Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-01-13
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Salary-Grab Again in the
Senate-The Bill Amend
ed and Passed.
The House DeYOtes the Day TO
Discussing Retrenchment
and Revenues.
The Washington MOnument-New
Bills; Resolutions, Petit
tiOns, Etc.
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, January 12.-Sun.
dry petitions were presented, including
one from Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Su.
san B. Anthony and others, asking that
women be allowed To vote, or that same
the rights be extended to them that the
colored men have.
Senator Cameron presented memorial
from the Russian minister, setting forth
that they desired 20 become citizens, and
asking that they be allowed to occupy
public lands.
Senator Ferry Conn. objected to the
reception of the petition, as it was from
foreign citizens.
Senator Ramsey, from the committee
on post offices and post-rOads, reported
favorably on the house bill TO establish
various post-Toutes. Passed.
The morning hour having expired,
the consideration of the salary bill was
resumed, the pending question being on
the amendment of Senator GOrdOn, OF
Georgia. He asked leave to withdraw
that amendment, and offered another
providing that the salaries of all COM
missioned officers in the army and the
navy whose pay and allowances exceed
$500 per year, and are less than $1,000,
be reduced ten per cent; that the pay
and allowances Of general staff officers
such as paymaster. general, quarter
master-geneIal, commodore in the navy,
and others, shall not exceed $500; that
of rear r-admiral in the navy and major
general i'll the army shall not exceed
$1,000; that of acknowledgement of the
army and rear-admiral of the navy not
to exceed $500; that of general of the
army and admiral of the navy not to
exceed $4,000; that the salary of the
President of the United States after
March 3, 1877, shall be S25, cooper annum,
an annual appropriation for the next
four years for the executive mansion,
shall be S25, 900 less than for the four
years preceding March 4, 1873.
Mr.. Edmunds moved to strike out all
that portion of the amendment except
the last portion, which relates to the
Presidents salary, and appropriations
for the White House.
Senator Bayard opposed the reduction
of the Presidents salary. He thought
so, 600 an exceedingly modest and just
compensation. He denied the authority
of cCpgTess to fix future appropriations,
as they must be governed by the neces-
sites of the case at once.
Senator ConkLng said thus far he had
taken no part in this debate. The
senate ought to have acted and might
have acted on this measure in less than
one day. He had no doubt but that q
majority of the senate favored the re-
peal, and much time had been wasted.
He 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 to the bank
rupt law and financial measures which
the country needed.
Senator Gordon's amendment was
further amended, so as not to apply to
the annual appropriations for the Presi-
dents house, leaving only the question
of salary after March 8, 1877, to be acted
upon. The amendment was then Te-
jected by vote of 80 nays, to 13 yeas.
Senator Conkling offered as substi-
tute, for the house bill as amended by
the senate, that so much of the act of
March 8, 1873, as provides for an in
crease compensation OF public officers
and employees, be repealed, except that
portion which affects the salary of the
President of the United States and judges
of the supreme court, and that hereafter
sll salaries, with the exception of those
named, will be the same as they were
prior to the passage of that act; prOyid-
ed, that mileage should not be allowed
for the first session of the fOrty-third
congress; and further, that all back-pay
not drawn or returned to the treasury,
be covered into the treasury and de-
clared to be the property of the United
States.
In presenting this substitute, Senator
Conkiing said he offered it to take the
place ofthe house bill and every amend
ment that the senate had adopted.
Senator Sherman thought that the act
of July, 1870, provided that all unex-
pended balances OF appropriations in the
treasury be placed to the credit of the
surplus fund, and he saw no necessity of
the clause IN the substitute OF the gentle
man from New York providing for cov-
ering money into the treasury.
Senator COnkling hoped there would
be a vote on his substitute. He wanted
this question of back-pay settled, as well
as the salary increase. SO far as the Pres
identis salaryis concerned, the constitu-
ton fofbids that it be touched now; but
dS u Oi1Cl llOBCu lDCy WOuAu
be put back to the same as they were
prior to March Sd, before the salary en-
actmeRt was made.
Senator Anthony favored five thou
sand dollars year as the compensation
to congressman, and thought that there
should be an allowance for mileage,
stationery and pOstage-stamps.
Senator Boutwell, thought that there
should be provision made for covering
their back-pay into the treasury, as the
department had often times no means Of
knowing what claims against definite
appropriations are outstanding.
Senator Wright hoped there would be
an immediate vote ON Senator COnk-
ling's substitute, when the question was
disposed of.
Senator Edwards offered an amend
ment, which he presented few days
ago, providing that the act shall take
effect as of March 1, 1873, and that
the accounting officers make rateable
monthly deductions from said salaries
at the rate necessary TO effectuate these
provisions within nine months next af-
ter. Rejected, yeas s, nays SO.
Senator Hamilton offered an amend
ment fixing the salary of the President
at S25. goo per annum after March 4,
1877. Defeated; yeas Is, nays 4S.
Senator Anthony offered an amend
ment that the provision of the act shall
not affect the salaries of President, Vice.
President, members of the cabinet, nor
any of the employees of the senate or
house of representatives, or other per-
SONS named in the third section of the
act of March Sd.
Senator Wright inquired If the effect
of the amendment was not TO repeal the
law so far as it applied to senators, rep
resentatives and delegates in congress.
Senator Anthony replied in the af-
firmative.
Senator Wright said that, as he before
stated, he did not propose to eat hum
ble-pie himself, and say that congress
did wrong in increasing the salaries of
its own members, but right in increas-
ing all the others.
The amendment was rejected.
Senator Norwood offered an amend
ment, that the act OF March 3, 1873, re-
pealing the fanking privilege, be re-
pealed. Referred.
The question then recurred on the
substitute proposed by Senator Conk-
ling, for the house bill, and all the sem
ate amendments thereto.
The bill was reported in full, as follows;
An Act repeating the increase In the salaries
of members OF congress and other officers.
Be IL enacted, That so much of the
act of March 3, 1878, entitled, San act
making appropriations for the legisla-
tive, executive and judicial expenses of
the government for the year ending
June 60, 1s74,n as provides for the ins
crease of the compensation Of public
officers and employees, whether mems
bers of congress, delegates or 9TH
ers, except the President of the
United States and Justices of the
supreme court, ae end the same Ia here
by repealed, and the salaries, compen=
sation and allowances of all said per-