Year: 1874

tired of having this matter of the ine-
quality of mileage thrown at him. He
stated that in consequence Of the mile
age he was getting largely more COM
pensation than other gentlemen who
were sitting here with him, of whom
| was one, and he proposed to the
House that if they would reconsider
that vote he would offer an amend
ment to the bill, placing the salary at
$500 and cutting off all mileage and
perquisites, which he stated would
equalize salaries and be fair compen-
sation; that it would not materially
increase the aggregate amount that
was then. taken out of the Treasury
for the salaries of, Senators and Mem
bers, and that it would equally dis
tribute the compensation among the
members of Congress. That was the
proposition he submitted to the House,
and upon that proposition the House
reconsidered its former vote., There
was q distinct understanding with all
the members Of the House that if the
former action of the House was recon-
sidered Mr.. Sargent should move the
he had indicated.


And just as soon aa the motion to
reconsider was agreed to, as my friend
from Massachusetts, Mr.. Butler] and
others here will remember, Mr.. Sar-
gent did move the amendment he had
indicated, and the House adopted it.
My friend here [Mr. Dawes] mods his
head. He remembers it very we'll, and
others also remember it, The bill
with that provision, Sc, 500 year, went
to the Senate. We all know what
transpired there. Some Senators in
sisted that it was no substantial in
crease of salary, and they we're oppos-
ed to it for that reason. And any man
who will examine the debates that
took place in the Senate upon that
subject will see that the Senate voted
in such way as to throw the matter
into committee of conference. 1t
went to a committee of conference; my
friend from Ohio Mr.. Garfield was
on it to represent the House. He had
labored on the bill-an important ap-
preparation bill = for months and
months. 1t involved the appropria-
ton of millions and millions of dol
lars; it furnished the means for carry
ing on the machinery of the Govern
ment.


The committee Of conference re-
ported in favor of increasing the
amount of compensation to 81 800 a
year. 1t was just in the last hours of
the session; it was ona bill containing
these large appropriations, and in
volving other large interests, includ-
ing the Credit Mobelier law. In that
way the matter came back to the
House. The question was whether we
should defeat that appropriation bill
and all the interests in it, or pass it
with all the increase of salary attach
ed to it; and | stood here in my place
and voted for that conference report,
and under like circumstances | would
do the same thing again. | believed it
! to be my duty as Representative up
/, on this floor to vote for the report of
the committee of conference. Even
my friend from New York, who OPP
J posed the conference report, admitted
| to the House the danger of defeating
that bill. He said in his place that if
| the bill was defeated and there was an
extra session of Congress it would cost
many times more money than this in
crease of salary; and he further said
that, much as he objected to the re-
port. he would hesitate before he
would take the responsibility of bring
ing on an extra session by rejecting
the report.


Mr.. Sargent, of California, who had
| hean Voting against the increase
straight along, warned gentlemen Of
the House not to vote against the re-
port. He said he would vote for it
and I believe he did vote for it.


L And my friend from Ohio, Mr.
Garfield the chairman of the Com
mittee on Appropriations, who hat
voted against it eighteen times, be
lieve, said here upon the floor that h,
had opposed this salary increase in tn,
committee of conference.-the he hat
done everything he could against it
Yet he said to the House that under
the circumstances he believed it to b,
the duty of the House to vote for tha
report and pass the bill.


I am content with the record | hav
made upon that subject, and out o
which the gentleman from New Yorl
ITMr. Hale thinks he can make lit
tie capital. If he wants to point IN
out as the type Of any class it is a
an Independent man, who dares t
stand up in his place, in defiance Q
him and of all others like him, and d
what he believes in his conscience t
be right under the circumstances b
which he is surrounded.


Now, Mr.. Speaker, ! have word o
two more to say. [ introduced thi


proposition of amendment that tn
gentleman refers to on yesterday, an
he says that I sought to fix stigm


upon him. Well, sir, the gentlema


from New York has been runnin
about this House for several days pas


prescribing clean linen for everybod


else, and as he prescribes clean line


for me, / do not propose that he sha


wear dirty shirt, and, therefore,


offered that proposition to amend, t


which he has referred, and l offered


for the express purpose of getting a


opportunity to call the attention


this House to the remarks that th


gentleman had made just day befor,


All, he is exceedingly sensitive no


about having a stigma cast upon hin


Mr.. Hale, Of New York. Not |


all.


Mr.. Wilson, Of Indiana. He sal


he accepted it. Now l send to I'll


Clerks desk the Congressional r,


cord, and 1 ask the Clerk to read VIII;


the gentleman was pleased to s;


about the members of the Fort,


second Congress in his speech of IL


day before yesterday.


The Clerk read as follows,


THE third proposition on whic


this popular condemnation reste,


and, in my Judgment, the weightie


of all, relates to the manner in whic


the act was done IT was not done