The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-01-27
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OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

Oft al the important acUlOIS Oh OoLSIeoS
now that resume my pen. The salary
question has SO long a1d SO fnliy absorb
ed the Senate since he recess that vir-
tually nothing in the way of legislation
has been completed until yesterday.
Yesterday in the Senate Mr. Bayard Of
Del, had the manliness to oppose the
attempt to reduce the salary Of the Pres
ident to take effect on March 4th, 1877.
He asserted that $50, 900 now allowed
him, under all the surrounding circum-
stances. is less than $50, 900 was IN
1877, as it has less purchasing power ;
and that we can far better afford to pay
$50, 900 with population of over forty
millions than we could at the formation
of the Government when there was less
than four millions of people. Mr.. Ere
inghuysen said the proposed reduction
would be moral and indirect repeal of
the law increasing the salary of the Pres
ident which the Supreme law prevents
action upon directly. This shows the
character of amendments with which the
repeal of the increased salary bill has
been loaded from day to day for the man
ifest purpose of defeating action. But
for caucus held by republican members
and their agreement upon a clear repeal,
the question would still remain unsettled
in the Senate. In pursuance OF this eau
Gus agreement proposed in the Senate by
Mr.. Conkling that body late last evening
adopted the House bill SO modified as to
place the pay, mileage, &c. on the same
basis as before the increase bill of March
Sd, 1873.
So the matter goes back to the house
where, in accordance with the caucus
understanding, the whole matter will be
promptly and finally settled by the pas
sage of the bill into law, and return
to the previous status Of compensation
so far as the constitution will permit.
The best thing Congress can now do
to appease the irate attitude OF the press
of the country is to re-inact the right of
a free circulation of newspapers In their
respective counties and a free exchange.
When this has been done in the interest
of the provincial press, and of general
education, it will be safer, perhaps, for
Senators and members to claim exemp
ton from the scoring process to which
they have been subjected for nearly
wear past. So absurd a discrimination
In favor of a few Cvergrown metropolitan
sheets cannot be safely made against
provincial journalism which has ever pro-
we'd itself to be third estate in this
country. A word to the wise, &c.
The failure yesterday to confirm Caleb
Gushing, the Presidents last nominee
for Chief Justice, it is thought will be
fatal to his success, and will secure us
confirmed minister to Spain in Mr.. Cush
ing, and set the President to work again
hunting for the material of which Chief
Justices ought to be made. As Minister
to Spain, all parties agree that he is the
right man in the right place. but for
Chief Justice, most of the Republicans
believe the nomination unfit to be made.
The Senate in it's sanction of the law
allowing the Justice of the Supreme
Court to retire on pay at seventy years,
has committed itself against the confir-
nation of nominee who is already sew
enty four years old, and the law and the
occasion for it's passage are too fresh In
j, Of to CO
gross an act of inconsistency as this
proposed confirmation to pass without
a rigorous criticism. Surely there are
pronounced Republicans who can worth
lily fill this office, without going beyond
the ranks of the administrators, when it
is so important that the spirit of our I'M
written constitution which grew out of
the war shall be sent down 10 our deem
dants as their inheritance Of future free
dom. It cannot be necessary while good
and pure judges are now on the bench,
who have been tiled and not found want
ing, to place above them a Breckenridge
state rights Democrat who believes in and
sustained the bred Scott decision against
all CLAIMS to humanity on the part Of our
now colored citizens. The Senate APP
pears to have been obstinate in refusing
to confirm Atty. Gen. Williams AS Chief
Justice, but the mistake of the President
innominating this talented aud garrulous
old gentleman for the place is rather hard
to account for.
The civil rights blu viii probably pass
the House in a modified form. The
mixed school aspect Of it has some ugly
features that will cause trouble if they
are not eliminated from the bill. 1t is
much to be regretted that a common
school education is absolutely necessary
to the proper rise of the colored race IN
the scale of humanity and intelligence to
the dignity of American sovereignty,