Salary Grab

in American history, a popular name for a general increase in federal salaries. The Constitution provides for the payment of certain salaries from the national treasury. An act of March 3, 1873, duly signed by President Grant, provided that the president's salary should be increased from $25,000 to $50,000, that of the chief-justice from $8,500 to $10,500; and those of the vice president, cabinet, associate justices, and the speaker of the House from $8,000 to $10,000, and that of senators and representatives, from $5,000 to $7,500. An amendatory act passed on the following day provided that back salary be allowed to congressmen for two years. This last feature aroused so much indignation that the cry of "Salary Grab" was raised with such effect that the law was repealed except so far as it related to the salary of the president and justices. See Webster