Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-06-24
wALuALLA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TUyRsDAY JUNE ID, 1880.


-'rar..-ss'--
ALFALFA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TIL
tho South, afterward assistant Secretary of
the Treasury, und confederate Of Sanborn's
ring, introduced on amendment to tho
legislative, executive and judicial bill, au--
thorizing Tho contracts to be made. 1t was
q "ridcr" and not in any way germauo to
bill. But the Republicans then had tho
chrouic habit Of mounting their very worst
legislation as riders gu tho regular supply
bils. The bill, thus amended, was reported
to tho Housc April 8, 1872, and tho job
was badly beaten
Then camo the fnc hand Of trickcry to
play it's part. Mr.. Garfield, instead Of
allowing the bill to 60 back to the Senate,
where tho action of the House might be
concurrcd in, moved directly for CON-
mittec OF conference, so os to lot six moa
lnaist,tn tseas@iyAlrafrr ti,"c6e House side.
Ot course the job was put back on the bill,
aud it passed tho Senate, whore it bod
originated. But the House stood firm, and
again, by small majority of one, refused
its assent on cali of the yeas and nays.
to the same conference, and when next
reported the JOB had long tail of ycrbiago
attached to deceive some and to operate os
on excuse for others whose preiudiccs had
mcanwhile been conquered. Mr.. Garfield
then applicd the previous question, and
drove tho bill through by ten majority.
Addition, division and silence won the day.
TIE SALARY GRAD,
Gen. GarMd is mainly responsible for
the passage of the salary grab and back pay
steal, the history of which may be briefly
rcci'cA. Gen. Butler reported bill from
the judiciary committee, February 7, 1878,
TO double the pay of the President and
Increase the salaries Of the Vicc-p President,
Cabinet, Speaker, Justices of the Supreme
Court aud members Of Congress. This
schcnc had been thoroughly canvasscd, and
only awaited favorable chance to be
launched Three days later Gen. Butler
moved to suspend the rules 30 as to attach
this hill as "ridcr" to the miscellaneous
appropriation bill then pending. 1t was
beotcn by thirty-nnc majority, which
Included some of thc strongest friends of
the proposed plundcr, who voted that way
for effect. The first Grc was thus
drawn, and Butler knew whore to plant his
batteries.
The legislative appropriation bill came
back to the House February 81 loaded with
ono hundred amendmcnts Tho natural
course was to have had them printed, so
that mcmhers might examine the new items
But there was game to play, and Garfield
took the lead. BY virtue of his chairman
sh:.,, he movcd that the House rcsolvA
Itself into committce Of tho whole on tho
special order. Suspicion had been awak--
cncd, una adjournment had been voted
down previously. Dawes was put in the
chair. and the door was opened for the grab.
Garfield had assured members that tho bill
would not ho called up that night, and the
House was thin except on the stealing side,
y special vote was demanded on the Butler
amendment, now moved as ''ridcr" TO the
pending hill. 1t was defeated by firty-tuo
majority, Butler himself voting against it.
But he Immediately moved to reconsider
ond to adjourn. Nothing was now wanting
to rivct the vote but to refuse to adjourn,
and then to c'inch it by refusing to recon.
s:dcr. The issue was clear, but right in
The face Of the large majority just recorded
the lionsc adjourned BY a stil larger ma
iorty, leaving the reconsideration alive and
kicking. The next day Buffers motion to
reconsider vas FIRST in order, aud whrn
Furnsworth moved to lay it on the table
and finish the business majority of thirty.
nine answered in the negative.
TIE DE OoLYER FRAUD.
The next vote fixed by the Congressional
pay, and the bill, with this graft, was sent
TO Tic Senate, and thence to committee Of
conference. On the last day of the Sos
sion Garfield reported the bill back, doub-
ling the Presidents salary from tho 4th of
March, instead of tho end of tho fiscal
year. and raising the pay of Congress from
IS 900 to $500, rctroactivcly for two
years, with long catalogue of augmented
salaries for public officers. lie pretended
that there waS Sdongcr OF an extra session
unless the rerort was adopted and told the
House, 'lt may tc on unwisc expenditure
in soino rcspccta, but in most cases the in
crease i; proper aud ought to be made"
1t was finally driven through by majority
Of six.
Garlicld's connection with tho Washing
ton ring is also we'll known to tho country.
One Of tfc most notorious Of the corrupt
contracts made by BOSS Shepherd was that
awarded 20 DcGolycr Il Mcclellan, of
Chicago, for laying wood pavement.
This contract covered 100000 yards at
So SO yard, which the superintendent of
syorc could be put down at
81 so, every item of cost included. So
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