Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-02-13
NO. Z.
CONGRESSIONAL CoMpEMsA T1oM

WASHINGTON, Jan. 81, 1874.

paid into the Treasury OF the United States.
L take this occasion to state shortly my rea-
sons for so doing. The Constitution pro-
vides that "Senators and Representatives
shall receive compensation for their SER
vices to be ascertained by law"
Compensation includes reasonable sup
port while performing the service, and rea-
sonable reward for the service performed.
The compensation heretofore provided by
law has always professed to be uniform,
0hough the large mileage formerly allow
ed made 1t in fact very unequal.) In con-
sidering what is proper compensation, a
difficulty at once arises from the different
conditions and the different habits of the
various members and first and mainly, as
to the support or living while performing
the service. In Congress there are always
some men of large wealth who are able TO
live, and do live, in style altogether be-
you'd any salary yet fixed, or even propos-
ed. On the other hand there is a much
larger number who have no other support
for themscl and families but the COM
pensation they receive as salary. But ma
ny OF this class cannot be content to live
within small means, but are foolish enough
|
style of their more wealthy colleagues, or
fail of equal social position.
But aside from this, there is a great di-
versity in the actual and necessary expens-
es of different members. Some have large
and expensive families to support others
| hAvo mono, or less numerous and expen-
sive ones. Some have been accustomed to
the luxurious and expensive habits of fash
ionable life others have been reared to
habits of frugal economy, and have no de-
sire to part from them.
Compensation for service is perhaps still
more difficult to make equal. There are
always men in Congress of large ability
and attainment who could command in busi-
ness or in the professions very much larg-
er incomes than they receive in Congress.
On the other hand, Congress always con-
tains some men whose services in any de-
partment of private life would not be
thought very valuable. Many members
devote themselves assiduously and labori-
ously to their duties some do very little
except to look after the local and personal
matters from their own immediate district
or State.
lit is apparent, therefore, that in fixing a
compensation for members there would
naturally be very great diversity of opin-
ion as TO the proper amount. But this
amount must be fixed by Congress itself
for the power is yes ted nowhere else. In
deciding what was proper each man would
naturally be governed much by his own in
dividual case, and the aggregate judgment
of the whole body must be the criterion.
| Ao cor arl oF
the salary of members was first brought
into the last Congress the House negatived
it by quite decisive majority, but just at
the end of the session, it having been placed
upon an important appropriation bill,
enough members were found who felt, or
affected 10 feel, that a disagreement to the
salary clause, as passed by the Senate,
would involve the loss of the appropria-
tlon bill and makes special session of Con-
gress necessary, TO pass the bill by bare
majority. When last before the House the
subject had very little consideration the
want of time and the condition of the bill
prevented any full debate.
voted uniformly against the increase.
l was actuated somewhat by my own per-
sonal condition and ideas The old salary
that many of those who voted to increase
: it, felt that it was actually necessary for
them. 1 thought also that if there was
real necessity for an increase now was an
inopportune time to make 1t. Certain in
vestigations and developments had created
great excitement in the public mind on the
subject of corruption in public officials, and
for the time there was felt distrust of ev-
erybody in official position. But the bill
became the law. That portion of it making
the increase apply to the Forty-Second
Congress was at once denounced in very
severe terms by the public press. Little or
no objection was made TO the prosr ective
increase. l could not see the force of the
discrimination. If $500 was proper sal
ary for the Forty-Third Congress, could
, not see why it was not for the Forty-Sec-
ond. The service was the same, the ex-
pense of living certainly as great Con-
gress had the same legal right TO raise the
pay at the end of session as at The begin
ming, and the propriety of the act depend
ed wholly upon the amount fixed, whether
, it was or was not an unreasonable sum,
a Such too had been the invariable practice
: of Congress and of all State Legislatures,
|
: the body making it. 1t was objected to on
-, the ground that 1t was in the nature of a
u contract between the Representative and
8 his constituents, that he would serve the
r term for the salary as It stood when he was
: elected. 1 regarded the view as wholly
unsound. If there Is any semblance of
: contract in ii, the contract Is that the men,
:, ber will serve for such compensation as
y Congress shall determine. If Congress
should make 1t less he could not com plain;
: | ha 10 laA tn
benefit of the increase. The apparent OPP
|. position at first seemed wholly against the
p Increase of the salary of the Forty-Second
!, Congress-the back pay, as it was called. !
could see no force in the reasons urged
d against it that did not equally apply 10 the
n prospective increase, and therefore L drew
The increase as l did my other pay. The
5 public discussion soon began to go furtheri
o and to condemn the entire act, which was
"a the same ground had stood upon when
the act was passed. 1 determined, there
fore, for myself to await the action of Con-
I. gress, when the whole subject could be de-
n liberately examined and decided. The
"a matter came before Congress at the com
mencement of the session, and was debat-
, ed and considered with perhaps unnecessa
ry deiberation. The result was return
y to the old salary by very decisive majori-
IF ty of both Houses. /, with others, did our
utmost to undo all the consequences OF the
increase, and make every one now IN con
8 gress who had received money under It,
n account for it on his present salary. BnI
"A so many gentlemen were troubled WIN
~ constitutional scruples about retrodca'Ve ae'
J. tion that they could not support me.
10 But 1 was not able TO see why retroac,
Tive incrsnSe was any more constitutional
70 han a retroactive decrease. That view
t. however, how prevailed, and each man is left e
rs act his own Judgment. If Congress hao
"a decided that $500 was the proper salary fol
- the fIture Congresses, should have fell
g. no scruple about retaining the sum for the
IN last Congress. But they having deliberate
to ly decided that the old salary OF 5000 th'