Year: 1873

to say that the members of the Forty
second Congress who voted for back
pay have been guilty of stealing, or
intended fraud upon the Treasury.
Those that have taken the money re-
ceived it according to law, law they
had as much power to enact as any
other. Many of those who voted for
and received this back pay in the last
Congress, are among the best and
ablest in the land, of both parties,
and believed they were but exercising
constitutional power, had earned
their money, and were following an
example that had been set by many of
the most distinguished and patriotic
men who had gone before them in
the halls of Congress. But, while
thus doing justice to the motives Of
the members Of Congress who voted
for or received what is called back
pay, I do not wish to be understood
as approving of the principleinvolved
in it. To me it appears to be a
plain principle, that the increase of
salaries should be prospective only.
Had the increase of the Presidents,

or those of the Judges of the Su-
preme Court, been to reach back
two or four years, all could see The
danger of the principle; yet there
would be as much justice in giving
back pay to the President, judges,
and all other officers whose salaries
have been too low, as to members of
Congress, who have power to vote
themselves back pay and the others
have not. When I rendered service
during the Forty second Congress, 1
expected to receive only the compen-
sation then fixed by law, and when
that was paid to me I gave receipt
which 1 understood to be in full, and
if should now receive a greater sum
for that service, it seems to me that
it would be in the nature of gratu-
ity; and this principle admitted in
the general administration of the
government would be of dangerous
character. Where salary which has
been definitely fixed by law is in
creased, and such increase is made to
extend back two years, it is hard to
distinguish such back pay from gift,
and in this case it is regarded by the
country as money paid without con-
sideration, being given for services al
ready paid for according to law.


Speaking of the troubles in the
South, he charged the Democratic
party with all the misfortunes OF the
South. He hoped, however, for a
remedy through time, mutual interest
and the Republican party. He favor
ed aid for education in the South;
he thought Congress at its next ses-
sion would inquire into the railroad
abuses affecting agricultural interests,
and that it had power to act under
its authority to regulate commerce
among the several States. The Dem
ocratic party, through the New York
World, has made the avowal that the
Farmers Oranges are only of value
to break up the Republican party.
Nothing could be more frank, nor
yet more insulting, than the procla-
nation of the World. Having vain
ly endeavored to obtain power last
year by using the Liberals, and pro-
Tossing to adopt their principles, they
have this year spit in their faces and
kicked them out, and have kindly no
titled the farmers, that they will serve
them in the same way The farmers
will, I have no doubt, take notice.


In conclusion, Senator Morton
said the Republican party must con-
tinue to work; to correct errors; in
troduce reforms; see to the execution
of the laws; look to the protection of
the colored people in the enjoyment
of their political rights under the
amendments to the Constitution; to
the restoration of the currency by
gradual return to specie payments,
to a restoration of foreign commerce,
to amendments of the tariff; to ex-
anime the grievances of the agrieul-
tural interests. It should remedy
the defects in the present mode of
electing the President, and preserve
equal rights to all, equal and exact
Justice to all men.