Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-24

me believed, of 10000 dollars, not only for
his own fidelity, hut in fact TO the fidelity
OF every person employed by hint was a
difficult matter to obtain security TO such an
amount, and the difficulty would be increased
ifthe compensation of the officer was render
ed So precarious, or reduced below fair and
proper sum. Every part of the nation was
concerned in the fidelity of this officer; and
burdened as he WAS with so great trust,
ought he, Mr.. X. asked, to be pressed down
by mistaken parsmony? On the contrary,
ought he not TO have compensation suited
to the Office, and something like remunera-
ton for his risk and services. Would it be
prudent for the government to press upon Of
icers filling such places, by denying them
FAIR, and evcna liberal compensation ? For a
small sum, it was true, the government might
Obtain diligence, andperhaps ability but in of
fees like this, these qualifications were not
Enthusiastically must also be obtained
Towards men thus fitted for offices of extra
ordinary trust, there ought to be shewn some
thing more than cold and indifferent feel
ing there was something due to their probity,
where the trust was SO great some encour-
aSement to virtue, where an opposite quality
could be so mlschievOus. Press this officer
IN the manner contemplated, and Mr.. X. be.
lieved he would have to surrender his Office
He cOntrasted the duties, and the responsible
ty of the Collector of New York, with other
Offices to shew that it was inferior to none,
and argued that it was bad economy, contra
ry to the public interests, and even hazardous,
to refuse to the situation Just compensation.
Mr.. II. complained, also, that the information
furnished to the Senate was not as full as it
should be, to enable it to decide with conf
dence on this subject, and observed that, IF
the returns necessary to furnish it had not been
received at the Treasury, as required by law,
the penalties for delinquency ought tn be in
flicted. Not having this information to guide
them, he submitted to the Senate, whether it
ought to proceed to act on subject involved
III so much doubt and fear, as the business of
reduction in this branch of the public service,
IN the correct performance ofwhich the whole
country was so much concerned. This, Mr.
n. said, was not the quarter in which to begin
the work of reduction there were Others, il
true economy was the object, which ought to
be first taken into consideration-there receivers
pi the interior for instance, and many Others
winch were well worth looking into. There
was no country whose revenue was collected
so cheapy as this, and n reduction here would,
IN his opinion, lead TO no beneficial results
MIR. HOLMES, of Maine, replied, that he had
obtained from the Treasury Department all
the information which he had deemed neccs
sary to guide the Senate in acting on this sub
lect; 1t embraced three years. returns from
the custom houses, including 1921, and he
was ready TO submit it to the Senate on any
point OH which he had omitted explanation
Having this information, Mr.. III. could speak
with exactness of the emOluments and official
expenditures of the Collector at New York
and he could assure the Senate that an allow
ance- of one eighth per cent. would create no
danger of reducing the Collectors compensa-
ton below the maximum which the committee
had fixed on-namely, 1000 dollars. The
leSpenses of the custom-houses, Mr.. III. said
could be very well reduced to prove which
he mentioned the fact, that in the Phladelphia
ONCE, since the subject was before the Senate
last session, the expense of clerk hire alone
, had been reduced to 5000 dollars from (wha
!, the reporter understood ii to be) 10000 dol
lars and he stated the fact TO shew, Also tina
} II the mere discussion of the subject had pro
) duced this result, as was probable, how mucI
good might be anticipated from well regn
: lated law on the subject. He admitted thai
officers filling places of so much trust, with Sc
much of the public money passing through
their hands, ought to be well paid, and, in tx
Ing their compensation at four thousand dol
lars, the committee conceived they were act
Ing with liberality-they had gone on the
principle that the laborer was worthy of his
hire, and, taking into view the duties of thes.
} officers, he really thought they were amply
paid. Nor were the 1000 dollars, fixed on
all that they would get for Mr.. III. stated
} there were charges for fuel, house-rent, sc
allowed, over and above the salary, which a
2 mounted, in some of the ports, to about ,OO(
dollars more. 1t would also be recolIectet
that, when fines and forfeitures did not excee,
|. 900 dollars, they were not placed in the Trea
D sury, but were allowed to be used in defrayin,
the costs OF suit, &c. Much of these forfeit
: ures no doubt went into the pockets o
the Collectors, for no return of then
was required TO be made To- the Treasur,
: Department; and he had no doubt that, AZ
the bill stood, the emoluments of the larg,
! ports would amount to from six to ten thou
= sand dollars.
f, Mr.. II. protested against the doctrine o
giving officers more than fair salary for tn,
purpose OF making them honest. Compar
, the salaries of these collectors TO those Of tin
Judges of the country, in whose hands wer
< the lives and liberties of the people, and how
e much better were they paid aud were TIN
5 duties and trust of the Judiciary branch infe
e rior to those of the Collectors of the revenue
{ The Collector ofthe port of New York, MI
| II. said, received higher compensation thai
any Judge in the Union, not even exceptn
the Judges of the Supreme Court Contras
) the attachments, the educaiioD and the abili
e ties necessary for the two Offices, and hoy
: wide was the difference! Mr.. II. concludes
4 by saying he had no idea of bribing men to d
: their duty, and render them superior to temp
d tation. Give them, said he, enough, but n
4 more, and il they do not do their duty faith
y fully, there is a wholesome constitutional re
% medy that can be applied.
D Mr.. Van buren,, for the purpose of bring
b ing the subject distinctly before the Senat,
e moved to strike out onc-eighh and insert one