CONGRESS, UNITED STATES. 



159 



onr duty we can better serve onr constituents. 

 I do not want to put this amendment upon 

 any other grounds than the fair and just con- 

 siderations which should influence members. 

 And I call attention to this great fact: that by 

 this amendment we cut off mileage and sta- 

 tionery and other allowances, so that, even 

 with economical living, $7,500 a year will not 

 be more than enough to enable members to 

 make both ends meet." 



The question was then taken upon the 

 amendment of Mr. TJpson, to strike out of the 

 amendment moved by Mr. Butler, of Massa- 

 chusetts, all in relation to Senators, members 

 of Congress, and Delegates of the Forty-second 

 Congress, and upon a division there were 

 yeas 60, nays 76. 



The question recurring on the amendment 

 of Mr. Butler, of Massachusetts, 



Mr. Potter moved to amend the amend- 

 ment by striking out " $7, 500 " and inserting 

 " $6,500." 



Tlie amendment was not agreed to. 



The question again recurred on the amend- 

 ment of Mr. Butler, of Massachusetts. 



Mr. Coburn, of Indiana, said: "I move to 

 amend by striking out so much of the amend- 

 ment as provides for increasing the pay of the 

 resident, Vice - President, and members of 

 the Senate and House of Represenatives. Mr. 

 Chairman, I do not think I undervalue the 

 services of members of Congress. I believe 

 that no member of Congress, unless he prac- 

 tises strict economy and has a small family, 

 can live upon $5,000 a year comfortably." 



The question recurred on Mr. Cobnrn's 

 amendment ; which was disagreed to. 



The question then recurred on the amend- 

 ment of Mr. Butler, of Massachusetts. 



The committee divided; and the tellers re- 

 ported : yeas 81, nays 66. 



So the amendment was agreed to. 



Mr. Butler, of Massachusetts : "I now offer 

 the following amendment, which is in main 

 the amendment reported by the Committee on 

 Appropriations : 



Add to the amendment the following : 

 And there is hereby appropriated n um sufficient 

 to make the annual salaries of such of the clerks in 

 the office of the House of Representatives as receive 

 $2,600 and upward (including the petition clerk and 

 printing clerk), and not increased in this act, $3,000 

 each ; and of such as receive $2,160, the sum of 

 $2,500 each ; and of such as receive $1,700, the sum of 

 $2,140 each : and of the clerks of the following com- 

 mittees, namely: Claims, Judiciary, Public Lands, 

 Military Attaint, and elections, $2,600 each; the 

 Doorkeeper of the llone $3,000 ; and additional pay 

 tn the chief-engineer $380 (so as to equalize his pay 

 with that of the chief-engineer of the Senate), and 

 additional pay to the foreman of laborers, $120 per 

 annum. And it is hereby provided that the increase 

 of compensation of the officers, clerks, and others in 

 the employ of the Senate and House of Rcprosenta- 

 - nhall apply to the present Congress, and a sum 

 sufficient therefor is hereby appropriated. 



Mr. Burdett, of Missouri, said : "I offer the 

 following amendment to the amendment of the 

 gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Bntler)." 



The Clerk read as follows : 



Add the following words : 



And the messenger in charge of the documents in 

 the office of the Clerk of the House the sum of $2,160 

 per annum ; and such as now receive $1,440, the sum 

 of $1,800 each per annum ; and such as now receive 

 $3.60 per day, the sum of $1,800 each per annum. 



Mr. Burdett : " I submit to the House that 

 it is not- the just course merely to begin at 

 the head and select out a few of the better- 

 paid employes, although I do not antagonize 

 them, for I believe it is just to give them an 

 increase of pay. But, while we are doing that, 

 let us be equally just to the men who are re- 

 ceiving a less salary for a larger amount of 

 work than many of those to whom the amend- 

 ment which has been submitted in this printed 

 slip, and which is now offered by the gentle- 

 man from Massachusetts, applies. I hope the 

 committee will agree to the amendment I have 

 offered." 



The question was taken on the amendment 

 to the amendment offered by Mr. Burdett; 

 and it was agreed to. 



The question recurred on the amendment 

 of Mr. Butler, of Massachusetts, as amended. 



Mr. Sargent: "I move that the committee 

 rise." 



The amendments proposed were concurred 

 in by the Committee of the Whole, and the 

 bill was reported to the House, which refused 

 to concur in all the amendments made in the 

 Senate to the bill. A committee of confer- 

 ence was then appointed on the disagreeing 

 votes of the two Houses. 



In the Senate, on March 1st, the Appropria- 

 tion Bill was considered with the amendments 

 made in the House. 



Mr. Edmunds, of Vermont, said : " I move 

 to amend the amendment of the House by 

 striking out all after the provision for tho 

 salary of the President of the United States. 

 If I may be pardoned for one single moment, 

 my object in making that distinction is, that as 

 to the President of the United States the 

 Constitution provides that his salary shall not 

 be increased during the term for which he is 

 elected. If the same rule applied to the Vice- 

 President, then I should make the motion to 

 strike out all after ' Vice-President.' " 



Mr. Sherman, of Ohio, said : " I believe that 

 the President of the United States ought to 

 have, and I am willing to vote that he shall 

 have, an increase of salary, a salary of $40.000 

 or $50,000, for reasons that are manifest. '. 

 do not wish to discuss them. I think some of 

 the heads of the Departments, perhaps all of 

 them, for they ought all to be on the same 

 footing, ought have some increase ; but I am 

 opposed to and desire a separate vote upon 

 the increase of the salaries of members of 

 Congress. This is a question that all of us 

 understand; every man has made up his mind 

 about it, made np his opinion upon it; and 

 therefore I think wo ought definitely to take 

 our course upon these various propositions." 



