Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-02-04
SIS
OF THE
UNITED STATES. 5
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Monday November 81.
Debate on The passage Of the BIZ, yFazagg
the Salaries sf tie 0Hee,s ct G0vern-
nent.
%aNTENUED.
Monday November 81,
eoNTENUED.

Mr.. Sanford asked a roment's induIg-
ence. He was opposed to the
ment, because the object Of the gentleman
who introduced the molten was to give a
Limitation to the bill; as though it were
not without such limitation, subject to the
controul of Congress. The fact was that
Congress could at any time increase-or d.
minish these salaries. Though IN favour
of them as they at present were, 1t good
reasons should at anytime be offered Tor
their diminution, should vote for a repeal
of this act, though he was ready to declare
that he did not expect such reasons could
be offered. Why then limit the bill, when
its sole effect would besa waste Of time in
renewing this discussion at a Subsequent
day |? AS to the arguments derived from
lowness of state compensations, Mr.. 5.
said no comparison could be drawn between
the duties of the state and the federal OH
GERS. He added that not a murmur of dis
content among the people on this point had
reached his ears. He was ready therefore
with the gentleman from Pennsylya MIA, to
vote according to the dictates of his con-
science.
DIR. Mitchell observed that he had al
most laid himself under an Injunction to
remain silent during the whole OF this de-
bate about salaries. But as the subject
had not as yet been displayed, by any OF
the gentlemen who had spoken upon it, IN
the manner it appeared to him most wor-
thy of being stated to- the House, he should
before the question was called. briefly Of
fer his sentiments. | am opposed said DR..
M. to high salaries and extravagant allow
ances to 3all sorts Of men in Office. But
am at the same time desirous that the citi-
zens who are called from private life 10
should have a sufficient compensation. A
man who barters away the sweets of do
nestle enjoyment, for the toll and envy in
cidentai to most ofthe Offices provided for
in the bill, ought to receive from those
whom he serves, something more than his
daily bread.
Imust own / am not one OF those who
can, with the calculating powers which
some gentlemen profess, exactly adapt the
~pecuniary reward to these great and res
ponsible Offices. / cannot put integrity,
talents and industry In II scale OF the ba-
lance, and throw dollars and cents into the
other until itdescends to an e~quipoise. 1t
surpasses my skill to weigh the rare en-
dowments Of the head, and the excellent
qualities of the heart, which mingle in the
character OF an officer of state, against the
copper, the silver, or even the gold, OF
which our coin is made. When attempt
to reduce patriotism, honesty and lntelli-
gence to a price, and 10 cypher outby rules
Of arithmetic what they are worth in mos
ney, I abandon the task as above my pow
ers. And I am not ashamed to confess
my inability to appraize the i~nestimable, |
will say incalculable, value Of genius, ca
pacify and virtue, IN any denomination of
paper, current among men. | caanot guage
the human understanding, nor take the
dimensions.of moral fitness, with such ex-
actness as to salty me IN giving my vote,
that the sums in the bill are exactly what
they ought to be, without varying in any |
degree from the true amount of compen-
sation. ~Employments of high u and
dignity have no tariff or market price to
rate them. There is a someWhatin a great
and noble mind, that is far above compa-
rison, or equivalentwith any thing the mint
affords.
But, although the task Just mentioned
surpasses my ability, | do not quit in des-
pair the sabiect ont Of which it grows. The
problem by which Professional men and
26iciaI men ought to be PAID, can be solved
only by the aid Of political arithmetic: Or
1t can be made to approximate near enough
to certainty, to answer all thepurposes OF
ordinary conduct. If a boy is destined to
a profession, he is an object Of @expence
through the whole course ofhis scholastic, |