The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-20
CONGRESS SUMMARY.
SENATE.
WAsIuSroS, Jan. u.

Pendifie the question, being an amendment OF
Gordon, OF Georgia, he asked leave to withdraw
ing that the salaries OF all commissioned officers
i'm the army and navy, whose pay and allow
be reduced 10 per cent that the pay and allow
ances Of general staff officers, SUCH as paymaster
general, quarter master general, commodore
oeed 5000; that. of rear-admiral in the
Maryland rnajor-general in the army shall not
5000; that OF lieutenant general of the army
and vice admiral OF the navy not 10 exceed
S7,SU; that OF the general of the army and adj
mirai OF the navy not to exceed $1,000; that the
salarV of the president of the United States, af-
ter March 3, 1871 shall be s25,0tU per annum, and
the annual appropriations Tor the next u, Io 6
less than for the four years preceding March
3, lS7S.
out all that portion OF the amendment EXCEPT
the last portion. which relates 10 the presidents
salary and appropriations for the white house.
Mr. Bayard, of Delaware, opposed the reduc-
ton of the presidents salary he thought nifty
pensafion. He denied the authority of congress
To nix future appropriations, as they must De
governed by the necessities OF the case.
Mr. Conkiing of New York, sad that thus far
he had taken no part in this debate The senate
ought 10 have acted, and might have acted, on
this measure in less than one day. He had no
doubt the majority of the senate favored repeal;
and much time had been wasted de appealed
to every member Of the senate TO unite with him
in putting an end to this whole subject, in order
that the senate might proceed 10 the bankrupt
Gordon : amendment was further amended SC
as not to apply to the annual appropriations Tor
OF salary after March B. 1871, 10 be acted on. The
amendment was then rejected by vote OF 80
Hr. Vomiting offered as a substitute for the
house bill, as amended by the senate, that so
much OF the act of March,, 1913, as provides for
the increase OF compensation of public officers
which effects the salary OF the president of the
mil &C., nd n T..
and that hereafter all salaries with the excep-
ton OF those named be the same as they We're
Yided that mileage should not be allowed
for the first session of the forty-thrd congress
Turred 10 the treasury be covered into the treas
ury and declared TO be the property Of the United
States. In presenting this substitute, MI ConK-
ling said he offered il To- take. the place OF the
house bill and every amendment that the senate
had adopted.
july $50. provided that all unexpended balances
OF appropriations in the treasury be placed 10
the credit OF the surplus fund, and he saw no
nsceSsity os the clause i'm the substitute of the
gentleman from New York providing for cover
aug the money into the treasury, -. .,,
Mr. COnkling hoped there would he vote on
his substitute. He wanted this question of back
pay settled, well as the salary increase 50
constitution fOrbids that it be touched now; but
as TO the other salaries, he hoped they would be
put back 20 the same as they were prior 70
Mr. Anthony, OF Rhode Island, favored 5000 a
year compensation TO congressman, and thought
there should he an allowance for mileage, sta
tionery and postage stamps
Mr.. Boutwell,, of Massachusetts, thought there
should be some provision made Tor covering
their back pay into the treasury, as the depart
ment had often times no means OF knowing
what claims against definite appropriations
were outstanding.
Mr.. Wight, of Iowa, hoped there would be an
Immediate vote on Conklings substitute ana
Mr. EdInunds offered an amendment which he
presented q few days ago, proVldlng thal Vhe ACT
shall take effect from March 4, 1873 and that The
accounting officers make rataole monthly re-
auctions from said salaries at rate necessary 10
etiecluate this provision within nine months OF
the next year after Rejected-yeas, !; nays, 80.
Mr.. Hamilton offered an amendment
liking the salary OF the president at SZoOU
per annum after March 4, 1871. REJECTED, yeas,
Mr Anthony offered an amendment that the
provisions OF the act shall not affect the salaries
of The president, vice president, members OF the
cabinet, nor ane employees of the senate or house
iGpri section of the III D act OF March 5.
Mr.. Wright inquired if the effect OF TINS
amendment was not TO repeal the law 80 lar as
Mr.. Anthony replied in the Affirmative.
Mr.. Wright said, as he before stated, he did not
propose To eat humble pie him self, and say con-
gTeSS did wrong in Increasing the sala les of us
ogl memb ers, but was right in increasing ali
others. The amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Norwood, OF Georgia, offered an amend
Tnent that the act of June 81, ISIS repeating the
franking privilege, be repealed. IsSlected Inc
question then recurred on the substitute pro.
posed by Mr.. Conkling for the house bill and all
senate amendments thereto.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
The bill was reported in full as follows: An act
repealing the increase in the salaries Of members
OF congress and other officers.
Be it enacted, etc, That so much OF the act Of
March 3, 1875 entitled an net making appropria
lions for the legislative, executive and Judicial
expenses OF the government for the year ending
June %, 1915, as provides for the increase of com
pensation OF public Officers ana employees =,
Others. except the president OF the United states
and justices OF the supreme court, be ana tht
same is hereby repealed. and the salaries. com
pensaIion and allowances OF all said persons
except as aforesaid, shall be fixed by the law IL
force at the time OF the passage OF Sdlu act, pro
Vioptl that mileage shall be allowed for the frs
session Of the fOrty-third congress; that all
moneys appropriated as compensation to mem
bers OF the fOrty-third congress in excess o
mileage, and all allowances fixed by Law al the
acknowledgements of said congress. and which shall
NOT have beer drawn by members of said con
greSS respectively, or which, having been drawn
have been returned in any form 20 the United
the United states absolutely the same as II they
had never been appropriated a. aforesaid. In.
as above reported, by the following vote:
Bogy, Foreman, Boutwell,, Buckingham, Came
ron. Carpenter, Chandler, Clayton, Conkling
Crozier. Davis, Dorsey, EdInunds, Fenton, Ferry
of Michigan, Frelinghuysen, Goidthwaite. Ham
ilton Of Maryland, Hamlin. Hitchcock, ingalls,
OF Maine. Morrill, OF Vermont, Morton, Oglesby
Patterson, Pratt, Ramsey. Robertson, Sargent
salisbury, SchurE, stockton, Sumner, Wad
leigh, West, Window and Wright-6.
Says-Brownlow, ConOver, Flanagan. Gordon
Lewis, Norwood, Sprague and Tipton-S-
Mr.. Cooper announced that he paired witt
Cragin who would have voted for the bill, anS
he. Cooper against IL.
Not voting-Alcorn. Alnes, Dennis, Ferry o
Connecticut, Gilbert, Hamilton of Texas, Johns
ton. Jones, Kelly, Ransom, stewart, Thurman.
The bill now goes back to the house for IN
concurrence OF that body.
WASHINGTON, Jan. IL.
The chaplain of the senate, in the opening
prayer, returned thanks to divine provi
dence for the deed of yesterday the repea
of the salary bill-thst the will of the peopl
had been accomplished in regard thereto.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine, from the COMMITTEE
on appropriations, reported back the house