The Great Congressional Shutdown of 1876
A historic clash between the House and Senate left federal workers across the country—and the crew of a local Revenue Cutter—stranded without pay.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Last week, the Sound Revenue Cutter, Oliver Wolcott, was thrown out of commission, and her hands discharged, for the reason that the fiscal year has closed and no appropriation has yet been made by Congress for the Internal Revenue administration of the Government. This was necessitated by the fact that there is no authorization for the payment of service after or prior to the time for which appropriation was made.
The occasion for this deadlock at Washington is the disagreement of the Democratic House and Republican Senate and Executive on the question of retrenchment. The House has voted reductions to the extent of nearly millions, said to be chiefly the salaries and perquisites of Republican officials, in which the Senate refuses to concur. All both houses are firm and have, thus far, refused to compromise. It is uncertain how the controversy will end; meanwhile, great inconvenience will result to all branches of the civil service (excepting the Custom House, which is under different regulations) and all branches of industry subject to Internal Revenue duty. The machinery of the whole country should not be deadlocked. The side that is immediately in fault for the stoppage will be held answerable for the mischief occasioned.
“The machinery of the whole country should not be deadlocked. The side that is immediately in fault for the stoppage will be held answerable for the mischief occasioned.”
In 1876, a budget standoff between the House and Senate led to the shuttering of government services and the furlough of federal employees. Today, the recurring threat of a 'government shutdown' remains a fixture of American politics, proving that the struggle over the public purse is a persistent, if dysfunctional, tradition in our democracy.
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