Middletown transcript., 1874-01-24
SPEECH OF HON. T. F. BAYARD
On the Bill to Repeal the In
creased Salary Act.

Mr.. President l regret now, as did
then. that the law regulating the compen-
sation Of Senators and Members Of Con-
grsss was changed in the manner it was
at the last session. / warmly approved
the increase in the salaries Of the judges
of the Supreme Court Of the United States.
and only regretted the salaries Of other
judicial officers. equally meritorious. were
aot also advanced am convinced that
it is for the interest Of the public service
that Judicial salaries ia the United States
should be upon higher grade than they
yet have renched. There have been masy
causes for this opinion. and may mention
one reason which affects not only judicial
salaries, hut all others Of public officers.
The country must expect that the compen-
saticp of its public servants shall be af-
fected by its general financial condition !;
and the unhappy introduction, BY those
in charge Of the Government. Of the use
Of an irredeon,able paper currency. has so
affected the cost of all living, has advance
ed and unsettled all trade, has brought
with it SO much decentralization in public
and in private life. so much Of imitation
and speculation. that it is not rational or
true to say that salaries which we're prop
! er upoa this basis of constitutional cur
reucy. of gold and silver. can be properly
rated when paid in deprcciated paper.
This poison which has been injected in
| to the veins of our entire financial system
by the introduction Of irredecmahle paper
currency as money remains. to injure pub
lie service and public morals, and it has
unquestionably diminished the power OF
men to live as comfortably upon the same
pay as they could have done had this
vicious changs to paper money not have
taken place.
I may say also that approved then. as
now, the increase in the presidential pay
and that Of the Vice President, as well az
that Of members of the Cabinet. The
question of congressional pay is one not
Of amount merely, but largely Of public
policy. 1t is not to be gauged by the
requirements of single officer, but it is
one that affects the policy Of representa-
tive government iu the most radical de-
gree. The Constitution of the United
States provides that members of the Sem
ate and of the House of Representatives
''shall receive a compensation for their
services. to be asccrtained BY law. and
paid cut Of the Treasury Of the United
Stntes." This was not the case in that
government from which our institutions
were chiefly derived, because in the gov
crnment of Great Britain members of Par
linent. of either house. receive no pay
whatever. That was a country of priv
i ieged classes, country of established
ranks. This was not to be So here. That
was country Of ancient aud accumulat-
ed wealth this was country struggling
through suffering and poverty into exist
encs among the family of nations-to be
sustained with tho simplicity Of ropuh-
lican governments; and it was to enable
any man, no matter what his pecnniary
COZ ditioD, to serve his country as repre-
sentative in either branch of Congress.
that the Constitution Of the United States.
departing from the rule in England, pro-
vided that he should receive a cempen-
sation'' to be paid out Of tho Treasury OF
the United States
Why, Mr.. President. so broad is the
question, that doubt very much whether
a far-reaching and radical change could be
made III th whole structure and practica'
working Of the government of Great Brit
ain than to provide pay for members Of
Parliament. 1t W uld open those twu
horses TO classes of men in that country
who are at present excluded. simply be.
cause they cannot stay there without pecu-
mary compensation and yet M law being
made for their Compensation. they are
practically excluded by the result of such
an arrangement. Ifany working man. SC
called. should happen to be returned to
Parliament, he would have to be main
tained while there by the voluntary sub
scription Of his Constituents.
| l will not say what change would bt
, equally created in tho Government of thi.
country we're Congress to disregard either
the letter Or the spirit Of the Constitution
and decide that Senators and Represents
tives should not receive compensation
The word is not mere ''pay;" it is "eo,n.
pensation," an equivalent for the service.
they are expected to render to the public
But should it be decided that the pay her,
should be merely nominal; should it b,
brought down to the pay Of the day labor
or. and therefore totally insufficient t,
support men who are called upon to per
form class of duties and 10 meet expen
ses far beyond the imagination of day la
' borers--what. l ask. would be the resul
to the American people ? The Houses o
Congress would be filled by men drawr
from two classes-the merely rich. VIII,
would come here as pleasant occupation
giving the influence and power to moult
Legislation in their own interests, to whom
pay was a question of no moment at all
and tho destinies and the control Of th,
Legislation of the country would pass int,
the hands of him who had the longes
purse. without regard to his mental O
.. moral qualities or efficiency as represen
tative: or there would be another class
even more dangerous. The greedy. needy
characterless adventurer. who would com
here to grow rich by the result of hi
public action. Sir, there are mary sucl