Middletown transcript., 1874-01-24

law Of 1866 amounting to nearly 49, 600
per aanum. l do not think these facts
have been fully considered by those who
have INDUCED in such unhesitating denun-
citation, accusing the whole Senate. tho
whole House. of having grabbed II
think that is the faverits werd-$5. 900
each in money. Such a charge is not true
in fact. nor in any way justified by the
facts.
The pay bill Of March. 1873, did not
increase the salary Of one-thrd of the Sen
ate to an amount worthy Of notice. 1t did
advance the salaries Of the other two
thirds so as to make them about equ.l to
the average Of the pay and mileage of the
6rst third of whom I have spoken. This
is the fact. For instance, my pay BY the
law of March, 1878. was increased some
$4,800 and upward, whereas the gentle
man who then sat next me, my friend from
California, (Mr. Casscrly.) received an
incr ase Of abeut $SOO-$4O0 year ad-
vance to him. and So. 400 and odd to mo.
AS / said bafore, there had been frs-
quent objections to the allowance Of mile
age, and this was proposition TO abolish
the mileage system. and to level up, and
not to level down, the average compensa-
tion. 1t was proposition to equalize,
which has been wrongly construed to be
general increase Of 81. 500 per annum in
all cases. think have shown that it
was neither one nor the other; that it was,
in great measure, an equalization with
out increase Of pay. 1t was. perhaps. in
q still greater measure as to numbers an
increase Of compensation. To nearly one
third Of both Houses of Congress, as
have said, the advance was iInmaterial-
very slight indeed; and have stated one
case in which it created a very large re-
duction of compensation.
have stated the circumstances under
which the bill came here on Saturday
night. March 2, and its reference to a
committee of conference, compelling the
session Of the committee ef conference on
Sunday, the report of the bill on Monday
near midnight, the adjournment of the
Congress being fixed at twelve o'clock on
the day following. Sir. it is misfortune
in our Legislation Oh these large appropria-
tion bills that at such time. confused by
the rush and pressure Of business, over
worked and tagged out as members are on
such occasions so near the adjournment of
Congress, opportunity for examination and
discussion is not allowed, and you must
frequently vote to defeat the whole bill,
no matter how essential or mcritorious
may be the general character of its pro-
visions, in order to object to single
vicious feature. On Monday night. when
the report of the joint committee of con-
ference was presented to the Scnate-and
| think it was toward midnight-the al
tentative was forced upon every Senator
either to have new session of Congress
called by the President, or to let that bill
pass with all its imperteetions upon it's
head, with all it's Objectionable features
You had the option, sir, aud had it, by
my vote, either to signify my preference
for new session of Congress to he called
in April. or allow that appropriation bill
to become the law. l chose to vote for
this general appropriation bill; and. look
ing at events as they have since trans
pired BY the light Of my present judg-
inent, l approve to-day my vote Of last
March. believing the public interest to
have been largely advanced by the non
assembling of Congress- in April last
not alone because Of its large pecuniary
cost. but chiefly that the country was
saved for time at least from much vicious
and injurious Legislation.
Now, Mr.. President. as to this question
of compsnsatiou-this question of equiva-
lent to members here for their services to
the public. Reasonably speaking, com
pensation, from the meaning of the word
itself. should be sufficient. for that which
is sufficient is no compensation. "The
laborer is worthy of his hire" He is to
be compensated. And then comes the
difficulty of ascertaining what just conn-
pensation Isl still moro SO when, by the
provisions of the Constitution. We are
placed in the very delicate situation of
fixing it ourselves.
In the course of my professional life l
have served men to a greater or less ex-
tent, and by the results Of ms labors
have made my support; but there never
has been case Of Importance in which l
would not gladly have referred the quss-
ti"n Of my professional compensation to
some disiutercsted competent person. And
to-day. il it we're possible for me to dele
gate this power and duty to somebody y
else. should be most willing. But that
is not the law; and it is our duty to fix
this compensation ourselves.
Mr.. President, in my opinion one of the
chief dangers of our day and country is
the devotion of citizens to their private
pursuits. to the neglect Of their public
duties If this Federal Constitution shall
60 down. if this experiment for human
sslf.government shall fail, there will be
few more to blame than those intelligent
men who have grown rich in their private
pursuits aud allowed places of high public
trust and honor to be filled by men less
worthy and able than themselves, but
who were willing at least to give their
time to public service. Who does moi
know Of the frequent advice to young
men Of talent and character: keep out
| nf polsfsoa etioL m your hue;pose - ,o,,.