Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-07-18

4
With shiluy. aud tue integrity thai ought 20 be
possessed by the ineumb. nis. we could not es-
lpect. for smaller sum than she one With is
Given n each easr. 10 procure person, naii,ns
Ia ihsmse.ses the essential qualifications and
lsrqnremcnn. All these officers are uueoD-
neeted with any hpnor or distinction. and the
only motive " hich can induce men 10 accept
Them, - thu PAY they receive. Hence, the
necessity of such salaries, as viii be desired
by men of respectable talents. But how dit
terent u the Office offs member of the Lrgs .
lure lie !. entrusted with every thing " Inch
Is yalos BILE TO his constituents. lie is the guar
dian oil their property, their liberty. aud their
lives. The honor OF beng elected TO u station
OF 20 much responsibility must be The richest
reward free people could offer, or iulen aud
virtue require. IL Is, 10 lru h. the only motive
by which men can lac sotnated IN becoming
candidates Tor the Legislature. What else
could induce an individual, engaged in pro-
fessiun, or well situated on his iarm, 10 leave
home three months VA The year. 10 be tmnured
IN u dungeon Il nancy we're bis object,
do.ble the sum whirh 10 received at present
would MT be- M adequate compensation Tor
the sacrifice ne makes hold, then, thai u 10
the honor no, the profit which induces men to
accept seats in The Legislature. II 'hs be "a
tact, all that is necessary 10 secure msn Of the
drsi retpec,abdity aud talents, is, 10 give them
such pa, II. Will deiray their necessary sipe"-
ses.
The question then recurs, is not the sum OF
two dollars per diem, Ia Which II !. proposed to
reduce The pay, adequate 10 that purpose
Here the friends Of this measure have beeG ire
qoentl, asked II they would wish a public ser
want 10 draw on his own private resources for
support OF that he should practise nugallty
bordering on parsimony I Ihry have been
asked, II they would refuse him the appear
auce. or deny hm the rational plessur,s oi n
gentleman answer Tor myself, aud io' all
who advocate the same SIDE OF the question
thai no one demands this sacrifice or srli-denl-
al n the hands oi represent ,tiye. But as
wen, acknowledging tia, economy is virtue,
hoth IA The uenag.nent oi pubic aud private
affairs, we are aseise to any thing LIKE pro-
fuse or prod gal expenditure oi public mOney.
We would not take IRON the public eIeheqaeI
ono cent beg ond what II requisite TO deiIay
expenses necessarily incuri ed, while eciing ia
the character and capacity Ola representative
OF the beopie. That the sam oil money pro
posed 10 be subs ituted III the place OF the pre-
sent pay is sufficient TO delray those expenses,
81 nd ~ the same lime TO enable each member
- supper, the character aud digni o. n gen
tlenan, IVA proposition susceptible vi proof,
ifresisibly conclusive. No one will pretend
that the present pny hhs al any I'm. been une-
DUAL 10 the wants aud d msnds OF The members.
/, MAS raised ~ lls present amount by IA set OF
plain republicans, vino we're aware OF the Hue.
tua,ion aud change which had taken place IN
the circumstances oil our cOuutfy-who were
sensible OF the advantage of .ngagmg ablo
aud faithful administrators oi govern.
ment and " no weIe willng TO enRage them
1T lar and just compeusation. II then iouT
dollals per dIsm were sUthcieni IL" years ago
when our country was ~ prosperous Coudl-
tlon-- when every htuCie COMMANDED an en-
orbitani prlce-snrrly the sum oit"o dOlinI'
is nuw suth clen,, when The ptlGes of living and
eyery thing else, have been reduced to a stan
dDrd inbnhely lower. The worth OF lnOney
is not intrinsic but merely fictitious aud aIti-
hclHl. II 10 rs much marketable COMMODITY,
as any other srticle,tbe value Oi which depends
on the amount OF The supply, the extent oil the
demand and the profit oil the eau ployment. II
by reason OF the grra scarcity OF mohey, aud
The cons, qaen demand ihtIes tOI u, you Gu
purchase as much with two dollars nov, AS
| on could win tour u few years ago, here ~
40 DID, rtnCe between the relative VBl1es oi
the two sums, at these diff rent aud distinct
periods OF time. This is precisely our situation
at present. IN cons quence of The scarcny Of
, money, the pecuniary embsfIassnenis oil the
people, and the necessity there Is ior economy
~ public expenditures, II would DO ek0ibiisnt
IA an individual, who was "A Candidate Tor your
sufrbges, to de,naud n Creates san MS com
pentAtioa Tor his services, theu the one winch
" il proposed. AT The tine that ,he salary oi lhs
mea,UeIs OF the Legislature VAS raised. there
had been remarkable dep'ec'a ION IN The
value Vi money OF, what amounts 10 the snnf
thing, sn enormous IuciehsG III the pTIce Of eve.
~ htilele OF living. As change hed 'hken
place ~ the condi,,on OF our country, paitIcn.
iarly in the value OF money, u was juHi u"def
l. these circumstances. that toWe altofr ION
; should be made ~ the pay OF the ~ nbefs.
But. ss has oiGeady been observed, there 's i"
" ide difference IN The situation III uuT county
d piesent, nom what u was hi that huIe.
1here has beenr diuInutiun OF al lehsi one
halt "a The pI,es OF every aHItls OF unihc.
Board IS cheap, tompated with what II "as NJ
that time : and every othtr aritle has depfc-
ciated III the same propo ton.
The question, ihep, iarly Tecurs, ought there
not to bea reuuclIun N the pay oi Tito men-
0 5gIs 7 To thIs question every ntell'gen anu
! rsa ling cuz IN Bedford Will spond IN
the affirmative Let US lien, rally ." iavoni
OF reform. Let US nnl'e IN procuring At onf
L next election such members os vii 20 neafi
aud hand in the CurtaIlment OF OuI legi,latise
7 expenses. There ought. IN my humble Judg'
= me nt TO be but one piIDc'pie 81 acn0n through
| cut Dedi.ra, al TIE ensuing 81, cn0ni aud thai
piinci ple OF aCilgn Is, 10 gee % mn, who are
:, IN .ayuur Of this particular reitent hment ol
u our expenses, thr entire popular support. LIS
: zen to no eIeuses--ao bypocrnlcal rraences.
} Accent but tins one answer. VINO Yei says
am ia favor ot II frduLton ol our legislative
EXPENSE" vote iqr i1eIa, Whoever Eag"Ios.
il. rejt CT h IN. his 10 the voice Of one. no
, Is soiititous foe yoN prosperity. those who
Ia I and neeee cad ska slse tie people, have
: prevailed long taoueB. IL IS h'gn ,ime to put
down taat peeulailng iew. VINO iced hni faten
an the veiy ynalS vi the poor, aud are tue
real causes vi all tueI misery.
a Lihsen Of Liberty.
IGI' TIE author OF The foregoing auIcle A." i'll
excuse US for the lilo ny W. have taken IN
slightly changing MS phraseoIogy Ia oDe or two
places.-The subyec, which he writes, al