Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-04-06
Against it 5S
And then the House adjourned.


Be printed.
The House then resolved itself into
committee of the whole, Mr.. Lewis in the
chair, on the bill TO increase the pensions
of certain invalid pensioners. No amend
ment being offered, the committee rose,
reported the bill to the House and it was
then ordered to be engrossed for a third
reading.
The Honse, on motion of Mr.. Lowndes,
resolved itself into committee of the
whole, Mr.. Nelson of Virginia in the
chair, on the bill making appropriations
for the support of government for the year
1916.
In filling up the blank in the bill, left for
the appropriation for the payment of the
Members OF Congress, some debate arose
IS to the manner of drawing this compen-
sation. The act lately passed toalter the
mode of compromising the Members Of
Congress, declares that they shall receive
an annual" salary OF 1900 dollars and
in a subsequent clause. provides that the
compensation shall be certified and made
in the manner heretofore provided by
law ;" the custom under the former law
was to pay the members from time TO time
as the services were rendered.
Mr. Lowndes, in obedience to INSTRUCT
ons from the committee of Ways and
understood to be the construction given 70
the act by the Attorney General, moved
to I'LL the blank with a sum sufficient to
defray the compensation for the wear end
ing on the 4th of March, 1916, and making
no provision for the services which would
intervene between that period aud the end
Of the next session.
This construction of the act was dispu-
ted by Mr.. Clay, the Speaker. He tho't
that the members, whenever they could
exhibit evidence of the rendition of servi-
ces, had far claim for a due proportion
of the annual salary. Such had been the
practice heretof1re and if the rule laid
down by the Attorney General were q
dopted, n member who happened to come
into Congress after the 9TH of March,
would receive nothing until the next
March. Against the inconvenience and
hardship of this construction, Mr.. c. ar
gued at some length and for the purpose
of making an appropriation out of which
to compensate the members for the re
mainder of this session, and part of the
next, moved TO fill the blank with sum
adequate to meet that object. Mr.. G. adj
del. that IS the public interest would be
unaffected By this decision, let either con-
struction of the act be adopted, he saw 10
objection to pursuing the course he propo-
sed, without however allowing any mem
Der 70 draw so much of the salary as would
bring him at any time in debt to the gov
eminent.
Mr.. Johnson of KY. differed both from
the Speaker and the Attorney General in
this, that the compensation given TO the
members, was intended 10 embrace whole
session, long or short but as it made no
difference 10 the United States, and that
h-n ha CHI
quesce, and vote for the appropriation,
provided an amendment which he had
drawnilp, should be adopted, which did
gntertere with the construction given,
1zzza8 was Indispensable TO dc Justice to the
government and to certSin members who
had not attended The whole session ;
which amendment was intended TO make a
deduction from the compensation of mem
bers for absence, in the proportion that alb
sence bore to the whole days of the SEES
Son.
Mr.. Jackson explained the views of the
select committee, when they originally re-
ported in favor of changing the mode of
compensation; and concurred in the con-
struction given.b Mr.. Clay.
Mr.. Smith Of Md. also conquered in the
construction of the law given to it by the
Speaker. According to the other interpre.
ta.ion of it, if the members were called
here t. an extra session, they woulI, Mr.
5. said, be obliged to bring money in their
pockets 20 defray their exrences, IS they
| could receive no compensation until the end
)zsf the year.
MIR. Castor thought it not of much i'm
portance which construction was adopted
bnt stated the reasons that induced him
t. believe the Construction given bv the
Attorney General the true one. MIR
@. compared the terms of the several
acts CD this subject, to establish what he
believed the proper construction, and to
shew that Mr. Ciay's could not be sustain
ed.
Mr.. Wright thought it entirely unne
cesssry to dispute about the construction of
the late law. Congress had voted to its
members certain annual compensation,
which might be viewed in the light of a
contingent fund, and it was perfectly com
petent for Congress to direct in what way,
and what proportions that compensation
should be drawn, &c.
The Committee then agreed to the
amendment proposed By Mr.. Clay
and filled the blank in the bill according
ly.
WITH the exception of some objections
MADE By Mr.. Wit to an appropriation
for additional Clerks for one of the de-
partments, the committee met with no tllf-
ficulty in its progress through the bill, un-
I'll
Mr.. Jackson moved to insert a cl use
communicating G3OO O00 out of +he c,rd 80