Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-01-13

talon. which had been given 20 similar
act 90 wears ago; and IL this meaning
were given 10 the present bill, these tho
had received al 81 would De comrci,ed
Ia refund the excess. i, vas argued on
the other hand, that the coaEieucing
clause of The bill showed il was TO take
effect only from its passage (iile same
clause, by The bye. was IN tie act of
lSi9)-and that besides there was a great
distinction between ite L. gisiaiure's Civ
ing pay, and taking IL away thai aliho'
they had right Ia do the first. iliey had
no r:.ht 10 do the lasi because il was
vested right. aud could mol be consiilu-
'ionally taken away by The bili.-Aiier
! this discussion, the question was taken
on filling the blank with 81, and lost,
| ayes rs noes %.
Yesterday, The same bill was taken up !:
many propositions wcrc ma,ie, aud much
discussion took place during The course
Of the session. sf
The motion 10 fill The blank will S35
was wiihdiawn--and one was wade 10
ill with S3 75-Lost, 100 10 5.-The
proposition for 80 prevailed, ayes ia,
noes ~ - (Some gentlemen declared, that
IA The House had decided against 81.
they would rather vote for So "A day. in
order 10 make The reIrerciimeni effective.
Aud IL vas thrown ont in The conrse of
the discussion, that a resolution would be
brought forward for The members 10
yield The excess Of the compensation re.
| celved since The commencement Of the
session tho IL WAS admitted thai su, h
resolution would not be binding upon
those, Who did not give their assent 10
it,
The blank for The daily compensation
L.. 1,
with So, the old compensation. A mo.
,,en ter Sc. The pressiit pay, was lost,
The pay OF The Speaker q The Fl. Of D.
vas hiled al S7-ihe present is So Tor
mcrly IL was 500
Various propositions were made about
the Executive Councils 900, 5000 ami
7O00-The last prevailed being reduce
Ton oil $1,000 upon The whole board.
A motion 10 give the Governor $1,000
was lost, AYES D, noes l54. The salary
Was then fixed al S3333, as il is at pre-.
sent.
The Attorney Generals salsr, ,hen
came under a long and animated discus.
sion. vdie WAS taken on fixing IL ~
The present sum (l00O) and lost, ayes S5.
| noes sc
Al this point, the House adjourned, al
Ter an 5rHuOus session.
NO subject can he more odlous 10 the
members, than HAL part of il, WHICH 10.
laies To 'Ger own compensation Take
what course hey will, II aust be an ,int
pleasant one. However determined 10 On
their DEFY rs honorable men, they cannot
expect I" escape impula,inns from some
quarter or other. II they vote for Il libe.
| ralpay, some "iil charge them witl, ava
rice II Tor small one, some oilrrs viii
SUSPECT them oi hunting popularity. Bui
while bgh minded men camnoi EXPECT 10
AVOID suth imputaiions, thry will firmly
do their duty. The first question on re
ir"uchmcnt ~, Is he office wauing 10 The
public! The mex % give fair and Fcs-
s"nable c0mptH anon for The service
done. II II be too high, you destrnv
public spuit and make a -agdib ayarice
he ruling passion Of cantlitiates-itl loo
| low (and the office be an honorable one
as that OF a member OF The legislature isl
You exclude men OF moderate fortunes !:
aud reserve them for The rich, who do not
care for salary; or iAe very poor, 10
whom small! pay is a considerable al.
| traction.
The general rule is, that the man
who serves the public, ouakt 10 re-
| ceIve faIr compensation fer hiS time.
10 use The sentiment equally eloquent
and true. Ot a genilemaa Who add cs,~
ei the House yesterday, " talents are
money-They are the property OF iami
| lies-and II they are deiracted from The
use OF families The public ought 10 pay
for them "--Ot the Other hand. Ia
wish salare- are lax upon those who
pay them aud corrupt The public spirit
| of those WHO hold and those who seek
them. The difficulty is To iiud The hap
pv mpdn-briween the too much and ih.
too iHie.-We have our own opinions on
| the S 3 or for the compensation 10 mem
| berS-but Ter TAG present We chreriullt
leave il 10 those, who should knoyso ~ II
| what Is dne to Themselves ami The pnbli
| We 0mld almost wish there we're some
| other mote. as is suggested 10, another
| period OF our hist ~, for adjusting this
com IS" 'ion-tsr' IS imp ea~ani for the
lie in'men,a d too tempt .ng fO' tacuo /.
| % Tx the value Of their own labor a.. ti.at
me rule ronld b. adopted againstaL,.
| gislaiors ral>ing or redncing bis owucom~
| pensaIO during the [ m for which lie is
| elect
Perhaps il might be expedieni 10 hand
! over much 81 iiir local and private busi-
ness To other iribuuals-and thus The scs-
| sions aould be shortened, and Il conside-
rabIe reiienchment might be effected.
VIRGINIA LEGISLATUR
| EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE
oF DELEGATES
"WEDNESDAY, JAN. TO- The House according 10 the
order Of the day resolved itself into committee OF the
whole, to take into confederation the bill reduce the
wags of tie Members Of the General Asenbly and the