The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-02-06

sets, Bigelow, Blackledge, R,eeoker, Breck-
enrldge, Cheves, Cook, Condit, Cuts, Daw-
son, findley, Fitch. Gholson. Gold, Colds
borough, Gray, Green, Grosvenol, Halves,
Kent, Key. Law, Lowndes, M'Bryde, Mil
nor, Mtchill, Moseley, Nelson. New. New
ton, Pearson, Pitkm, Peasants, Porter,
Randolph, Reed, Richardson, Robertson,
Summons, Sawyer, Sewer, Scybert. Shcffey,
J.: Smith, Stuart. Stow, Sturges. Tallman,
l'roup. White .Widgery, VIM, Wrighe--55
| NAYS.-Messrs. Alston, Archer, Avery,
Bacon. Bard, Bib, Brigham, Brown, Bur
we'll. Butler, Carr. Chittcndcn, Cochran,
Clopton, Crawford, Davis, Desha, Dins-
moor, Earle, Fly, Fisk, Franklin, Il. Hall,
.. Hall, HARPER. Hufty, Hyneman, John
son, King, Kennedy, Lacocll, Lewis, Little,
Lyle, Macon, M Gov, M * e, A.etcalf More an.
Morrow, Newbold, Ormsby, Pickens. PEND,
Potter, Rhea, Roane, Roberts, Sage, Seaver,
Shaw, q. Smith, Stanford, Strong Turser,
Wine atom, Whitehll. Williams, Wilson-5g.
So the bill was rejected.
On motion of Mr.. Cheves, the house re-
solved itself into a committee of the whole.
Mr.. breckenridge in the chair, on the bill
to encreasc the salaries of the Secretaries
OF the War and Navy Departments.
Mr.. Cheves, rose. and stated that the sa-
laries OF these officers heretofore had not
been equal to those of the Secretaries of
State and Treasury, probably because their
duties had not been considered as arduous
but that now the duties of these officers had
become equally arduous. required equal ia
lent, incurred equal responsibility with the
other two officers, and were liable to equal
expences. 1t bad been therefore thought by
the committee of Ways and Means, that the
salaries OF all the Secretaries ought to be
placed on an equal footing. He moved to
fill the blank in the bill for the amount of
the salary with jsVe thousand doNarS the
present salary of the Secretaries of State *
Treasury.
/ After few observations from MIR. Find
| ley in favor of the bill
The motion was agreed to by a very small
majority.
Mr.. Rhed moved to amend the bill by in
cooperating therein, provision for raising
| the salary Of the Post Master General of tho
U. States from 5000 TO $500 dollars.
| or. 1dRmadge moved to amend the "a
nehdment SO as to increase the salary
OF the Assistant Post Master General to
20oo dollars--Motion lost
The question on Mr.. Rhea's motion was
then decided in the negative by small ma
|Jority.
| lhe committee rose and reported the bill,
and the question being stated on concurrence
with the committee of the whole on the
principle of the bill -
Mr.. Randokhh stated mis- objections to the
measure. He was opposed TO the bill, not
because he did not believe the salaries, alb
stractedly considered with reference to the
grade of talent which ought to grace these
Offices. might be, too low but because,
compared with the salaries of the Judges &
| other officers of the United States, their sa-
! larics we're, comparatively, ALREADY too high
He drew comparison between the fate of
this bill and of that just rejected for com.
pensating the officers and crew of the Con-
stitution, unfavorable to the decision of the
House on these two cases. He was not for
llavishiDg treasure on those who were bask-
ing sunshine at home, &c Withholding with
a niggardiy hand the remuneration Justly
due to the merits and exploits of the latter.
| Mr.. Cheves replied. He fully agreed
with Mr.. Randolph that salaries of other
\ offcsss were too low but it was no reason
against placing officers of the same grade
on an equal footing, that other officers were
too low. The greatest objection to the
present inequality Of the salaries of the
Heads of Department was the inferiority
which it implied in two of these officers to
the other two, though all were placed in
| the cabinet an equal footing, &C. He
too lamented the decision of the House which
had just taken place but IL was no reason
whatever against the measure now before
| the House.
Mr.. Randolph spoke in explanation, and
huuCN SOHle Quiet TendThS TO those he had
before made. He particularly objected to
all increase at this moment, of the salaries
OF those who had placed the nation in it's
present situation. The equality of COM
Pensation would not place these Offices on an
equal footing, he commended. The one would
still take precedence of the other, in ridi-
culous limitations of the customs of foreign
courts. Equality of salary would not place
these Offices on the same footing it could
not, as he said compensate for the ineuda :
lily created by the inferiority of intellect,
supposing that to exist, &c.
Mr.. CheUes rejoined, and replied to some
of Mr.. RS. remarks.
Mr.. Bib spoke in favor of the bill. and
stated that it had been reported without
any reference to personal considerations.
for 1T had been laid before the House
before it was known what gentlemen were
to Fill these two Offices.
| The vote on concurrence with the COM
mittee in fixing the compensation at $4,000
was as follows
For concurrence so
| Against it sc
Mr.. CheUCs moved that the bill lie on the
| table--Motion lost.
The bill was then indefinitely postponed.
A bill from the Senate for the relief of
Reuben Atwater, and bill. for the relief Of
Washington Lee, were severally twice read
and committed.
a message was received from the Tresi
dent OF the United States, transmitting to
f'ns.sr 81