Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-03-23
Members of Congress having been read the third

Mr. Mason Of Va. said, he was ever ~reluctan,
% differ IN opinion from the majority Of the Sc |
,aie-for such 4 difference of opinion seldom |
failed to impress him with doubts of the correct. |
uess OF that which he entertained. But on this
he was compelled to oppose the mea- |
sure unde consideration. He regretted tina, he
was not in his place to have s ated his objection
to this bill ct an earlier stage of its progress for
he was aware that, to oppose 1T at this time,
when the sense of the Senate had been fully as.
certained and expressed-when its fate was to
all appearance determined and known, and when
no opposition to it could be ava,l,ng, would ex-
pose him to the imputation ofvanity or affectation
or perhaps 10 the supicion of unworthy motives.
But this consideration should not deterhim from
The discharge ofhis duty. He felt conscious of
the rectitude and purity of his motives and he
believed other gentlemen to be actuated by SINH.
lar motives.
He would prefer several notifications of the
bill bnt he had only one insuperabfe objection
to 1t, which was that it was retrospective. and
immediate in its operation. He considered il
improper or indicate (without meaning the
least reflection upon any gentleman who advoca.
ted NJ to vote money out OF the Treasury into
our W pockets: For all useful public purposes
ne was willing to impose taxes, and tn vote mo-
hey, as Literally as any gentleman. But he con-
isdered the inject of this bill to be of too mixed
and doubtful a character to exempt its advocates
entirely from the suspicion Of interested and sell
hsh motives. He was very far from imputing
such motives to them. But il was not enough to
doright. The re nresentives of the people should
SO conduct themselves as to be above the sus-
p zion OF unworthy motives. He was no jacobiu,
and he would never act or speak with a single
eye to popular appreciation AMI favor. Blu he
he opinion of he people, as every pub
TIC agent should do and aith ugh he wou d moi
do wrong to obtain their good opinion, yet he
would a'.ays act as far as he could, consistently
WIN ms duty, IN such a way rs to meet their APP
Propauon. For IN 4 government like ours, par
tcularly, 1t was in vain to pretend 20 despise or
disregard public opinion /, was not only the
tenure by which we held our places, but il was
he basis OF the government itself. Take from
he government that support, and what was now
order and beauty, woull become despotism. or
anarchyand Chaos. He should, therefore,, a.ways
respect the opinion of the people, and endeavor
10 OBTAIN theIr appreciation, as far as he could.
without a sacrifice of public duty. lie admitted
that the compensation of the members ought to
Dear The same proportion to the expences to
Whieh members are now exposed, that 1t did to
the'r exPences when the law fixing the present
rate OF compensation passed and he had no
doubt, that the people would approve such an
lncrea,e-for he had great confidence IN their
and good sense But ne c d uld not vote
Tor the bill to take etfec immediately. He would
move to amend 1t, so as TO postpone It's operation
ln II the expiration of the term of the present
Congress but he understood that such a moalon
lad already been made and rejected And as
ne could not obtain that modification of the bill
her.
MIR Chase also opposed the passage of the bill,
Oh The grounds already taken against 1t. He
Gould not consent TO leg,slate in this manner. No
Der on, he believed, had yet computed that the
improvisation hereafter TO be given to. the mem
'ers OF Congress would be less than ten dollars |
per day whilst Mr.. c. computed that it would
AMOUNT at a fair average estimate 10 seventeen
ioiiars and a half per day for each day they at |
This government had been many years
u operation, and 1T was not till very lately that
Complaints had been made that the compensa-
ION ofthe members was insufficient. This. he
'ald, was an unfortunate time for the discovery.
whist the pubic debt wa unliquidated, millions
I pubic accounts yet unsettled, many Of the pa
mot soldiers yet unpaid, and taxes cont inued-t
asthis the proper time To increase the paw of
ne members to so extravagant a height : Mr.. !
vas OF oPlnlcn the compensation of the memb.rs
ught tc be increased, but it ought to be done
sun prudence and with reference to the justice
the case, &c. The passage of such a bill AZ
his would be justly ~disapproved by the people
'lr. G. also objected to the bill because Jefec.
i've IN its details That the subject might he
naturely considered, he moved 10 postpone the
to Monday.
MIR HARPER opposed the postponement. be
ausel 1t was not alledged that information was
or that the de ails of the bill were such
5 required a long examination o understand it
ne SUBJECT OF the bill was a well understood as
could be by a postponement of an, length
MIR, DGnd also opposed the pastponement.-
he only .rgument against 1t, he believed was,
hat the passage of the bill would be unsat;sE.c,
cry to tue people. If the bill was proper in it.
eli, and there was any hing IN this terror of the
t1pular disapprObatIon, it was a strong reason
'hN they Should not pause upon il as long as
5 proposed tor IT once slezed with a panic on
d." Question: the terror might perhaps by delay
ecrine extreme. 1.-THE bill were Justly d,ssa.
lsfactory To the people, be said, il might be NJ
eason TO nause but for his part, he should not
IKE 20 return and tell his constituents that he
las AFRAID TO vote for this bill lest il should be
satisfactory to them. His constituents. he
ald, were not opulent, nor yet affec ed by pD.
ertyj they lived at less expence than gentle.
nen could here-but, he aald, ne should manifest
o respect for their dlscernment, if he were to-
oppose they could no see why members incur
"a greater eXPences here, than were necessary Al
ONE he should shew little respect for their
IT he supposed that they wished that
ne men whom they chose to resresent them here
louid degrade them elves in order to live unon
ne compensation allowed them, or should sacri
&c Their private property in serving the public
mlghtbe expected ofthe public agents to make
scrlhees N tunes of great emergency and na;i.
nal difficulty F., but 1t would be idle, in ordinary
mes to ell on public men to be ps,riotc
Their own loss and injury. Although he
AID, the people Of the state which he repre-
en'ed, were not as wealthy as they we're in some
ther arts OF the country, he trusted they weref
ot aihieted with that poorness ofspirit, that they
gNuid deny thelr rePresentatlves . due compen.