Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-01
SENATOR HEREFORD.
Some Criticisms on His Recent
Letter to the Register.

Correspondents of the Register
LEwIsBuRa, W. Va, Aug. 20.
"Oh, that mine enemy would write 9
BOOK"
Mr.. EDITOR:
Senator Hereford seems sensitive
about his part in the SALARY Grab,
and rushes, rather rashly think, into
print, with letter, dated Aug. 10th land
published in the REGISTER OF the 2Srd
instant to yindicate his course. Tn,
Senator thereby seeks to create the i'm
preston that he was opposed to, and
voted against, the law which increased
the salaries OF Congressman, and gave
them back pay; that, when the law had
been passed over his vote and opposi
ton, he did draw his part of the back
pay, with no idea, however, that it was
Justly his, and with no intention to APP
propriate it to his own use, but simply
that he might hold it, until the enact
ment OF another law could be procured
which would compel him to DO what he
was most anxious to do of his own mo-
ton. i. {. return the money to the Treas
ury; and, finally, such law not being
passed, and only because it was not
passed, and there was therefore no COM
pulsion, he most meritoriously devoted
the fund to the education OF the child,
rem Of the State.
Now, Mr.. Editor, this letter suggests
several questions which | wish to pro.
pound TO Senator Hereford publicly
through the columns Of your paper-as
follows:
l. Did the Senator, upon its final pas.
sage, vote against the law which increas.
Ell his salary and gave him back pay
aud, il not, why not If he was opposed
To the measure?
>. When he drew his back pay did he
DO so not regarding it as Justly and prop.
erly his own simply to await the passage
of another law at a future session which
would compel its return?
; Ii the money was not rightiully
the Senator's and he thought it ought to
he refunded, conld he not have covered
il into the Treasury, as other Congress.
men did, at any time alter he drew it,
and this too as well without as with such
compulsory law? For to me there is
something irresistibly funny in the idea
of q man waiting about twelve months
for the purpose of being compelled and
. ya.t,fr..A 20 a a fhip.r vrhi.h no -
he was anxious, and which he certainly
was at perfect liberty, to do all the
while, but which, as a matter Of fact, he
never did DO after all.
/ 4. Ii the money did not honestly AMI
( Justly belong TO the Senator had he any
more right to turn it over TO the Stat,
School Fund, for the qualification OF his
generous impulses, as well as to secure
the commentator of his constituents
than he would have had to devote it tC
any other purpose which commended
itself to his taste and judgment-Can
the getting OF i'll gotten gains be sancti'
fled by devoting them To holy uses
and is it not the only proper course to
return them TO the true owner
,. Did not the Senator in public
speeches, ut Nicholas, &. H., and other
places, and in private conversations as
well, take the position that, although
he had opposed the Jaw, still after it
was passed the money was As justly and
honestly his own rs any he had ever
earned"
q. And will the Senator say now,
whether he turned this money over TO
the State because be really thought he
had no right to it, or was it because OF
the storm of Indignation which the Sals-
~ Grab had aroused throughout the
whole country, and, ii it was because
he had no right TO il, what title could he
transfer to the School FUND.-
:. Will the Senator seriously main
tain as lawyer, that after the law was
passed, and the money had been drawn
and had become thus the property OF
the Senators and Representatives, and
after Congress had adjourned, that 1t
would have been competent Tor 1t to
pass a law, at a future session, such as
he says he advocated, which would
have compelled restitution any more
than ii is now competent for Congress,
by Statutory Enactment, TO compel any
class OF citizens to surrender to the Gov
eminent without compensation certain
/ portions of their property.
can well understand why a member
OF the House OF Representatives who
did not believe in the "Grab," should
draw his part like Garfield and then re-
turn il to the Treasury, or how Sena-
tor like Davis might draw it and use and
with some plauslbility at least, under
cover OF the law, insist that it is his, OF
right, but how Congressman who adj
mits that he has no right to 1t, that he
ought to have been compelled by law to
disgorge, could draw it and donate 1t TO
any person or purpose, or do ought with
il except to refund it to the rlghtiul
owner, the Government OF the United
States, is what utterly fail to compre'
h md, and, think, the people Of this
State will be as slow to appreciate such
a course as | am. Certainly it is not the
right thing TO purchase with the peo
pies money a reputation for charity en-
iarged liberality and public spirited
ness.
Replies to the foregoing questions
s,ri0iiu IRON the Senator may do much
/ To relieve his constituents from grievou'
/ doubts, and will certainly crafty very
! greatly an anxious ENQUIRER.