Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-01-29


/ Congress-.
! The proceedings of this body have not
attracted the same attention during the
past week as they did the week before.
! On Thursday, in the Senate Mr.. Ham
lin, from the Committee on Civil Service
and Retrenchment, reported adversely on
the bill to reduce the salary of the Presi-
dent. OF course he did. Nobody ever
expected anything else We are not 10y
any means prepared to say that $4,000
per annum is too large q salary for the
chief executive of this great nation to re-
ceive, though we would take the office for
half the sum, and if we did not make
better President than the present incum-
bent, and do it too without the assistance
of the army, We would be willing TO he
! hung at the expiration of the first year
/ But our objection goes to the way in which
/ the salary of Gen. Grant was doubled. 1t
was part of the salary steal. and public
opinion forced Congress to repeal that bill
so far as their own pay was concerned and
we do not see why Gen. Grant should be
suffered to enjoy his ill-gotten gains. 1t
was swindlc all round and he had more
to do with il than anybody else. The next
subject taken up was one of great import
ance. 1t was Mr.. Morton's proposed a
mendment To The Constitution. abolishing
the Electoral College and providing Tor
the election of the President and Vice
President by the people. We are very
much opposed TO the amendment of this
already too much amended instrument
But we must say, that in the light of recent
events-thc modes by which contested e
lections are gotten up and then settled by
military interference-we can forsce great
danger from our present system. The f.
lectoral College plan was established 10y
the trainers of the Constitution as the
wiscSt and best under all circumstances,
but they were not sufficiently farsighted
to toresee the day when the military arm
of the government might be used for the
purpose Of unseating one set Of men claim
ing to be elected by the people and seat
ing another selected by the military com
mander or somebody whom he might
choose to listen TO. In the simplicity of
their old fogy souls they thought all ques
tions relating to matters of this sort would
be settled by the civil authorities. But
they were not as wise in their day and
generation as we are. They were ignor
ant old cusses who had never seen rail
roads, telegraphs, or heard of Grantism.-
But seriously, something ought to be done
to make provision in case of contest arts
ing in the premises, because such contest
would almost certainly lead to bloodshed
and all the horrors Of civil war But we
cannot say that we specially fancy Mr..
Morton's plan, because by it, plurality
might elect a President, and We are not
prepared without further reflection to
commit ourselves to so radical a change.
Besides, we have too wildly before our
eyes the fear of Returning Boards, with
their modes of counting in and count
ing out, not to suspect anything which
emanates from one who has always upheld
their iniquities. Wemay resume this sub
iect hereafter and discuss it at length as it
is one of much interest Mr.. Morton de
livered an elaborate speech on the subject,
after which it was postponed.
The House this day was principally en-
jagged with what is called 1.-The little tariff
bill' and which was finally passed.
On Friday, in the Senate, the creden-
tials of the Hon. Percy Bysshe Shelly
Pinchback," Senator elect from Louisiana,
were presented by his worthy colleague,
Mr.. West, and on motion of Mr.. Sherman.
were referred to the Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections. Poor Pinch has a
hard time getting his seat He was elected
last year by the Kellogg Legislature and
when he presented his credentials they
were referred to the identical committee
and there they have slumbered since. He
was reelected few days ago 10y the Leg
| islature which Gen. Sheridan made, and
now he is treated in the same way. If he
is not admitted the new negro Senator
from Mississippi, who takes his seat on
the 4th of March, will be alone in his glory
and might suffer for want OF some one to
keep him in countenance. The unfinished
business, being Mr.. Morton's amendment,
was taken up, when Mr.. Anthony spoke in
favor OF it and it was postponed further.
After which, long John Sherman delivered
his speech on the Louisiana question. He
threw no new light on the subject. but fol
lowed in the same old rut of ku-Klux,
White League, murder, assassination, &c,
&C. Mr. Johnston, of Virginia, took the
floor on the same subject, when the Senate
adjourned until Monday.