Mr. SCHENCK. After what hasbeen by the Gentfrom Vermont [Mr. W00D and by others, it is hardly neo for me to add remark or testimony on. iect. increased by Congress. at that time, and But it certainly does strike me ho is a question, not of legislation, but of appropriation. The legislation has already o passed; we have wisely or unwisely ago. to make a certain increase of compo. d certain classes of our clerks, it bein i. to include all who might equitably be; to it and who had claims upon us. Th" o now stands in abeyance upon too. construction, and we are appealed.”. take what steps may be necessary.of !". pose. And i. proposition is made. appropriate the money necessary 2, ” in good faith what Congress intended. rSODS ow, it is too late to say that some ught are not benefited by that legislation:. to have been benefited by it. Let to }. vided for by legislation hereafter, if to ider. claims which we in justice ought o'. Those clerks, however, who in good o eS3 accepted the pledge of that which i. to give them, have unques." have arranged, their expenses aco"; oco made their preparations, founded oi. time, ations, and laid their plans all up.” with reference to having the ". paid them which was thus propose to to their pay. And it would be an act of exceeding unkindness, it would be ungenerous, it would be unjust, to say to these men that because we did not accomplish all perhaps which we ought to have done at that time, therefore we will not now pay to them what we under took to pay to them. I trust the Gentfrom Pennsylvania [Mr. Stevens] will not insist upon changing this matter. As to the way in which it came to be inserted in this bill I do not think the merits of the case are at all affected by any such consideration. I was not present at the time; but the amendment has been made in the ComWhole, whether legally or illegally. It has been reported to the House and must now be acted upon. When we come to act upon it I hope we will not be thrust aside by any question which is not properly ermane to the merits of the appropriation itself, but that we will vote upon it as a question of good faith and as a question of merito rious desert and claim on the part of the clerks as originally intended by us.