The President's Salary

Thero aro two grounds upon which tho movemehts to mercase tho President' salary can be put. One is that the salary is in the nature of wages, and that it is not largo enougli for tho services performed. The other, that the emoulment like the power of the office is a trust, and is to be expended in maintaining tho dignity of the office and tho nation, and that the present salary is nötlarge enough. for that purpose. Mr Grant naturally takes the former view. Of a man of whom one of his first advocates has said that ho treated the Presidency of tho United States " as if ho had wou it in a. raiflo " it was not to be expected that he should riso to ariy other view. What tha peouniary worth of his political service to tho nation may bu is a question. Our readers know pretty well whut answer we should incline for our part to return to it. But vory few of our previous Presidonts, we doubt indeed if any of thom, have taken this sordid view of their functiou and their pay. It is said that the salary Mr. Grant reeeives from tho nation is much lesa thaii is paid by many private employers in the nation to their servuntl ; and vory possibly this is true. ïhe ini'arenco we are expeeted to draw from it is that the supply of intellect and integrity, here or elsewhere, is governed by the demand and seeksthe best markut. In fact many Presidents have aocepted the cöice at a sacrifie of money i'or tho aake of sotnethiug which they rated highor than money. ilr. Stewart was ansiosa to accept the Sedietaryship ofthu Treasury at an enormous loss of money to himself ; and Mr. Stewart bas nevel Leen aeoused of an undue disregard of' money that we are aware of. Nay, tho emolumenta of Mr. Gvaut himself in Lis office as general of the Army were greater than what he now reeeives in salavy, and the generalship he held for life, While it is even yet doubtful whether his tenuro of the Presidency is for life also. Sinet this proposition to increase his salary was made it hns been seiuijly suggestej that nobody has yet rof used to accept the Presidency on the ground that tho salary was inadequate. It is true as a rule in private life and in material industries that talent seeks the best market. But it is not true in public life. And it is quite irrelevant to the caso of Mr. Grant. As a general, indeed, he might be worth more than wo now give him. Sonie philosopher observed upon remarking the great appetite and the general inutility cf the Newt'uundlund dog that to make taai. animal profitableit was necessary to have a pond near by with children perpetually falliag in. So, evon admitting the valuo of General Grant's military services, wo must have an unfailing succession of bloody wars to allow him to earn the value we used to pay him. And we have not heard that any civil operation or industrial individual has off'ered him moro than $25,000 a year for his services. Nor do we in the least expect to hear it. But as we havo said, there is another ground on which tho increase is urged. The dignity of the offico must be kept up, and the Presidellt's Balary is inadequate to maintain it. If Mr. Grant were in the position of a privat J gentleman who had to do his social duties at his own expense, to buy and furnish and heat and light hls house and keep his grounds and rjay his servants out of his own incoine, Mr. Grant's income might be inadequate ioe what ho has to do But it is not so, and. these items from last year's official esti.mates prove that it is not so : Fi rnace-keeper at f he President's honse $720 Tv. o policenien at the Preaident's houo $2,ii-:o lïoorkieper ut the i'resideut's liouto 1,'AO Assls uut doorkoeper ut tho Preaidcnt'a hois 720 Annual rspairs flt the President hous8 1C.CCÜ Refurniahing the Presidem a houBe le Oí t Fuel lor tho President' homo 6,00l) Greenhouse and pkmts 2,000 Care aud improvi mi-uts of the ground at the Presldeut's houso 5,000 Total 38,' SO So that the President's real salary and allowance to do hospitality with, to sa_y nothing of houso-rent and numberless "sundries," amount not to $25,000 only but to $63,280. And wo think that is enough. - N. Y World. Forrest, the tfagedian, was an excellent story-teller, and liked nothing botter than to teil the following anocdote in the groen room, if he found all the ladies of the company assembled : In his hotel in St. Louis there was iv colored barber who always shaved Mr. Porrest, and was an intense admirer of the great tragedian. Whilo performing" his functions one morning, tho following convorsation ensued : "We's going to play 'Othollo' to-night, Massa Forrest.'' ' "Wo ? Who do you mean." "Me, sar, and do oder colored gemmen. I wish you'd come and seo us, sah." "Wfill, perhaps I would if I had time. Whero do you play ':" "Down iñ do servan t's hall, sah. We'ea got a good coinpany." "Oh! indeed. Good company, eh ? Are your actresses good 't" "Well, Massa Forrest, dat's just whar de trouble is. We ain't got no actresses." "No actresses !" "Well, 8ith, wo can't get no colored ladies to play on top ob de stage." "Why not ?" "Well, sah, dey won't do it, they think it so degrading, sah." Mr. Forrest always told this with immense point, and thoroughly enjoyed tha indignation with which the actresses invariably received it. The City of Mexico is in eestacies ove its first negro ininstrol troupe.