Whereupon, Hon. Henry C. Murphy, of Brooklyn, (it takes him!) rose and moved the following addition to the proposed new section: ‘ “And there shall also be deducted for such time from the compensation of members, who shall attend the sittings of the House, as they shall be employed in writing for newspapers.” ’ No objection being made, the House, with that exquisite sense of dignity and propriety which has characterized its conduct throughout, adopted this amendment. And then the whole section was voted down. Mr. Greeley next, with a view of arresting the prodigal habit which has grown up here of voting a bonus of $250 to each of the sub-clerks, messengers, pages, &c., &c., (their name is Legion) of both Houses, moved the following new section: “ Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall not henceforth be lawful for either Houses of Congress to appropriate and pay from its Contingent Fund any gratuity or extra compensation to any person whatever; but every appropriation of public money for gratuities shall be lawful only when expressly approved and passed by both Houses of Congress.” This was voted down of course; and on the last night or last but one of the session, a motion will doubtless be sprung in each house for the “usual” gratuity to these already enormously overpaid attendants, and it will probably pass, though I am informed that it is already contrary to law. But what of that?Jan. 3d. An honest man in the House of Representatives of the United States seemed to be a foreign element, a fly in its cup, an ingredient that would not mix, a novelty that disturbed its peace. It struggled hard to find a pretext for the expulsion of the offensive person; but not finding one, the next best thing was to endeavor to show the country that Horace Greeley was, after all, no better than members of Congress generally. To-day occurred the celebrated, yet pitiful, Battle of the Books. Congress, as every one knows, is accustomed annually to vote each member a small library of books, consisting of public documents, reports, statistics. Mr.
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business, while this Committee is almost daily broken up for want of a quorum in attendance.
This is a gross wrong to their constituents, to the country, and to those members who remain in their seats, and endeavor to urge forward the public business.’
What followed is thus related by Mr. Greeley in his letter to the Tribune:
New York. Mason. Brothers. . 1855.
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