Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-12-27

fhe seat Of government had been trans
! ferred TO the City of Washington, ana the
expense Of living, instead ofreturnng 60
It's former rate as was expect ed by some,
has gone OH increasing progressively, un-
til money, in relation 10 the means of
life, does not retain more than half ifs
former value. In other words, if six dol
lars dav was no more than reasona-
BILE provision in the cities of Philadelphia
Il, and New crk, eigl,t-and-tweBiy Years
ago, twelve dollars would not he more
than reasonable and equal provision in
the Civ of Washington, at the present
time. Forty years ago, as has been sta
ted above, some of the States paid their
delegates in Congress eight dollars day,
and It was never supposed. during the re-
voiution oraitsrwards, that the people OF
the United States had made unreasonable
or exOrbitant provision tor their public
agents. But unless the early history OF
the country, was marked by great extra
vagance in this particular, the rate Of six
dollars day, fixed bv the law of the first
Congress, was no more than moderate
audnecessary allowance at that time, be-
cause It was no more than the average of
whatal!the States had found it necessa-
re- TO paw to their respective delegates,
during the revolution.
there has been in truth such change in
the country, in the value ofmoncy and
the expense of living, rs TO render that
provision which WAS no more than suifi-
Gent in 1880, insufficient III 1916. 1t is q
truth, plain to all whose experience or in
formation enables them TO Judge, that so
GREAT has been the change in the forego-
ing particulars, which cighi-ano-iwcnty
years have produced, that il is not incor-
rect TO estimate tie expenditures neCes-
sarily attached TO a seat in Congress at
twice their former amount. This change
has rot been confined TO the condition of
members of Congress. It has extended
all over the country, and as we'll the MA
tionai government as every State govern
ment has been obliged TO provide for it
in. proportionate increase in the salaries
OF their public officers.
The statute hook ofthis government ex-
hibits a constant and progressive in
crease OF compensation in all the depart
ments ofgovcrnmenf, with the exception
of the Legislature and the supreme Judi
ciarv. On the recommendation of the
executive or lis branches, the legislature
has repeatedly augmented the provisions
for that department, patiently raising the
paw OF clerks and Of writer's far above that
Of IFS own m mbers. without agitating
either itself or the country with any gues-
ton about ifs own compensation. From
| the heads Of departments to the lowest
| cIeTksliDs in the public Offices, a general
| augmentation has obtained throughout.
| 4 long enumeration of instances Is not
! necessary. One may suffice. When
| members Of Congress were first paid six
| dollars dav, the salary OF The attorney
| general was fifteen hundred dollars
wear This saaryhas since been increas-
] ed 70 three thousand dollars and the ex-
ecutive has at the present session found
| it Unnecessary to recommend still further
| increase, as essential to the public ser
vice. II The duties of that officer have IN
creased, so have the duties Of members
| OF Congress in at least an equal proper
| ton; and which of the two stations re-
! quires the greatest sacrifice of private
p rsuits, may be easily disccrned.
| AT the time OF passing the late act, it
was found upon enquiry that, from the
organization Of the government to the
| commencement of the thirteenth Con
gress, QsI3,l Congress had. on an a
verage of all the years, been in ses-
sion one hundred and fifty-nine DAYS
ina year. For eight years, ending with
the thirteenth Congress, Gsl3,) it had
been in session, on an average, one hun
bred and Sixty-five days in each year.
An easy compnta ton will show that sup.
posing Congress TO sit hereafter as mary
days within the year as it has usually
done heretofore, the present amount Of
| compensation, including travel and at
tendance, viii exceed the amount receive
ed for travel and attendance under the
former law, thirtv-eight per centum. At
fer the lapse Of eight-andtwenfy years
then, Congress has. for the first time, in-
creased the ray Gifts members. It has
increased it about one third, and no
more although. within the same period,
ii iras heen called upon 10 raise, and has
raised the compensation OF nearly all o.
Their officers OF government in far great
er proportion.
This enhancement Of other compen-
satons is not adverted 10 for the purpose
of showing that Congress has been az a.
vOrable 10 others as TO itself or that II
has made itself fine latest object Gifts own
bounty. In neither case has il supposed
iteelfto he bes'owing bounty, or confer
ring favour II has sought only to make
such provisions as the public interest de-
marded. But fhe circumstance is refer
red ~ as firnishing evidence Of tie ne-
ccssitv ogthe late law, by showing that
q eimiIsrneecssity had been found 80 ev-
isl in other cases and that by tfat law,
Congress he'd done nothing for its own
members which executive recommends
| 81 a., o..,, r.,,tp.o.. ~