leave to withdraw that amendment, and
offered another providing that the salarie:
of all commissioned officers in the army
and navy and whose pay and allowance eX-
ceeds s., 800 year and less that 5000 be
reduced ten per cent; that the pay anC
allowance of general staff officers, such a:
paymaster general, quaItermaster general
commodore in the navy and others, shall
not exceed 5000; that of rear admiral in
the navy and major-general in the army
shall not exceed 5000; that of lieutenant.
general of the army and vice-admiral o.
the navy not to exceed $500; that of gen
eral of the army and admiral of the navy
not to exceed $4,000; that the salary Of
the President of the United States, after
March 3, 1877, shall be SIS, 900 per annum
and the annual appropriation for the next
4 years for
The Executive Mansion
shall be $4,000 less than for the four
years preceding March 3, 1873.
Mr.. Edmunds moved to strike out all
that portion of the amendment except the
the last portion which relates TO the Presi-
dents salary andappropriatiOns fortheWhite
House. Agreed to.
Mr.. Bayard opposed the reduction of the
Presidents salary. lie thought $4,000 an
exceedingly modest and Just compensation.
TaA Ta Of -,
fix future appropriations, as they must be
governed by the necessities of the case.
Mr.. COnkling said thus far he had taken
no part in this debate, The Senate ought
to have acted and might have acted on this
measure in less than one day. He had no
doubt a majority of the Senate favored re-
peal, and much time had been wasted. He
appealed to every member of the Senate to
uLite with him in putting an end to this
whole subject in order that the Senate
might proceed TO the bankrupt law and
financial measures which the country
needed.
Mr.. GordOn's amendment was further
amended so as not to apply to the annual
for the Presidents house, leav-
ing only the question of his salary after
March 3, 1873, TO be acted on. The amend
ment was then rejected by a vote Of 80
nays to Il yeas.
COnkIing's Substitute.
Mr.. Conkling offered as q substitute for
the House bill as amended by the Senate,
that so much Of the act Of March >, 1873,
as provides for an increase in the compen-
sation of public officers and employees be
repealed except that portion which effects
the salary of'the President of the United
States and the Judges Of the Supreme
Court, and that hereafter all salaries with
the exception of those named be the same
as they were prior to the passage of that
act; provided that mileage should not be
allowed for the first session of the Forty
third Congress, and further, that all back
paw not drawn or returned to the Treasury
be covered into the Treasury and declared
to be the property of the United States.
In presenting this substitute, Mr.. Conk-
ling said he offered It TO take the place of
the House bill and every amendment that
the Senate had adopted.
Mr.. Sherman thought that the act of
July, 1870, provided that all uneXpended
balances of appropriations in the Treasury
be placed to the credit of the surplus fund,
aud he saw no necessity Of the clause in
the substitute of the gentleman from New
Y ork providing for covering the money
into the Treasury.
Mr.. Conkling hoped there would be
vote on his substitute. lie wanted this
question of back pay settled as well as the
salary increase. So far as the Presidents
salary is concerned, the Constitution for
bids that il be touched; but as t. other
IL l., ..
to the same as they were prior to March 3,
before the salary enactment was made.
Mr.. Anthony favored five thousand dol
lars year compensation to Congressman,
and thought there should be an allowance
for mileage, stationery and postage stamps.
Mr.. Boutwell, thought there should be
some provision made for covering their
back pay into the Treasury, rs the depart
nent had Oftentimes no means of knowing
what claims against definite appropriations
were outstanding.
Mr.. Wright hoped there would be an i'm
mediate vote on Mr.. Conkling's substitute
md the question disposed of.
Mr.. Edmunds offered the amendment
which he presented a few days ago, provid-
ng that the act shall take effect as OF
March 4, 1873, and that the accounting
,iiicers make ratable monthly reductions
rom said salaries at a rate necessary TO
.fiectuate this provision within nine
months next after. Reiected-yeas s,
lays IS.
Mr.. Hamilton offered an amendment fix
nc the salary of the President at $4,000
yer annuIn after March 4, 1877. Rejected.
Teas Is, nays 43.
Dir. Anthony offered rs amendment that
PROVISIONS OF the act shall NOS Affect the
alary of President, Nice-PreSident, men,
,ers of the Cabinet, nor any employees of
he Senate or House of Representatives or
ther persons named in the Sd section of
he act of March 3.
AIr. Wright inquired if the effect Of this |
amendments was not to repeal the Ian so
ar as il applied to Senators, Representa- |
ives and delegates in Congress?
Mr.. Anthony replied in the affirmative.
Mr.. Wright said as he before stated he |
lid not propose TO eat humble pie himself |
Isd gay Congress did wrong in increasing |
he salaries OF lis 0yn members, but right |
n Increasing all Others.
The amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Norwood affixed al amendment, that |
he act of June 81, 1873, regarding the
ranking privilege, be referred. Rejected. |
The question then recuTed on the sub
t.tuis t,-2goSed by iIr. COnkling for House |
i'll. and all Senate ainendiReEts thereto.
The bill was reported in full as Follows.
y Act repeating the increase of the salaries Of
members OF Congress and other officers.
BE it enacted, etc, that 50 much Of the
Il of March 3, 1873, entitled On Act ior |
for the Legislative, Execu-
I've and Judicial expenses Of the Govern
lent, for the year ending june 80, 1874, ~
rovides for an increrse of compensation OF
ublic officers and employees, whethermem-
srs o. Congress, delegates or others eN-,
spt the President ofthe United States and
Justices of the Supreme tour, kc and the |
lme is hereby repealed, and the salaries, 1
and allowances Of
aid persons except as aforesaid,
hah be nAod by the law
4 force at the time OF the passage % s3id
ct; provided that mileage shall be allowed
,r TIE trst.SlSsion OF the FOr;y-third Con
ress; that all msneys appropriated as com
sDsatioR Of members OF the tOuy-tEirq
ongrrss In excess Of the mileage and al