Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-01-24
Congressional Proceedings
From the National IntsIigeacer.
Continuation Of the proceedings Of
Congress Of
Monday. January FL.
IN SENATE.
Officers of the Customs.

In SENA r.
Officers Of the Customs.
The Senate then again proceeded to
the consideration of a bill to establish
the compensation of officers OF the Gus
toms, dc.
On motion of Mr.. Holmes, of Maine,
the bill was modified by altering the
proposed commission to be allowed on
the collections at Philadelphia and Bos-
ton, from one fifth to one sixth of one
per cent.
Mr.. Brown, Of Louisiana, moved that
the commission propo ,ed to be allowed
to the Collector Of the port of n. Or
leans be increased from one per cent
to one and a half, as at present fixed by
law, which motion he supported by a
number of remarks to shew the impro-
priety and inutility ofreducingt the com
mission
Mr.. Holmes, of Maine, opposed the
amendment for various reasons, but
paid a compliment to the extraordinary
economy which had been exercised by
the Collector of that port in his contin-
gent expenses.
Considerable debate followed on this
amendment, between Mr.. Brown and
Mr.. Holmes, and MI. Otis, Off charac.
ter similar to that which took place on
Friday, on the commission proposed for
the collector at New York, but turning
incidentally somewhat on the general
question of reduction IN the pay Of Col
l%ectors. The debate resulted in the re
lection of the amendment proposed by
Mr.. Brown-ayes IA, noes "a.
Mr. Van Dyke, for sundry reasons
which he offered to the Senate. going to
shew the justice and expediency of al
lowing to the Collector of Wilmington,
in Delaware higher compensation than
what the bill proposed, (D250,) moved to
raise the sum of5OO dollars, the amount
provided for the Collector at Sackett's
Harbor.
MIR. Holmes, Of Maine, entered into a
number of details to shew hat the en-
tire emoluments which the Collector of
Wilmington would probably receive in
salary and fees, would amount to about
100 dollars, g. that the motion to aug.
ment the salary ought not to prevail.
Mr. Van by g replied at some length
to shew that the estimate of the emolu-
ments was much o~verrated, and that
they could not exceed 500 dollars; he
also argued against the unreasonable re-
ducti0n of the compensation of officers
of S much trust, spoke of the faithful
and upright character of the officer at
Wilmington, the injustice of reducing
his allowance below that granted to the
Collector at Sackett's Harbor, &c.
After some further debate, in which
Mr.. Van Buren, and MIR. Brown, of
Louisiana. supported the motion, the
question was taken ON Mr.. Van Dykes
motto 4, and negatived-ayes Ia
The 9th section was then read, as fol-
lows:
Sec. 9. dnd be 1T further enacted,
That, whenever the emsluments of any
collector of the customs Of either of the
ports of Boston, New York, Philadei-
phia, Baltimore. Charleston, or n Or
leans, shall exceed four thousand dollars,
or tile emoluments of any naval officer
OF either of said ports snail exceed three
thousand dollars, or the emoluments of
any surveyor of either of said ports shall
exceed two thousand five hundred dol.
lars, in any n year. after deducting
the necessary expenses incident to his
office in the same year, the excess shall
in every such case, be paid into the
Treasury, for the use of the Uni.ed
States.
Mr.. Brown, Of Lou. although he al
most ~despaired of obtaining the amend
ment which he desired and thought Just,
would nevertheless move to strike New
Orleans from the section, SO as to leave
the salary of the officer at hat port the
same as now provided by law. viz: five
thousand dollars. Mr. b. followed his
motion with a number of remarks to
establish the justice Of the amendment
he proposed.
Some discussion ensued, on a motion
to lay the bill by until to morrow, in
which Mr.. Otis incidentally expressed
himself averse to the proposed general
reduction, and in favor of the amend
ment. even though the exception should
be confined to New-Orleans for the rea
sons offered byMr. Brown. Mr.. o did
not think this was the branch of service
to which the pruning knife ought to be
ilrst applied, but the very last. Final
ly,
The bill was n~ostnnned until to.mor