Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-04-30

| 'o.n''G Ia l1H r1r .aDHrS o. (. a. II '1Tc - al
icriake that task for themselves. than Ia pas,
J, law at The next session, 10 operate upon
their Successors.
Mr.. Smith OF Md submitted; Ia The gentle
man from Kentucky, whether IL wosIl,l moi
be better 10 prossress with the unfinished hu
sncss before the House, and get through
with that hefnc they undertook any either
He was much afraid. IL different course was
pursued, the House would not get through
with the appropriation bill this session. Not.
understanding his friend from North Carolina
supposed there would be no discussion on the
compcnsaiion bill, Mr.. 5. said, he would find
that it wonld give rise IA great deal ol dis
cussion, and that amendment after amend
ment would be proposed tn the hill 1t was
hut fair to the Committee of WAYS and
Means to 30 on and finish their bill first.
i Mr.. CAMRRELESe, was in favor of taking
up these hi!ls, and discussing them; and he
was in favor Of Pnssing the bill for reducing
4 the pay of the Members OF Congress, which
had been particularly referred to. When IN g
pay was raised, five or six years ago, scarcely
any reason was assigned for it, or could he /;
and he was in favor Of restoring the practice
of the government for twenty or thirty years
preceding.
Mr.. WRIGHT denied that the pay OF Mem
bcrs had been raised without reason, and
made a number oil remarks against taking up
THIS subject now II gentlemen thought their
srryiccs were not worth eight dollars let them
give place to Others, or display their philan.
throphy by bestowng on charitable objects
what they received beyond their merits. The
gentleman from New York could see m rea-
son for the late increase of the pay Of Mem
bers; but, Mr.. w. said, he could givc him
twenty reasons ior't. Do the people now ask
| Congress To reduce their own compensation !?
Why disturb the nation ut this moment on
this subject? How ridiculous was it for the
Members to say thrr services are not worth
eight dollars per day, atthc same time that
compensation ut the rate of twenty or thirty
dollars per day was given to our Judges
These efforts, or pretended efforts, TO diminish
the expenses ofthe government, Mr.. w. said,
all had an eye 10 popularity. For this re-
mark Mr. w. was called to ordcrl He said
he had done nothing more than state conclu-
sions, which naturally flowed from the pre-
misses. For himself, ne said, he lost fortune
by becoming member of Congress, being at
the time he WAS first elected, engaged in IA
practice worth two thousand pounds per year.
He briefly reviewed his public life, the former
compensation law, the Glamour against it,
and the manner in which he had met if, by
quoting the pay of the judges, who perform
|
! momenlous, than those of : Member of Con-
| gress. Mr.. w. concluded by saying, that those
who were for reducing their own pay, must
| follow very literally the seriptural Injunction,
to humble themselves that they may be ex-
| al; cd
Mr. WALKER, fN. G. considered the sub
ject now proposed to be acted upon, to he of
such Importance, that it ought rot tn be acted
| uPon-ou of;the usual couFs,. of,things which
1 was 10 discuss lin committee of the whole
l,ln matter of so much solenHliy, he said, he
WAS opposed to acting with precipitation.
The question was then taken discharg
| ing the committee of the whole from the con
sidcralion ofthe retrenchmcnt bills, and deci-
ded in iiir affirmative, By yeas and nays, $50
to So.
The three bills being thus before the Mouse,
On motion of III. liARDIN, thatfur reduc-
inS the compensation of Senators and Repre-
-seutaIiyes in Congress, was first read.
This bill provides that the daily pay of the
! members of the Senate from anda(ler the pre-
sent session OF Con, ress, shall BE- six dollars,
and the like allowance shall br made for eve
! ry twenty miles travel to and from Congress.
The hill contains like provision as 80 the mem,
bcrs of the House of Representatives and al
| SO proposes considerably to reduce the COM
pensaton of the officers of both Houses.
| Mir. EDWARDS, of North Carolina. moved
to strike out, from the part of the bill which
relates to the pay OF the Senate, that part
which provides that ''no daily allowance shall
ever he made, in case of inability to attend,
except when the Senate shall BIZ in session."
This provision he considered unreasonable
and dlsrespectful to the Senate.
| Mr. MALLARY here renewed the motion
for the previous question.
The House did not sustain the motion.
Mr. HARDIN then replied to the objections
| OF Mr.. EDWARDS TO the particular clause of
the bill referred To, and stated the objecs of
this provision tn be,to prevent members from
hanging on here after the end of the session.
ON the plea ofslckncss and claiming and rfceiv-
ing pay therefor. Another provso in the bill
was intended Ia prevent members remaining
at home, and pleading sickness. and receiving
daily pay while at home whicl..hc under
stood had been done in more than one in
stance.
Mr.. EDWARDS said, that he and the gen
s'eman did not IN the least differ, it appeared
as 10 what the bill ought To be, but he thought
the phraseolOgy went further than that
After some further conversations as 10 the
proper phraseUlogy of the amendment
Mr. Cook said ne was opposed to the a =.
mcndment in any shape. He could not CON
sent 10 vote for any proposition avowedly
placed on 50 Illuminating ground as that a
man chosen by the frecnIen of the country Tn
represent them, would debase himself SD far
as TO remain IN this city after the adjourn
ment of Congress for the purpose of draw
ing daily pay during his stay, and getting then
a certificate from some quack or other, in or
der to get his account passed. There might
be cases of persons taken sick while attending
here, and who could not get home. In such
cases, Mr.. G. contended reason and Justice re-
quired that their expenses should be derraycd
by the public.
Mr.. WRIGnT also opposed the amendment