Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-04-22
REDUCTION OF SALARIES.

In the House of Representatives on Saturday
last
MIR. CLAYTON asked leave to offer reso-
lution: objection being made, he moved for the
suspension Of the rules, to allow him to move it,
and demanded the Yeas and Nays on that mo-
ton.
The resolution was then read as follows,
Resolved, That special Committee be ap-
pointed for the purpose OF lnqWnng into the ex-
pediencv of equalizing and reducing the salaries
of officers, and all other expenses of Govern
ment in every department thereof where the
same can be constitutionaly done, and also to
abolish such Offices as may be deemed unneces-
sary, and that they have power to report by bill
or otherwise.
The Yeas and Nays being taken, stood as
follows: Yeas 1877, Nays Is.
So the House agreed TO suspend the rules,
and the motion was received.
Mr. JARVIS suggested the propriety of amend
ing the resolutions so as to include an inquiry
in what cases an increased compensation might
be expedient.
Mr. CLAYTON accepted the modification.
Mr.. EWING demanded the Yeas and Nays
on the resolution, and they were ordered by the
House
Mr. PARKER, presuming that this resolution
was in the nature of substitute for the amend
ments moved by MIR. VANCE to the Appropria-
ton BILL and desiring that its provisions should
be so extended as to include the pay of mem
bers, moved for the postponement of its cons-
Iteration. He afterwards, however, withdrew
that motion.
Mr.. VANCE resisted the idea of this resolu-
tom being introduced as a substitute for his
amendment to the Appropriation Bill. This
was the plan of the mover. The amendments
were his own. He knew nothing of the resolu-
ton TILL from the gallery of the House, where he
happened to be, he heard it read by the Clerk.
He had had no understanding or communca-
ton with the gentleman from Georgia on the
subject
MIR. PARKER disclaimed all intention of in
sinuating any thing like combination.
Mr.. PLUMMER moved an amendment to in
clude the pay of members Of Congress.
Mr. CLAYTON said, that the language of the
resolution was such as to cover the object in
tended by the amendment. He denied any
thing like plan or concert with the gentleman
from Ohio: indeed, the resolution had had its
origin within the last three hours. By offering
it singly, unconnected with the Appropriation
Bill, all objections on that score were obviated,
and fair test presented to the House, to decide
whether they were in favor OF economy in the
public expenditures or not.
Mr. HARDIN said that he was in favor of the
original resolution Of the gentleman from Geor
gia, (Mr. CLAYTON and also in favor of the
amendment offered by the gentleman from
Mississippi, (Mr. PLUMMER.) But he wished the
amendment to be extended little further-t to
embrace an inquiry into, and further to regulate,
the mileage ofmembers of Congress. Because,
should an antiquarian, five hundred years here
after, get an inspection of the payroll Of the
members of the present Congress, he would be
led believe, from the number of miles that gen.
temen gave in to the Sergeant-at-arms, and re-
ceived pay for. the distance they lived from the
Capitol, the belief would be entertained that the
United States and Territories covered as many
square miles as the Russian Empire, which in
Guided half of Asia, and one-third Of Europe
He would suppose that the State of Missouri lay
under the Rocky Mountains, and did not ex-
tend East further than the Great Falls of the
river Missouri; and that the State of Illinois lay
East Of that, but did not come further this way
than the Mandan villages. And that Indiana
adjoined Illinois on the East, but did not ex-
tend Eastwardy further than the mouth OF the
La Plate. And that the States of Mississippi
and Louisiana occupied the position of Old and
New California. That the Territory of Arkan-
sas lay at the mouth of the Columbia river-and
in truth and in fact was the Oregon Territory
That he did not intend to impute any thing
wrong in the claim of honorable members to
mileage, but the error consisted in the vague
ness of the law which did allow such extraordi
nary claims.
Mr.. PLUMMER accepted the amendment as
modification of his own.
Mr.. CLAYTON accepted both.
The question was then taken on agreeing to
the resolution as amended, by Yeas and Nays,
as follows: Yeas 1873. Nays-Messrs. Beale and
Wilde--2.
So the resolution was almost unanimously
q oreed to.
FOR NORFOLK.