Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-12-31
VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY,

. Ia u
motion Of Mr.. Riyes of Campbell the
COMMITTEE OF Roads and Navigation
were instructed To enqnlre into the ex-
pediency of chang,ng The organ,za,,on
ot tho Board OF Pubic Works. and
transferring their duties to other oil
GERS OF tue Government. la reply To- a
remark OF Mr.. Williams of Harrison
MIR. Il. protested his friendship to the
Board his object was to ascertain if If,
could not be rendered more efficient
Mr.. Holland has offered a resolution
InstructIng the Committee of Finance
10 enquire into the expediency of re-.
duc,"g the pay aud milage of members
o! the General Assembly.
MIR. Witcher said this sub;ec, had -.
various times, been brought to the con.
sida'atIon Of the General Assembly
He should vote for it because the s,l,.
ries ot the Officers OF the Government,
generally would be brought under re-.
vision, aud being of opinion that the
salaries generally, were too hiyb. he
was wiling to begin the work of re-.
tr Ichment with his own. The EN-.
barrassed situation of the country. de-
manded economy. He was friendly to
moderate sdlarIes-npt SO much ON ac.
count oi the INJURY 10 line people, from
the mere payment OF high salaries. as
rom the consequences 0i ex,rayapance
To which they conducted. II the reso-
LUTON SHOULD. as he hoped 1t would. be
adopted, aud bill reported, he should
then he ready To present his views IN
the House. Wiling 10 have his own
Vote recorded, MIR. w. called for the
ayes aud noes, anu! the call was sus-
tanned by the House.
Mr.. Williams of HARRISON SAID h. a.
greed IN the opinion, that when sala-
fies were TO he reduced, we ought To-
oeg'n with our own. Blu, as this had
not YET taken place. he hoped that ours
would be IN statue quo, and those
OF other officers increased, for he was
satisfied they were in many cases too
low, he should therefore vote AGAINST
The resolution. He hoped the gentle.
man from Pntsyivania, Mr.. w. did not
mea" to I"sInua,e, by calling 70. the
ayes a"d noes, that gentlemen would
vote differently when their names were
To be published. Moderate salaries WAS
now the word, but those moderate salo-
lies would not fail to introduce moder.
ate men.
Mr.. Whcher disclaimed any insinu-
alton like that conjectured, and ex-
planned the motive of his Ca for the
ayes and noes. The resolution was of
some Importance, as connected with
the probable events Of the session and
as he might, IN IFS progress. be under
the necessity of voting to reduce the sa-
larles OF others, he was wiIlinu tn re-.
cord The evidence OF his consent I, re-.
duce his own paw. He was desirous of
showing that he metei to himself tha
same measure that he meted 10 others
lie did not assen, to the opinion that
high salaries procured the best talents
The tendency Of high salaries was 70
increase office hunters: TO fiji the
couatry with swarms Of expectants and
dependents looking to places This
tendency was more prejudcial to the
morals OF the country, than the amount
OF salaries was injurious to the people.
L he believed that high salaries wou,d
secure the best talents, he should he
disposed to be liberal but, modest and
re'Ir'ng men, generally possessing the
best Ia Tents, would be showed aside bv
those, who wished office merely for the
sake OF the emolument Mr.. w. allu-
ded to the hardness of the times IN his
section OF the couutry-the low price
Of staple products, and the oppression
OF the country, as calling for the mea-
sure OF reirenchment and to the effect
oil high salaries to produce high living
aud to overthrow the simplicity of re-
publican manners. Man was am imi.
tatIve animal, and tie extrava cance in.
duced by high salaries was initiated to
the ruin of many. One Of the evils
under which We labDred was the habit
ot living above our income.
Mr.. Miller of Botetourt, moved to Law
the resolution on the table-in order to
give many who were absent an oppor
tuhIiy of voting on il, and to save time
by having II decide! promptly.
Mr.. Watkins concurrcd IN the views
oi the gentleman from Botetourt the
resolution ought To br viewed as affect
ing the officers of the Government gen.
orally, and. leading to a rule for their
salaries and required time for consider
atiun.
TIE resolution was then land on the
table
The engrossed bill Tor forming new
county 10y the name If Floyd, out of
the county of Montgomery. was read
the third time and passed-by large
majority.
Bills passed.. Respecting an act
changing the place Of holding a sepa-
rate election in the county Of Harrison
. Incorporating the Norfolk Aque-
duct Company.
The resolution Of the Committee of
Courts OF Justice, declaring il exped-