Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-04-24

| A Democratic memDer, lion. W.. ii.
Stone, of Missouri, one day last week, Of.
fered resolution charging alleged irregu-
larities in the letting of mail contracts, and
prefaced it with stump speech in the way
of a preamble. The House refused TO
adopt the preamble and resolution, but on
motion of Hon. John B. Packer the resolu-
ti0n was referred to the Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads, of which
Committee Mr.. Packer is chairman. The
Committee had consultation as to the
procedure in the investigation, and decided
to request the author TO appear and inform
the Committee Of any facts in his posses
sion, or the names Of any parties who could
testify in the matter. Postmaster General
Cresswell came before the Committee to
represent the interests of his Department,
and to the surprise of every one Mr.. Stone
denied their right to investigate the charges
made in the absence of specific instruction
from the House, and refused to appear be-
fore them. These charges, revived again
by Mr.. Stone, are produced every session,
and are made at the instance of bidders
who failed to receive contracts. Similar
charges were duly investigated in the last
Congress, and a report was made by ma
jority Of the Committee exonerating the
Postmaster General, or any person connect
ell with mail contracts, from any blame
whatever, or the least completely in fraud.
Mr. Packer, through the clerk, notified
Mr.. Stone that the committee would pro-
ceed with the investigation, and again de-
sired his presence, but whether he appeared
or no. the matter would be sifted to the
bottom. The Committee are determined
to do their duty, no matter who suffers by
| it, be it the Democratic member from Mis-
souri, or the Post Office Department.
| Since Congress increased the salary Of
President Grant great howl has been
made by the Democratic and Liberal press,
and all kinds of stories have been set afoat
disparagingly of the present Chief Magis-
trats, and comparisons are made in regard
to the living, expenditures, and salaries of
Presidents in former days. Among others,
it has often been said, and the story given
wide circulation, that General Washing
ton, while holding that position, did not
draw one dollar of his salary, but ordered
the whole amount due him for eight years
services to be covered into the Treasury of
the United States. 1t is pity to spoil
good story, but the bottom of this tub''
has been knocked out, as shown by the
books in the Treasury Department. The
facts il, the Father of his Country not only
received the S25, 900 per annum, which was
appropriated for his compensation, but
drew it with praisworthy punctuality dur
ing his entire term Of Office. Strange, but
his illustrious example has been followed
by all ofice-holders since those days, even
down to the smallest salaried employee.
The books in the Treasury Department
show the following:
General Washington was inaugurated
April 80, 1889. During the summer of
1889 nobody received any money from the
United States. The new Government pro-
baby had no money it certainly had no
tember 5, 1889. the Treasury Department
was created. On the Goth Of September
warrant No. IS was drawn in favor of To-
bias Lear. secretary Of the President, on
account Of the Presidents salary, for the
sum Of 81 900 on the 5th of October war
rant No. II, for 81, 600, on the same ac-
count, was drawn, and on the 9th of Octo-
beI warrant No. IS, for 81, 900. Up to the
Sd of March, 1892, he received on salary
account 9Q7 $50. He went out of Office
March 3, 1897, and on the 7th of March
settled up his account for salary as Presi-
dent Of the United States. The following
entry on the Treasury books closed the ac-
count:
George Washington, President of the
United Statee, to warrant No. 8, 954, being
the balance due him for compensation to
the Sd Of March, 1877, agreeably 10 a GER
tiacate of the comptroller Of the Treasury
$751;
Comparing the amount now paid the
President Of the United States with that
paid in 1897, when a mechanic received
fifty cents per diem, and the cost OF living
was in the same in proportion, the making
of money from salaries would be on the
the part of the Presidents in the early days
Of the Republic.
Some of your reders may possibly recol
lect an itinerant preacher, named Lorenzo
Dow, a good man, of eccentric habits, who
preached many years ago in Sunbury, and
in the towns on the North and West
Branches Of the Susquehanna River. All
xhof rkh of hoa
been sleeping for tho last forty years in
Holmead's burying ground, in this city.
Owing to the recent action of the Board of
Health, ,coudemnine this ground for sanitary
reasons, and ordering the removal of the
dead buried therein, the remains of Loren
20 Dow had to be disturbed, and another
place provided for interment. A commit
tee of clergymcn Of the Methodist Church
performed this kind office, and placed the
remains Of this quaint character in Oak
Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, D. c. The
stone slab which marked his resting place
in Holmead's burying- ground bore the
following inscription
THE REPOSITORY
OF
LORENZO DOW,
who Was born at
COVENTRY, CONNECTICUT,
OCTOBER Is, 1777,
DIED FEBRUARY 3, 1884,
A. E. Sc.
A Christian is the highest style Of man.
He 10 slave to no sect; takes no pri-
vats road but looks through nature up to
natures God"
The National Republican, speaking of
Mr.. Dow, says:
"His preaching was not sabbath yoca-
ton, his praying not pulpit or church
ceremony, but to pray without c6asing"
was his habit and teaching, and to preach
whenever and wherever people could be
found to listen was his sacred calling.
Acting thus upon his plain liberal cOncep-
tions Of Bible teaching, it was his custom
to enter any open door and engage with
the household in prayer, to advise religi-
ously with lettering crowds At street cor.
ners and in places of vicious rendezvous.
On the outskirts of the town, in the woods