Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-02-11


the same respec; which she had rendered to us.
How far il would be proper 10 continue a Minis
ter there, he knew not. What was the intention
ofihe President on the subject, the gentleman from
Massachusetts probably knew at leas, as well as
he did. This was case, however, in which he
thought every might judge for himself
MIR. Trimble, of Ken. said, hi. individual feeling
would induce him to vote for the proposition oil the
gentleman from Virginia, but he was no, very sure
that tina, would be the wsest course. He was
very well satisfied that we ought, at all times, to
keep Minister in Mexico and Colombia of the
first grade. Whether this was necessary at the
Capitals of the other States, matt er for con-
sderation. lie had heard, not from the Chair
man of the Committee of Foreign Relations, nor
at this session of Congress, that some of those
governments thought it advisable not to have
Ministers OF the highest grade sent TO them, from
considerations having reference 10 their own pecu-
liar situation, the state Of their finances &C. He
took it for granted, that, in where the Exc
cutive proposed TO send TO any one OF these gov
ernments Minister OF grade inferior to that Of the
Minister which they sent 10 as, the Department
oil State had ascer,aned, beforehand, what would
be acceptable TO that government He presumed
some such communication had taken place in the
present cases and he should, therefore, be oppos-
| ed to the amendment.
The question was then taken on Mr. Floyd's
motion, and decided in the negative.
Some conversation then took place on the item
OF S3O,oOO Tor contingent expenses of Foreign
Missions abroad, the amount OF which, Mr.. For
sy'h thought unnecessarily large, in comparison
with the appropriations of former years. Mr.
Milne explained the disparity, a. being produced
by the Increased number OF those missions, and the
reduced amount OF the unexpenied balance of tina,
fund in this year. Mr. Wood, as Chairman of the
Committee on Expenditures on the Department, oil
State bore testimony TO the satisfactory manner in
which those accounts were settled and kept and
to the regularity and precision of the receipts and
vouchers, Tor the four years past that it had heen
ms duty to have personal cognzance OF the SUBJECT
No motion resulted from this conversation.
POSTMASTER GENERALS SALARY.
The item Of four thousand dollars for the SALARY
ofthe Pos;mssier General, having occurred:
Mr.. Newton moved TO strike out fo,.r and inser,
tue thousand dollars the amount OF salary for
Postmaster General. Ii is needless for me (saiJ
Mr.. n. to state that that officer merits this in
crease OF his salary that, when he took charge OF
the Post Office, it was chaos-and that he has. by
his talents and assiduiy, reduced it to order tina,
ne has augmented It's Income, and paid OFT its debts
at the same time that it's operations have been great,
ly multiplied and extended.
Mr. Cook OF Illinois, suggested that the compen.
satlon OF the Postmaster General is fixed bv =
permanent law, al four thousand dollars per annnm
and that the appropriation proposed by the bill ON.
ly coniormed 10 the law. III. was himself decid
edly OF opinion that the services of the Posr,as
ter General have been such, to entle him to :
better compensation than that which the law al
lows 10 him. The better way TO accomplish tLi,
object, However, would be, 10 introduce bill or
the SUBJECT Ii 1t could be accomplished in III,
way proposed, lie would cheerully vote for il fo,
he had some knowledge, and so had every member
oil this House. OF the importance of the services n
the Postmaster General--they were not exceede,
In value by those of any other officer under th
Government. He was entitled 10 praise for them
and 10 the thanks OF his country
Mr.. Aston Of North Carolina. saidi it was cor
talnly improper 10 attempt to augment the salar
oil The POSTMASTER General by amendment to hi,
OIL ana lie doubted very much, If the amendment
were made, as proposed, whether the Postmas,e
General would derive any advantage from il. for
the law defines the amount of his compensatior
and The accounting officers will abide by that law
w'ho"' reference to the amount of appropriation
MIR. A. said he believed that the present Postnas
ter General is good an officer as we have in N,
government. That, however, was not to deter
mine The question involved in this amendment I'll,
question was, is the sum now allowed by law a,
adequate salary for the Office of Postmaster GENE
raj! Ii so, let him receive it, and no more TIL,
aiioun Is whai he was to receive when he accepte,
'he once out, because he had done his duty bet
Ter than those who had gone before him. il wa
now proposed TO increase his salary M A IL,
not 'iink this correct principle 10 act upon il
{ regard TO The compensation Of .ubc servants.
Mr. COOK made some further observations. ind;
ca'ive OF his desire to vote for this amendment if
could be properly introduced into this bill n,
spoke OF the evidence afforded, by official REPORTS
ana oy MS own personal observation, of his labors
OF the devotion oil Mr. Mclean to lis public du
ties. lie believed. he said, that the Postmas,e
General performed more labor than any other off
Ger, under the Government, and labor as Interest,
Ing TO the country as that of any other officer
Mr. Newton said he did not wish to emlarrss
TINS Dill by any proposition likely to be question
ed and he therefore Withdrew his motion b,, b.
certainly should introduce it TO morrow in the form
oil distinct proposition.
PUBLIC BUILDINGs-CAPITO &c.
The question 10 strike the whole approximation
for Public Buildings out Of this bill. was Leterrnin
ed in the affirmative
And then the Committee rose and ro,o.,s.
progress, and the House Adjourned. Nat. Int.
CONGRESS.
! WAsHINNGToN, February s. The Sena,,
! were engaged in the consideration of the hill ,c
authorize the legal representatives of the Marou;.
de niaison houge to institute a suit against tn,
United States, and for other PURPOSES. a mo,;or
to postpone it indefinitely was lost by vote of 2e
TO ~. The Senate adjourned before coming IN an,
decision. " ""'
In the House OF Representatives Yesterday. tb.
discussion oil an amendment in the General ~.
preparation Bill relative TO the surveying of ,be
public lands, consumed the day. Among the
communications laid before House was one show
ing the state OF the incorporated Banks in the Dis
uIct OF Columbia Several resolutions offered on
the preceding day were taken up and agreed TO:
and among the resolutions introduced and s,reed
to were one on motion of Mr.. Campbell, of Ohio.
relauye 10 an annual examination of the books Of
IIle OhceIs OF the land Offices, one BY M Newton