Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-01-29

iiSiieo Wibots berkeley that OF the
country. would be driven to Baltimore instead OF CO.
ing to Alexandria. The Little River Turnpika had
been es ablisied by the fines of delinquent militianen
in or counties III that quarter of Virginia and by
individual subscriptions II now divided i or per
cent, and of four roads in the State that paid
any thing. MIR. Il. said that the fund of Internal
Improvement would BE- in condition to advance for
hs stock III 1850, and as that part of the State had
always literally supported improvements he hoped
that the spirit would be rcciprocatcd
Mr.. EPpes stated that his objections TO this iii,
were first that we had not dollar to subscribe
ana secondly the inpocy OF suhc riding to- this road
il there were funds at command. TO support tho
latter position, mr.. Il. gavea variety of statements
to the effect that the funds of the State were al
ready largely engaged IN that Part Of Virginia, while
the Little River Turnpike alone paid any dividend
and that this road was only wanted for tic purpose
Of enabling that part Of Virginia, to choose between
the markets OF Georgetown ANA Alexandria. Mr..
T.. declared his unwillipgness 10 make new engage
ments for the fund before had cXtricated scffrom
| its present engu uements.
Mr.. Fa-hugh Of Fairfax, gave u somewhat detail
e statement of tho condition of the fund for the pur
poo Of rcbuttiug mr. Els objections.
Mr. Hhiic made variuns statements for The putposc
of showing, that the establishment of this mad would
subtract from the dividends ofthc Little River Turn
pike, aud mr. Boyd replied.
Mr. EJTes made some further explanations as TO
the condition of the fund OF internal improvements
when the question being taken, the bin postpo-
ned, ayes 81, noes ~.
On motion of mr.. Witcher the cngrossrd bill TO re-
ducc the salary of the principal Engineer was tn
ken up ('rhc bill takes from the Board Of Public
Works, the power of prescribing the salary of the
principal Engineer, and after the esth day Of Ian
! 1890, to reduce the said salary from - 400 to
| Mr.. Witcher moved TO fill the blank with 5000
IS annual salary.
| Mr.. Wallace opposed any reduction ofthc salary
Capt Crozet, the Engineer, had been induced by his
present salary. to abandon situation at West Point
worth $4,000, clear ofeXpcnsc. II was now proposed
to rcdnce his salary to $1,000 bread and meat
buslncss-for he understood that that sum was barely
I CYL flIrt. IL 81
logsate the Engineer of office he hoped would
| be avowed. The Engineer on the Ohio canal roce-
we'd Il salary of $1,000, and both that Engineer and
most others had been trained by our Engineer. The
inevitable consequence of passing this bin would be
his removal from Office. His objection 10 the hill;
indeed, had been somewhat abatcd by its not takinu
effect before January next for it enabled the Enrincer
70 reconsider and embrace proposals which he had
rejected from other States.
Mr.. Udcher expressed his doubt that the Enoinecr
would abandon the service, If his salary reduced
rs to his refusing to be setuced to Quit Virginia
from the offer OF higher salary he had been se3cod
to come INTO Virginia, by higher salary han he wa
receiving. The gentleman from Pauqoier (,nr. wy
had asked Tor candid avowal, and he would rive it.
de was Wiling TO retain the Enginccr--his object
WAS not to legslae him ont Of office but he thoupbt
the salary too high, and he saw no moral turp,ude
ne breach OF faith IN reducing it. We certainly paid
too high for the engineering of the State. Ii tie
Engineer could not live IN Richmond FOR $1,000 he
could IN his country, and there nothing to prevent
MS residing In the country. Pennsy lvania gave br,
5000 and if Ohio gave 5000, it VAS only for spe
| cial OCCASION r.
| Mr.. .TLanghHn of Grcenbricr. doubted the rood
policy or the economy Of reducing the salary. The
present Engineer good one--lcarneG and exne
rlcnced and 1t was better to give good officer a
good salary than bad one lou salary IJe rnoyad
to fill the blank with $500.
Mr. Atkinson of Halifax, said he had voted las,
year against the reduction, but he was low satisfied
that it was too high But lie thought $1,000 too
little, he moved to fill the blank with $500. '00
Mr. .IILer OF POWliatan moved In nostpopo ,I,o
bill indefinitely. An Engineer required peculiar
quahhcatIons, and We might lose IN the bad en-
cutoa OF one project, than 1t would save in the reuc
ton of the salary The Board of Public Works he
thought vas the proper tribunal decide this matter
and to them he was willing to leave it,
Mr. Wallace reminded The House, that if we had
had good Engineer, we should have saved 5000 600
sunk in James River. He thought it was time tn
abandon the system of putting up Offices winch
required talents and SCIENCE to the lowest bidder.
Mr.. .a"de's'n OF Botctourt declared his opposition
to the reduction OF the salary, and the practice of
weighing Offices by dollars and cents lie believed
this obice the most impor ant in the government r.
Virginia ever designed to improve the advantages
the God Of Nature has given her tho Office ora,, -
be ably filed. He acknowledged that he had bcon
one, who some years ago had little confidence in tho
Engineer. An acquaintance with that pentlen1on
and examination of his able reports and plans had re-
moved the prejudice, and he now rave testirnonv o.,
his worth and ability He believed that the reduction
of his sa larry would legislatc him from Office Mr.
adverted to the reduction Of the SALARY of former
'iiSecT Coi' baldWlDJ as fatal measure, which nc
hoped would be an admonition to the House. Rv tho
loss Of his services the State bad sunk hundreds Of
thousands. In his stead came Briggs and Moor.
whose want of qualification had plunged the state r.o
immense loss. lie should vote for indefinite post
pouemenf.
Mr.. Httc'er in reply, said, that the state had rccc
we'd little benefit from the labors ofthe Engineer ITo
was willing TO continucthe Engineer while hebeevnd
that there were already surveys than tho state
would execute in 30 years. As T.. The loss in ,,b,cI
the estimates of Moore aud Briggs had involved Tho
state, those estimates bad looked well on DgDcr nc
those OF the present Engineer, and VIC yet had no c
ldence that the latter would prove more correct than
they Dir w. said he believed the estimates OF the
cut through the Blue Ridge had been made l,y the
present Engineer, and they had faen short Of tho
truth one hall. Mr. .laderson Of Bot. here corrnc
ted Mr.. w and stated that th,yqe os,n, % o.
made by Moore and Brggs.) Mr. ~. contnued-a,
al events we yet had 10 evidence, that the estimate
OF Mr.. Crozct would prove moro correct. He hal'
httic iaith IN the capacity Of any man to tell sl