Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-01-08


who had been elected under the influence
Of the prevailing popular disaPprobatidn
of the annual compensation law-the Sc
cond, that the committee should be select
ed from different parts of the union, 50
as to bring more extensive range OF in
flueRce into its deliberations. As to the
objections raised by his honorable col
league against the committee on protes-
Sional account, it was conception for
which he was unable TO accOuIt-for he
certainly had not regarded them with a
view to any such consideration and he
solemRly declared that at the time Of his
\ selecti0B Of them, he was entirely igno-
rant of their intentions. He only under
stood that there prevailed amongst them,
every diversity Of opinion respecting the
sum, from six up to ten dollars: and asst
was clear that every member in the house
Hust have long since made up his mind
on the subject, he could not perceive how
the objections Made by his honorable col
league could apply. AT the same time, he
should deeply regret it, if, as that honor
able gentleman seemed to tIink, any OBJ
structiOn were at empted to be thrown in
the way Of bis exercising the right, which
he Individually possessed, Of freely deli
,e ing his sentiments in that house.
Mr.. Ogle avowed that he entirely diff
fered from MIR. Desha. He said he con
sidered himself as no way wanting in pa
trioti,m such as he ought and it was ma
tural for him to feel /; but he did not think
that patriotism necessarily consisted in
individuals making disproportionate sa-
criGces Of their domestic duties and iami-
iy's substance for every other person.
He lived in great farming country. and
amongst farmers, and knew tOlerabiy
well how that class Of people would feel
and be affected by this business, and
what they thought about il; and he would
say that it was their opinion, as it GER
tainly was his own, and must be that of
every man of common sense, that he who
Rad a farm to mind, had little time to
throw away upon what was called patri-
etism, and could not be expected TO con-
sumo his time or to neglect his concerns,
much less ought he to waste the substance
and means OF his family, or run the risk
of bringing his children to begsary aud
want, by working without an adequate
compensation. He, for one, would not
do il And as to what had been thrown
ost about talents, he believed it would be
hard to determine right Of members to
compensation by such an equivocal test.
1t would not be easy to trepan them and
weigh their brains, and if it could be ac-
complished, he dared to say that some
would be entitled TO but small compensa.
ton. His own would probably be as lit
tie as any ones. As that, however, could
rot be done, they Must all be content {"
suure alike; and all ought to receive
reasonable compensation not only for
their labor, but for the loss their families
and concerns would sustain at home,
while they were employed in watching
over the public business. Nine dollars
day he con .idered as a very small COM
pt nsation. And he affirmed tha', living
as he did amongst farmers, he never
heard ole of them say that ten dollars
day was too much. As to coming to
Congress to serve out Of pure patriotism,
he doubted whether, if that were TO be the
only compensation, there would be many
desirous 10 be elected. lie thought that
the Gerry best pay for member Of Con-
gress to ShO,o his Patriotism pns to tote
Independently. Dithout any uieD to poPa-
lar favor. lie had not sought a seat in
C,nsress- it was given to hun. Here
ceiyed 20 instructions, and If he had. he
would still act as his judgment and con.
science directed.
The amendment proposed by Mr.
Ross was negati,ed.
The committee rose, the bill was re-
ported to the house, aud the question be-
ing put on its concurrence, all amend
ment was proposed by Mr.. Paris TO
strike out nine and insert six /; on which
Gen. Harrison said though he thought
nine dollars little enough, yet as there
were other claimants whom it was the
duty Of the house, holding as it did the
keys Of the treasury, to satisfy, before
they helped themselves, he would vote
for the amendment. When justice should
be done to the widows and orphans Of the
brave officers and soldiers Of the revolu-
tionary war, then-and not till then
would he vote tor nine dollars day.
| Mr.. 0gle said if it were necessary he
would divide this compensation with the
soldiers widows aud orphans-but he
knew that the country was able and viii
ling and bound 10 pay both, and he could
not see any reason why it should not do
SC. After various attempts to amend and
motous with various success, the discus