Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-03-23

similar u,Ou'eS.
lie would prefer scyera. notifications of the bill
bnt he had on'y ON ns4perable Objection to il,
wh.c., WAS uiat il was retrOspeetye, aud mr edi-
ae Ia its operation. lie considered it improper
or ndeiicatS (wIthout meaning the least rvA ction
upon any gentleman vino adv ocated IL to vote mo-
uey cut OF the treasury into own pockets: For
all useful pablo purposes he willing inp0se
taxes, aGd tovnte money, as Literally a.y gen
uemsn. But he considered the OBJECT OF this bill
TO be OF too iaixed and doubtful character to
empt It's advocates entirely from the Suspicion of it,
terested and selfish motives. lie very Tar from
inprtng sNch motives 10 tieto. But Il was not u
nou:h TO 10 right. The representatives of the peo-
pie should conduct themselves TO be above the
suspicion OF unworthy motives. He no jaco-
lin, and he would never act speak with single
eye u popular appreciation and favor. But ie res
pec;ed the opinion OF the peoples every p0alic
agent should do and although he wOU not do
wrong to obtain their good opinion, yet he would
aiwal act as fan d. .Ie could, consistentiy with las
duty, III such way AS 10 Iaeet their appreciation.
For III a government ike ours particularly, It was
in vain to preteud dsspse disregard public
opinion IL was not only tie tenure by which
held our places. but It the basis of the govern
rnent itself Take from the government ilst sup
port, and what was nov order and beauty, would
become despotsm, oranarcily aud chao1. lie should
therefore, always respect the opOn Ut the people,
and endeavor Ia Obtain them apprObton, fsr lac
could. without sacritce OF public duty lie ai-
mitte'l that the compensation OF The ncsleIs ought
tn be Increased lie Thought il ought to bear the
same proportion 10 the expeuces To which IA q Jcrs
are now exposed, that It did Co their expences when
the law 6xLg the present rate of compensation
passed.: ana lac had doubt that the people would
approve such an i.ccessc---iOr hc bad great confi
dcnee 10 their libeiaiIty and good sense. But hc
could not v"te f'r the bill TO take effect immediate
~. Tie wou!,i move to amend IL, so as 10 postpone
Hs operation unu the expiration Of The term Of the
present Congress; but lie understood that such
motion ii"i already bee0 made and rejected Ana
as he eoaid not Obtain that modification Of ts bill,
ne was ccmpe He'd 10 vote against il all together.
Mr.. GRACE also opposed the passage of the bill,
on the grounds areaLv takc1 against it. He coIl,
not ccESeH; 10 ics.slate Ia this manner. No person,
lac believed, h.,d yet computed that the cOmpens;,-
Won hsi e'i,el Ia be given to the members VI Cor
gl'ess wod.d &c less thh ten dollars per day; whist
A4r y. computed that It would amount at fair
average estimate to seventeen dollars sud haf rer
day ior each day they attended. THIS government
mad been many years ia operation, ana il WAS not
an very lately that conn plants had been made that
the compensation OF the members was insufficient
MS he SAID WAS uuortuuate time for the disco
very, " List the public debt was uuliquidated, mil.
hors II pubic accUuntsyet unsettled, many OF the
patriot soldiers yet unpaid, ard taxes continue d.
was this The proper time toincrease the pay Il the
members 10 SO eNua7asant a height MIR {. WAS
oil opinion the compensation oil the members onght
to be increased, bat it ought 10 be done with pru-
dencc and with reference the Justice Of the ease
&c. The pSssass Of such bill IS this would b.
justly fi'sapproveh by ii.- people. Mir. c. also OBJ
jected 10 the LII because dlt Give III its details
That the sn.j ct might be maturey Considered, Ac
moved 70 spone the bill TO Monday.
Nr-li4APER oppOs, d the postpone reni because
Il was not aledged that information wss DESIRED o.
that the details OF The bill were such as require,I
long examination To understand it. The sauject OF
the bill was well unjeistool as it could be by a
postponement of sRy length
Mr. DANA also opposed tie postPoRement. Tie
cniy argument against It, he believed, was, that
the ra1sase "t Tee Gil would he unsatisfactory 10
the people. II tie bill was proper in hseif. and
there any thing in this terror of the popular dis
appreciation, y WAS strong reason why they should
net paCs- upon 1t so long as was proposed; fOr '
cncs seized with paste this question, the terror
might perhaps b. delay beeoolr extreme. II this
bhi were JHssy i's52tstactJry TO the cOple, h. SAID,
IL might DC a reason 20 pause hat for MS part, lac.
should not Ike to and tell his constituents that
he was afraid to FOR this bill lest it should be
d'S'atis"ctory TO them Ills constituents, he said,
were not opu'ent, ncr yet afflicted by poverty :;
they livci at less expence than eent.ineu could
here-but, lac said, lac should manifest no respect
Tor theii dIscernnent. If he were 10 suppose they
could not see why members incurred greater ex-
penees here than were Necessary az home lac
should shew Iittlc respect their disposition, fhe
supposed t.at they wished that the n'eA whom the,
Chose TO represent them here should deotad. them
selves in order to live upCa TIC compensation allow
ed them, o. should sacrifice their private property
Ia serving the public. ltmsht be expe cted Of TIE
pubic agents TO make sacrifices in aes of great e.
Emergency aud national difficulty bat it would be-
idle IN Ordinary times, to call public men 70 be
patriotic TO tier own loss and injury. Although,
ne sail, the people Of the STATE which lie re-
presented, were not wealthy rs they
serc IN some other parts ot the country,
he trusted they were not afflicted with that poor
Eess OF spirit, that they would deny teir repTesat.
tatiVcs dae compensation for their serviees. He
had no hesitation IA saying, that tie proposed rate
Of compensa.IJn not too much f5r ANY man WHO
sas III 70 represent the people and state whom he
lad The honor, IN part, 10 represent aul, however
delicate the enquiy, ie wUUld not enter into q CON
test with lis constituents about the correctness Of
th@'rseeetion IN ssF.diug him mere. On the whole
he sail, he concluded, that it not only proper
q increase the compensation Of tie members; but
being pto per, that It would be popuar'to vote Tor
the III. Ia regard u NJ. hason's objection that
the compensation WIS 10 take effect immediately
nc snd, woud forever exist IN gard 30 tlis body
IN OF whom must, Whenever question OF change
ot compensation Is Sstated, vote q question III
iecuaS their own eno.aments. Bnt, he proceeded
20 sIew, this was question on which the people
had thqms Ives decided the cOnalnaoD of tI,. u.
nttd States. ~heu first submitted to the people
consumed an Article prOTidiug that 70 law, VARYING
tie compensation of the Members Of Congress.
should take Ell Ct until election siug!d intervene.
illus presenting he question now raised by the
scutlemaa from Virginia, ~ regard 10 tbs bill
1 his question was thus preseftth in solemn forn,
TO tie people They dill uot ace pt the article said
-Nr. -. It ~, therefore, decided hy th. PEOPLE
that the Congress NAV correctly i.csessc the cOu.
pe"sation Of IT'S memb-ss,d u. :, The tinle Tor which
they are elected, &c
Mr.. MAsos said, 10 reply q one Of SIR. Dana's
Observations, that iie wisc 10 pit Of thu OPERATE
on Of this bui 10 the d, LAY Of sia.5h next; When
at least part % tac 5enae, AMI thc whole Of the 4
ltousc OF lIepr. tatvcs, would have returned To
tie people. Ani would no, without reelection, de-
ilyl any b-ucEt f.Dfl the BIZ So Hg for fbos- IF