Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-01-10

make some remarks OH this subject, he
suspected he shonla be in the minority :
but, II he were, il WaS 40 more than he
had been used 10. The Suhlect Ilad bern
so long under consideration, t.M he had
no doubt Ike minds OF gentlemen we're
made Up ; but he thought II his duly,
nevertheless, To adv0ratV The aiGcntiment
proposed hy IKE gentleman from Penn
sylvaniu. lie regretted, lc :.aid. that ia
respect tu i.,is bill, The aSual course had
not heeu pursued, and thai a blank had
not ,been lelt in the bill, To br filled by
such s,in as the House should prefer :
this course lie thought, would Rave com
ported more with the dignity at the House
than hat which had been pursued. When,
Mr.. ID. said lie had discoveries who the
members were WHO hal composed the
committee, he had anticipated Mhai their
report would be The chairman remlnd-
ed MIR. ID, slia that II was moi III order 10
make personal illusions 10 members. -
Mr.. y. submitted to The CHAIR. but had
moi Supposed amy thing incorrect in hl>
intention, which Mas 10 siicw, that the
committee who reported l.. IS III he ny
entirely compose! of professional! meH,
it was 10 have BEEN expected that they
would bc in favor OF high pay. When
about 10 establish our own compensation,
MIR. y. said, it would he well ii SO mich
anxiety " eTcnot sliewn to come at aques-
ton, which would probably not be re
garded IN The same hghi by The pcople
as il MAS on this floor. The honest indus
trious farmer, who lives OH his own land,
who rises carly and works late, would
thi0k lliaI nine dollars Il day was extra
VACANT pay for members of Congress.
Mr.. ID. hcce complained OF tie want OF
order III ll;c House. which at once en-
barassed him, and rendered il Useless for
him 10 speak, ~ lie could not be heard.
Mr.. u. proceeded, however, and drew Il
comparison between the compensation
allowed those brave men who had le.t
their homes TO fight our battles III the
last war, and that proposed by tins bill
io be aiIoSed to members OF Congress.
Tie was uup OF those who believed that
si& t.liags for the daily compensation,
and Tor every twenty miles travelling eS-
penccS, mould he Il liberal allowance.
Dpoa calculation of the amount OF the
allowance by the bill, as il now stood, Il
would amount 10 NEARLY rs much as the
fifteen hundred dollar law, as it was cal
led. Gentlemen must have forgotten the
extraordinary agitation produced III The
public mind by the passage of that law !;
they would see how icw of those who
advocated that law had been permitted
TO keep their seats, and would see that
lie people were not in favor of high pay.
In my opinion, said MIR. ID. the feelings
OF The people ought TO be consulted aud
regarded, and therefore, this bill ought moi
TO pass i'll lis present shape. MIR. ID. SAID,
il was not his intention 10 detam The
House, and he did not know that he
should have troubled them, if lie had moi
SKI What lie thought an over anxiety 10
urge forward this measure. Why press
ii now? Why not give time 10 reflect
on If But, If he stood by himself he
said, lie should oppose the bill; for lie
thought the allowance il proposed an
cAfavagant one. Genllemeu might sup
pose, that a man who spoke thus on this
subject, spoke for popularity, and the
same course he pursued as on d for
mer occasion when every effort was made
to drive th0 opponents OF the measure
from the floor, and 10 wound tier feel
ings. But, MIR. ID. said, he knew his du-
ty, and should pursue it. 1t was The du-
" of representative, he said To pay
respect 10 the will of tie people, where
ever it could he asCertainCd, and OH this
subject there could he no doubt of ii.
WI. ~. dh OnCtt HIS ODiDlOU ludl pay
of members should moi be so high as TO
make II an object To come 10 Congress,
with view TO making money and, for
his part, he thought HAT all the officers
ofthe government, both civil and military,
were relative worse paid than the mem
bers of Congress had been; ana he saw
no reason 10 justify Congress In raising
their own pay without raising thai of 9th
ers. In reply 10 the argument, which lie
had heard urged III favor of an increase,
that money had deprecated within d few
years past, he asked what was The cause Oi
itt Tile chartering o! so many banks,
which had inundated the country with
bank paper. In doing iiis Congress had
had no little lnslrumenialily, particularly
in cllarterng that great bank from hich
he Vet unprecedented much evil and they
ought TO bcara part of the burtien In re-
ply 20 ihe argument wiIichhe had also heard
that if we do not bid high we cannot get
men OF talents 90 come 10 Congress, this,
he said, was all open acknoW Judgement
by those who used ii, that patriotism was
not prominent motive with them for
coming TO Congress. As for talents, Mir.
ID. said he drew vide distinction be-
tween sound Judgment aud capacity
10 make speeches destitute OF that quail
~. lie wished rather TO see this hall fill
led by the former than Tic latter; and
such men could be had without bidding
SO high Tor them. The pay of SIX dollars
per .ilv. with d little allowance for pat
rlolIc motives, would iii the seals on this
floor with proper characters, with men
who woulj conduct the public business
well with men who would he the advocates
OF iIbcraiuy without extravaganza, aud Of
economy Without meanuesS, &c. Mr.. ID.
said hc l0undiiso dliiicullto pursue his re-
marks, in consequence OF tie disorder in
al. IL .I.u..It MT .r..,rf a., IL