CONGRESS, UNITED STATES. 



161 



pose to increase the salary of every leading 

 officer in this nation. Not alone the Republi- 

 can party of this country, but the other party 

 as well, was committed to the same doctrine. 

 Now, I believe that all parties in this nation 

 should act honestly with the people, and in pro- 

 portion as they fail to act honestly with the 

 people in the same degree mast they fail, and 

 they ought to. 



" In the next place, Mr. President, I ain op- 

 posed to this proposition for the reason that, 

 in my judgment, this is of all times the most 

 inopportune for it. Now while I am talking 

 to you, and since wo have commenced this 

 session, every day we have had evidence of 

 the difficulty of the Government in absolutely 

 paying for the actual wants of the Govern- 

 ment in its actual and necessary administra- 

 tion. We know that so far as the taxes are 

 concerned, as now assessed, it is almost im- 

 IM-iil)le to pay the actual running expenses of 

 the Government in connection with the inter- 

 est upon our public debt. All over this land 

 there is a complaint of taxation, and want, 

 and suffering. Every day the cry comas to us 

 from the people. I recognize this as a Gov- 

 ernment of the people. I recognize it as our 

 bounden duty to remember who they are, and 

 their condition. I say no in in is guiltless who 

 stinds here and forgets that this is a Govern- 

 ment of the people and their condition, and, 

 when we ignore that and stand here and take 

 counsel from our feelings or our own interests 

 instead of the interests of the people, we are 

 untrue to them and the high trust that de- 

 volves upon us." 



The Vice-President: "The question is on 

 the amendment of the Senator from Ver- 

 mont to the amendment to strike out all of the 

 Home amendment except that which increases 

 the salary of the President." 



The question being taken, resulted yeas 20, 

 nays 33; as follows: 



YEM Messrs. Boreman, Buckingham, Caldwell, 

 Casserly, Chandler, Cole, Corbett, C'ragin. t'A- 

 mundf, Frelinjfhuysen, Harnlin, Harlan, Howe, Mer- 

 rill of Maine. KoirDl of Vermont, Pratt, Sherman, 

 Tliurraan, Wilson, and Wright 20. 



NAYS Messrs. Ames. Bayard, Blair, Brownlow, 

 Cameron, Carpenter, Clayton, Conklinsr, Cooper, 

 Davis, Fenton, Ferry of 'Michigan, Flanagan. Gil- 

 bert, fioldthwaite, Hamilton of Maryland, Hamil- 

 ton of Tex**, Hill, Kelley.Lewis. Logan, Machcn, 

 Morton, Norwood, Nye, Pool, Ramsey, Ransom, 

 Rice, Robertson, Sawyer, Schurz, Spencer, Steven- 

 son, Stewart, Trumbufl, Vickers, and West SS. 



ABSIST Messrs. Aloorn, Anthony, Ferry of Con- 

 necticut, Hitchcock, Johnston, O.t'born, Patterson, 

 Pomeriy, Saulsbury, Scott, Sprngue, Stockton, 8um- 

 ner, Tipton, and Windom 15. 



The Vice-President: "The Senator from 

 Maine moved a non-concnrrence in all the 

 amendments of the House. The Senuti.r 

 from Ohio demands a separate vote on this 

 amendment, and the question will be taken on 

 concnrrine, which is the converse of non-con- 

 cnrrence." 



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



VOL. Till. 11 A 



strike out so much of this amendment as 

 refers to Senators and Representatives in Con- 

 gress and Delegates from the Territories. If I 

 am to have the name of having my salary in- 

 creased, I want it substantially increased ; I 

 want it increased in such a way as to amount 

 to something. The increase here, giving $6,500 

 for salary in lieu of mileage, stationery, and 

 newspapers, would be an increase to me of 

 $800. I prefer to let it staud as it is rather 

 than to have such a change as that makes." 



Mr. Corbett, of Oregon, said : " If I am 

 going to vote for an increase of salary, I should 

 like to have it sufficient to make it an increase 

 and not a decrease. In the case of those from 

 the Pacific coast this is a reduced salary. My 

 friend from Pennsylvania says, why should the 

 man from California receive more than a man 

 residing nearer ? I think there is a very good 

 reason. When a member lives at the distance 

 of California from the seat of Government it 

 is impossible for him to attend to his business. 

 Saying nothing of my own case, 1 know others 

 from the Pacific coast who leave their business 

 entirely and come here to attend to the public 

 business. They have to leave every thing there, 

 and cannot return to supervise or look after 

 business. They ought to have something to 

 compensate them for it. Those living nearer 

 can return to their homes and supervise their 

 business to some extent. Those living at a 

 greater distance are compensated to some ex- 

 tent by the mileage; but of course their ex- 

 penses are greater. I am opposed to this 

 measure, and in opposing it I am not repre- 

 senting myself bnt those who are to come 

 after me. I represent those that are to take 

 my place, and this decreases their salary. 

 Therefore, I do not think it a fair bill." 



The Presiding Officer: "The Senator from 

 Indiana withdraws his amendment." 



Mr. Buckingham, of Connecticut, said : " I 

 offer the following amendment, to insert after 

 the word 'therefor,' in the provision for 

 Senators, Representatives, and Delegates, the 

 following proviso : 



Provided: That the increase in the salaries of Sen- 

 ators, members, and Delegates in Congress shall not 

 take effect until on and after March 4, 1877. 



" I merely propose that so that we shall not 

 be charged with 'voting ourselves a farm.' " 



The Presiding Officer: "The question is on 

 the amendment of the Senator from Connect- 

 icut." 



The Presiding Officer (Mr. Anthony in the 

 chair) : " The question is on the amendment 

 offered by the Senator fr.om Connecticut." 



The amendment was rejected. 



Mr. Edmunds : " I renew the motion made 

 by the Senator from Indiana, which he with- 

 drew, to strike out in this House amendment 

 all that relates to Senators and members of 

 Congress, and Delegates, on which question I 

 ask for the yeas and nays." 



The question being taken by yeas and nays, 

 resulted as follows : 



