Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-24

sions, it would only have $I0,OUO, IN round
numbers, a reduction Of s205, 900.
But again, in addition to the looping of
Of mileage, the ADD Congress Topped OF
stationery of $3.50 to each member, and
also
Franking Privilege.
Now what was the ranking COST The
committee reporting the bill, upon care
full estimate, show it TO be over tie0 and
one-hdlf millions of dollars. And they
show that if the salaries were fixed at
5000 for each member of Congress, there
would be saving of over one million and
seueR hundred thousand dollars TO the Peo-
pies Treasury, out of which every govern
mental expense Is to be paid-an ESoR-
NOUS saving under our legislation. But as
the salary was fixed at $500, in lieu OF
everything, the saving was upwards OF one
million eight hundred thousand dollars
The repeal of the Thanking privilege was
but the prelude to the Salary Act Now
mark the fact, that this saving would be
made, counting the increase Of the salaries
of the President, Judges, Cabinet Minis
ters, Senators and Members. So much,
then, for the ECONOMY view Of the legisla-
| ton.
And now let me remark, that the $500
salary, was not legislating increase pay into
the members pocket, for out Of this sum,
he would have his own stationery, etc, to
buy, and all of his postage to pay-and thus
great many members got less than
formerly, while the majority really would
get no more than the former allowances
made, when done paying postage, and tpr
stationery-no more. Aud thus, by the
Bill Tennessee member got just what a
4 -.
member got no more than Maryland
member who lived in sight Of the Capitol.
| Then l say the measures of the AID Con-
| gress were measures of EQUALITY to the
members, and ECONOMY to the people.
Instead of costing the country more, as a
permanent thing, they were positive sa-
wing. If the Salary Act had been a direct
increase, leaving all of the odious features
of the old laws in force it would, even if
levied and collected as a direct tax, have
amounted to only cents on each constitu-
ent, sum too trihing to provoke such an
uproar as some have sought to raise. As it
was it cost not cent, but reduced, and
1t came cut of the Federal Treasury, not
home one. Congress had and has the I'M
questioned right 70 fix salaries. The mem
Der from this district used to get for three
| trips 1000 in round numbers as mileage;
now / see my successor gets S225. Somuch
for the old laws, in the way Of economy to
| the Treasury. Quite a difference. And
we are told the Salary act is repealed. Yes,
the old mileage system is restored, as | I'M
derstand the law, but the Franking and
Stationery perquisites have not been re-
stored. That much good the Salary act re-
peallng them did the people. And IL
am elected to Congress, | shall endeayor to
strike at the Ubiquitous mileage system, and
ask retrenchment, and would expect about
as much curious voting on the subject as
was done in the 35th Congress, before the
war.
And now the right of Congress has been
questioned to press the Bill and its retrOac-
tive features criticised, as unheard of be-
fore, and we wish few words on
The Right and Retroaetiye
features of the measure. The right has
never before been criticised or doubted.
Hear what the great Judge Story says Onthe
subject. Story on Con-, Vol. l, Section SIS:
q The Oalyprdetiedl question which seems to have
"been further open upon this head, IL, whether
"the compensation should have been ascertained
"by the Constitution itself, left (as itnOH is
''tO be ascertained from time to time by Com
''gress. If fixed by the Constitution, II might,
"frOm the change Of the value of money, and the
"adequate. Or, il might become too high, In
consequence Of serious changes in the prosperi-
''ty OF the nation. 1t is wiseSt, therefore, TO
"haye il left where it is, TO be decided by Con-
''gress from time 10 time, according TO their
town sense Of justice and large view OF the ma
"tional resources. There is no danger that il
evil ever become excessive, without exciting
general discomfort. and then it will soon be
"changed from the reaction OF pablo opinion
'eIhe danger rather is, that public opinion will
"becOme too sensitive upon this subject, and re-
Izsar n wis rnaNs ha oe
g the time, a very moderate allowance. In the
''actual practice of the government, this subject
has rarely been stirred without producing
evident excitement at the elections. This alone
sis sufficient TO establish the safety of the actual
"exereise of the power by, the bodies, with
(Which il is lodged. both in the State and Ma
''tiOnal Legislatures"
This is enough surely on the right, and a
proper criticism Of the danger Of too much
sensitiveness on the subject-and as prac-
teal in these days. And now was it never
changed before? And how about the re-
trOactiye provision? Let us see. There
has been so much falsehood and bitterness
printed on this subject, one hardly knows
where to begin, and what TO omit in
saying.
The first act was Sept. p, 1889, and fixed
mileage at 50 cents mile. This act was
retroactive, and went back six months and |
eighteen days The fathers Of the Repub- |
lie did this, and PRESIDENT WASHINGTON |
approved it. The second act was March |
10, 1876, and was retroactive. The third |
act was March 10, 1916, and was retro |
active, and went back one year and fifteen |
days. This act was approved by PREsI-
DENT MADISON. For the passage of this |
BACK PAY and SALARY GRAB, the i'm |
mortal CLAY, spoke and voted, and every |
body has heard of his celebrated illustra- |
ton with the old hunter, who held him to |
account for his BACK PAY, and how /
he was won. The fourth change |
was January %, 1918. And this was /
also retroactive. And for this BACK PAY, |
such men as Crittenden, of Kentucky, aud |
everybody from Tennessee, and in fact /
from everywhere, went in. The fifth |
change was August 16, 1856, when the |
Democrats had the Government, both /
President and Congress. This act was re-
trOactiye, and went back one year and five |
months. President PIERCE approved this |
act, and such men as JOHN BELL of Ten
nessee, BAYARD of Delaware, JUDAH p.
BENJAMIN, of louisiana, Gov. BIGLER Of !
Pennsylvania, LEWIS CAsS, JESSE ID. |
BRIGHT, of Indiana, STEPHEN A. DOUG- |
LASS, JOHN j. CRITTENDEN, Il. NJ. T. |
HUNTER of Virginia, JAMES Q. JONES of |
Tennessee, ROBERT TOOMBs of Georgia, |
JNo. NJ. MASON of Virginia, LYMAN |
TRUNBUIL of Illinois, and host of other |
able and distinguished men turned SAL |
AIRY GRADERS and BACK PAY gath |
esers. Shades of the mighty dead, where /
was your honesty? Why did you leave |
such guide marks TO your degenerate pos |
terity? Then you were praised and hon
Ored, but now, humber men-we, who |
followed your tracks, are to be branded |
aud hung as FELoNs by the immaculate |
honesty Of these later times when Beecher- |
religion, and Credit Mobi;er-politics are the |
standards of the good and great. The sixth |
change was July rs, 1866, increasing pay |
and running back one year and five months. |
ANDREW JOHNSON, the peculiar repre-
sentative Of the Constitution, in its original |
purity, as claimed for him by some, approx
ed this act, and such men as B. GRATZ /
BROWN, whom We so lately supported, |
JAMES a. DOOLITTLE and every body else, |
with THOMAS A. HENDRICKS. whom |
we are all for in 1876 and propose TO make |
President. These, and others, turned |
SALARY GRABBERs and gobbled in their |
BACK PAY, just like BRIGHT and WHIT
THORNE, whose intelligent constituents |
have just had the good sense to re-elect |
them, and just like the humble writer of |
this card did and who had no better sense.