The New York herald., 1876-03-25
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WASHINGTON, March "a 1876
The SPEAKER proceeded TO call committees for reports
u private nature.
APPROPRIATION BILL
The House then went into CommJtteo Of the Whole,
Mr. Cox of New York, in the chair, the Legislative
Executive and judicial Appropriation bill, with the
uerstandng that general debate the bill would be
limited to one hour
Mr.. HuRLBURT rep OF ILL.,, replied to the nvectives
Ehich had been poured against the republican party
W the gentlemen from Georgia and North Carolina
Messrs Hill and Yeates and criticised the speech OF
he gentleman from Georgia astounding parody on
The parable of the prodigal son. with the difference
that tho prodigal asked his fathers forgiveness
Ehile tho Southern people did not.
Mr. KAssoN, (rep) of Iowa, spoke against tho reduc
ZION of salaries.
At the close OF Mr. Kasson's speech the commit
tee proceeded to consider the bill in detail. The
item for the compensation of Senator's which Is
the first item in the BILL having been read, which fixes
lbe salary at s., 4,5O0 Mr. Baker, of Indiana, moved 10
reduce it to $4,000. This was rejected
Mr.. FOSTER, (rep) of Ohio moved to reduce it to
k2 7oo and intimated that the democratic majority,
wanted be consistent, should vote for the reduc-
Mr. RASDALL Qnteruptng)-Why did not you pro-
pose that amendment the committee instead of
stng reduction OF the paltry ten per cent we have
madeS
Mr. FosrKR-I am not to be catechised the floor.
Mr.. RANDALL (persistentlyf-I want to show to the
country and the House the Inconsistency, the dupli
,ity of the gentleman from Ohio coming in here and
pnering an amendment to reduce the salaries OF men,
to So 700 while he resisted In the committee the
reduction OF $500.
Mr. FosrER-I have good answer to the attack.
Mr. RANDALL have made no attack.
MIR. FosTRR--You have charged me with duplcity
md Inconsistency.
nent and you do not expect 1t TO be adopted
Mr.. FOsTER-Try II and see.
Mr.. RASDALr-The Committee on Appropriations has
fixed the compensation OF members where think the
people OF the country Will be satisfied.
Mr.. FOSTER defended his action in Offering his amend
mont
Mr. HoAR, trcp) of Mass, trusted that the Hous
did not propose present the pittul spectacle that
presented the last two Congresses of wranging
about It's pay. II there was anything in the
political history OF the country that he would give
good deal TO have struck out it the debates
that subject III the last two Congresses. He would
vote against any change in the salary Of members
hrst, because il thing which ought not to be
stirred up for pon,ical purposes and second because
he thought on the whole 1t was as near right as It
could be got He entirely respected and honored the
RandaD when he said that he yielded his individual
Judgment in matter where no was personally con
rerned the general sentiment OF the people, and he
sympathized with him very much when, on being
asked what he had done with the money, he replied II
OF the business OF the questioneravery good
Mr RANDALL explained that the difficulty which tho
committee had was that II other salaries were re-
duccd and not the salaries OF members they would DO
chargeablc with Inconsistency He had great respect
for the views of the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr Hoarl yet his argument would really so TO show
that no salary ought be reduced IL seemed TO him
Mr Randall that ther was but one safe, firm ground
on which to stand and that was to apply the same
measure OF reduction TO all salaries The House could
not co through the reductions proposed If II did not
reduce the salaries OF its own members
Mr HARRisoS tdem.l OF ILL.,, opposed Mt Fosters
amcndmcnt and favored the reduction proposed IN
this bill They could not before their constituents
defend themselves unless they cut down their own
Mr.. HILT. dem J Of Ca, moved to mako the rcduc-
tIon Of salaries commence on the 4h OF March, 1877,
and agreed with Mr. Hoar. Of Massachusetts, that u
was Indecent for members OF Congress to be squabbling
ovcr their own pay. Ills (Hlsl amendment would
obviatc that difficulty BY making the reduction apply
The question being on Mr. Fosters amendment Mr..
Foster asked Mr.. Randall 10 allow vote Oy yeas ana
Hr RANDALL said thst in this early stage Of the bill
he was unwilling to depart from the usual rule.
Mr fosrER-Fhcre Is no rule against thaL
Nr RASDALL--Weli the usual practice.
Mr FosrKR-wl you allow me to offer the amend
mcnt In the HouscY
Mr. RAxDALL-I am not so instructed by the com
mttcc daughter on the republican side.l will vote
SPEECH or Mr.. TOWNSEND.
Mr. TOWNSEND lrep.) OF n. ", had no hesitation In
declaring himself opposed TO the amendment Of the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Fostcr) he was opposed
10 the proposition OF the committee. He had come
here under substantial contract between himself and
The people that he was TO be allowed So 900 year for
his services and he unwilling allow any set OF
persons TO practice reputation him. u4augher.) }
He ala not believe that the people desired TO give over
their destinies professional politicians or to rich
mon He wished he rich. too The present sal
sry was not too much for any who could not live
out OF his private fortune Of post tradershps
or out OF railroad grants and there enough OF
lhem to 70 round u.aughtcr.l II members were to
i've al all and to settle with their boarding houso
Keepers and washerwomen, they would never reduce
their salaries. nnughtcrl
The question was taken on Mr. Fosters amendment
20 ax me pay at 81 zoo and 10 rejected there being
but "a votes In tho Affirmative.
The amendment offered bv Mr. HUI, Of Georgia, was
also rejected.
MT KELLEY, rep) Of Pa, moved to strike out