Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-03-20
IN sENAI MARCH /,

Mr. 1dif, from the naval c,.m ittee. reported
bal respecting the late officers and crew of the
sioAP OF war Wasp; which was read
me Sena'e resumed the consideration of the
R'ggies:
Resofued That committee be appointed to
ihquire INTO the "xped ency of making provis ION
'or .tersng the location of the road LAID out from
the loot OF theripids of the Miami RIVER of Lake
IRE 70 the western boundary of the Connecticut
neserve, SO tilst the SAID road may pass through
tue reservation of two miles squares on the San
uusky river: and also whether any and what fur.
tner provisions are necessary 10 be made for the
surveying and sale of the public lands adjoining
on the aforesaid road.
ms Question gave rise to some discussion
MT. Afns moved torefer the resolve to the com
missioner OF the General Land Office. to cons;-
der and report thereon This motion WAC snr.
ported by HIMSELF and opposed by MIR. Rurples.
var, Morrow, Mr.. TAFT and Mr.. Taylor the
neto OF debate of course very limited, The cues
ton beng only as TO the mode of making The en-.
qury The motion of Mr. King was nepatyed.
Inc resolve, as above, was agreed to and
"essrs. huSgles, King and Morrow appoint ed
committee accordingly.
The blh from the House of Representative T.,
change the mode of compensation of the sena.
Tors, Lelegates and Representatives IN CONGRESS
was read second time. >
Mr.. Taytsr moved to refer the bill to the com.
| mttce of finance.
Mr.. Bi6b opposed the reference. The prnc;.
Pies eh,oraced IN the bill were not, he said OF
acomPiicated nature, but such as might he de.
term'ned without the formslity of reference
10 committee. Heconfessed, that the bill was
not exactly in the shape which he should nrefer.
but, as he thought it had decided ADVANTAGES a.
yer the present system and rate of compensation
ne should vote for il as it stood, and against any
amendment which should be proposed. He
VDf - = .
cause OF the peculiar dellcacy of the s,,b;ec, .
and considering that the bill had been pro1osed
by the House of Repres entatves, SO much The
most numerous branch of the Legislature he
was unwilling to have any controversy with that
House about it. Amendments might herc.fier
be made by supplementary bill, If found ne
cessary, in the course of the operation of the
system. - '''e
MIR. Taylor said, that the course which ba hod
proposed, was Mt different from that eeneraIi,
glvet to evePs hll eri.,in.S from 4I,e H. T.
\ was he proper course to be pursued. for var;e-
| ty or reasons Suppose the salaries of other
| officers OF the government should be thought
incompetent, the committee Of finance might
J propose amendments to he bill calculated also n
| include them tor he animated, tbat the ma.
sage of bill TO compensate ourselves alone.
seemed to be close and pbed ent to the old bnt
| pithy adage, Ina, Charity beg ms at home Our
| toreign Ministers, he SAID, received. besides
| their outfi a salary of 5000 dollars, to eh.ble
them to make display abroad II would seem.
by the distinction IN favor of fore On Monsters,
IN this respect, as If Cong did not care what
appe rance our great officers of the government,
| exhibited at home, under our own ewes. Mr.. r
sad, he was not opposed 10 The increase of com
| pensation of the Members of the Letri.Iature
and should vote for his bill, if no better system
| could be devised In order to let the neonIa
know that Their IN eres's were consulted as much,
where zUe are concerned said he, as in other ca
| ses, wish the II to take the usual course or
reference to a select Committee
| MIR. Dane said. there was certainly sonetb;ns.
due TO the delcacy of sentiment of the gentle.
| man from South Carolina which had induced
him to make this motion. IL being at all times
a matter of delcacy TO act on questions concern.
ing our own compensation, Mr. d. said. he Il A
not wonder that, in his anxiety 10 avoid error ON
the one side, he should be d over TOO far IN The
| other direction In reference to the laws hereto
fore passed on these subjects, he said, he found
1t had not been thought al all necessary to com
bine the compensation of Executive and ,eris,a
tive officers nor did he see why he NenbeF
of Congress should measure their comnensat ,on
by that of other officers of the government =
This question was one separate and d,stmct i
was a question OF its own character. he said, and
ought TO stand alone. lie was, therefore, oppos
ed TO commitment, in order TO amend the hin
Mr. Campbell said, as a member of the com
mitiee of finance he was not aware that that
committee could give any Information to the Sc.
nate on the subject of this BILL which would en-
able it to act better than they could without IL
on this bill The principle of the bill, he said.
was naked one, whether the COMPENSATION Of
the members should or should not be increased
the question in relation to the manner of com
pensation was also single question Mr. C.
said he felt in so great degree the delicacv
which bad been adyerted to, that he would not
say much on this subject As to the argument
that the salaries of some other officers of govern
ment require an increase, he was not disposed
to deny the fact but in addition to the reply
that 1t was not necessary to connect that question
with the one now before the Senate, he sad. the
salaries Of those officers had been raised
since the compensation of the Members of
Congress had been fixed. Mr.. Campbsl
did not profess himself TO be an advocate for the
manner Of compensation proposed by this BIN
he had serious doubts on the subject but ne
thought proper TO state, that this measure, hay-
ing been adopted by the other house, which IS
considered generally as Immediately responsible
to the people for It's acts, and the members NJ
which pride themselves on being the purse-bol-
ders OF the nation, It appeared TO him that this
house was relieved from the necessity of probing
the subject as closely "a it might otherwise be
proper. Not, he said, that he thought the g..
nate was at all bound by their vote, but in tn,
respect the other house was at least as response.
bic as this. The present compensation to the
Members OF Congress, he was convinced, was
entirely too low, If it was intended that thew
ehould have compensation any thing like com.
Petent to pay their necessary expeuce. lie was
opposed to the references altogether il com.
mitted, he hoped II would be to ano her com.
mites than that which had bean narnos.