South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-09-10
Le.ter Of seua.or nareford.
uYrox. W. Va A,s,,., Is ,seo

80 ne -ti'nrs snd F-orrie;oss o. & heclrr Tat
GENELBMEN ,--ln the issue cf ycnr
paper Of AugustI1tA, 1850, you make
use OF tee following language:
Also let Mr.. Jackson the mex,
time he denounces the salary grab be-
fore an audience In this State inform
his hearers that Henry G. Davis and
Frank Hereford, United States SEN
ators from West Virginia-Democrat-
&c U. ). Senators-not only took the
grab but have it in their pockets to
this day
Also on the day following, August
18th, you make use of the following
language:
Notwithstanding his name ia Jack
son he has not the stuff in him 70 tell
the people that Henry G.. Davis and
Frank Hereford the two democratic
United States Senators from West
Virginia have the salary grab 'swag'
as he calls it in their pockets
presume you do not intend 10 do
me injustice, and further that you are
willing to do any man, public or pri-
vate, simple justice.
therefore ask you to publish this
letter to you giving the facts OF the
case 80 far as l am concerned.
In the first place 1 voted against
the bill generally known as the back
pay. | voted at the next session TO
repeal it. [ also voted to return the
money to the Treasury of the United
States.
If you will turn to the Compression.
al Globe Sd session 42nd Congress,
Feb, 2Sth, 1873, page 1909, you will
ace among other things, in the pres
ence OF the whole House OF Represen-
tatives, when that bill was UP, ,h&t ]
used the following language; Thave
persistently voted against the increase
OF salaries
There were mary test votes, but
the moat important were those ct
March 3rd, 1873, which was vote
upon the adoption Of tho Conference
Report. This was, of all others, the
test vote. al ihoss opposed to wha,
You cali the salary grab voted no.
There were two votes on that day
on both occasions | voted no. Ifyou
will turn to the Congressional Globe,
Bird session lind Congress, Marci, 3r,l,
1873 on pages 2,i00 and 2.lo5 YOU
will find those votes.
Those of us Who voted against this
Increase Of our salary and the back
pay there determined that at the next
| session of Congress two bills should
be introduced, one 10 repeal the law
increasing DER salaries snd another
one 10 compel those who received the
back pay 20 return it TO the Unit
States Treasury. At the subsequent
session both OF ssid bills wore intro
ducea, and | voted for both the one
increasing oar salaries was repealed
the one compelling thoae who had re-
csived the back pay to return it was
defeated.
A few days after the defeat OF the
lattor 1 cent TO Hon. 3. W. Byrne.
then State Superintendent of Free
Schools, cheek for $i,674ys0, the a.
moant received 81 back pay, with
directions TO bin TO place it ia the
Treasury OK the State OF West Virgin
TO tho credit Of the Irreducible
School Fund OF our State for the cd
ucation OF the children thereof fer
ever.
On July 18th, 1880, I wrote TO Mr..
West, State Treasurer, TO send ne a
certificate "a to what disposition had
besn made o. ths si,G74SO thus do
mated by me.
Enclosed and 80 part ofthis letter
is his reply:
"AUDIToR's OFFICE,
SFApE or WRsr VrvCJYT.