Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-01-25
co RESS
OF THE.
UNITE D s TIT Es.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FRIDAY, Nov. is.
Debate on Tie bin ffeing the SALARIES Ct
certain oJfcers fTeaIfnentionsd.
CONTINUED.

extreme diff ience, wien | consider the talent
and experience of gentlemen who COMPOSE tbs
honorable house, being unaccnatomed TO take an
ative part in public deha:e. il isa sense OF
duty and not matter Of vanity which induces
me 70 rise on this occasion. Therefore without
attempting to court praise on the one hand, and
fearing ceasurc on the other, snail neg'eesfui OF
both deliver my opinion ON this interesting SUD-
ie4. hoping it will be received with the same
candor il is given. The filing the blanks IN
this bill, or determining the salaries OF the oncefs
of poycrnmet to be provided fer by It, IS not
question simply between this house and the per
sans now holding those Offices bu, sir, II IS q
question in which every individual IN society IS
more or less Interested. L IS what the govern
ment ought TO allow their puoAc agents or SER
wants. as a compensation for their services rem
dered in their several Departments. And, SIR,
give me leave to say, think It question Which
this house, as the more Immediate representatives
and gpardisos Of the rights and interests OF the
people ought TO decide up)n the true pfin1lPles
Of honor, justice, sound policy and strict etono
nv, without reference TO particular men OF par
ties, as the bill under consideration has Tor It's
,bieG the permanent establishments OF these sala-
aries. We ought not 10 combat With he wea
oons of passion or prejudice, both Of winch are
known to DC the vices OF the mind, ana always
unsupported by virtue, justice or honor. The
5 esalling policy of Absolute governments has
ever been 10 zurich their tayonte few ar the ex.
pence Of tbe nation.
But God forbid that this policy should ever Pc
val in a government like ours, the very exist
odc sba
homo, and virtue with which our public officers
are seleaed, aid the jsstice and economy with
which they 3are compensaled. The oth3e OF
Secretary of State is an office Of I,rust and nigh
responsibility and i, requires person Of the first
talents to perform its duties with ability and
safety TO the nation. Those men have been
found, who 80 their honour may II ever be satd}
have dischsrged the duties OF this Office with re
"a, alton 20 themselves, and 10 manner highly
Conducive 10 the prosperity of their country, and
fr compensation, hiieen hundscd dollars less
ban the sum now proposed, UNI! march I7Q9,
e1en from combiHatlon oTC'rcu instances rIseI
xisting, the advanced prices OF almost every ar
lie Of living insconseqnencc Of the European war
I'D the Inconvenience of the removal Of public
ofic es to the permanent seat of government, the
salaries of certain officers contemplated in he, b
n your table were augmented, aud by an act
assed bv congress IN the year 1902 have been
contnned rii3this tine, which actswll soon ex
pie and salaries remain as they were previous to
March 1899 The reasons, sir, which induced
tae legisIatue II pass the bill ansnentIng those
alaries having ceased, and gentlemen in favor OF
She motion not having been aoe 10 offer others
which appear TO me sgsihcitnt, can see no goad
re4soa' why at this tire we should by perma
4spt law establish those salaries at The advanced
sans n " proposed - II is vet known, that the
oisstng the act augmea,ing the sasaEes was a
slolect Of very considerable alarm, sd has beef
aade step stone to poser and pretermeat. by
genflemeil, some Of whom az GoW 81 y.ns ,hr
3eaehls arising from the augpeatatl2a VI those
g,ry salaries with perfect satisfaction ard from
gho az this time and on this occ4sou Nc hea
cry eI1her in favor of economy Or agains hjE
larics. An honorable gentleman :sn N9rfh
.afolra, tMr. Als.on) expressed his fears that We
aali MT be able 60 retain the gentlemen who
nov t ! those offices, nor fn1 otherssof equal TIA
-ass willing to accept of thee appointment, IN
IS The blank should be flied with the round sun.
2 FIVE thousand dollars. But sir, experiencs
.ches US otherwise. 1t has been very candid!y
saowie9ged, even by gensiemen. of the same
lrical sentiments with nmselt land | thrk
very much to their honorl in the course OF the
Neseat debate, thar those offices we're formerly
lied BY gentlemen whose taleots and ingesr';y
we're uaquestionable, and for compensation fl,
cen hu45red dollars less han the SUN now pro
,osed, aud al time when tbs means OF living
we're e9a4l,y As high, If not higher, than they now
are.
An honorable gentlemao from Pennfylvana
IND. FjnJley} informs us, that in the couFfc Of
ais long experience, both IN. this honfe anG in the
tate leg u,c, he has never known a hngt
ioRaace Of the falary Of any officer being reduced,
sat often eaiftd. #, Sir, any conclution Dc
draws from this {atement. it is III my mind,