Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-05-12
APPRoPRIATIoN.BILL.

gagged with the Appropriation Bill. oh riiuay
last, Mr.. SUTHERLAND moved to amend the
bill by adding the following as third section;
mSac Ann be IL further enacted, That the
g Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is here
bv authorized 10 pay to the collectors, naval
Wofficers surveyors, clerks, gaugers, weighers,
Empowers, markers, and measurers, OF the seve-
q raj ports of the United States, out OF any mo-
g ney in the Treasury, not otherwise appropriate
ed. such sums as will give to the said officers,
respectively, the same compensation In the
"year one thousand eight hundred and thirty
mfhree. according to the importations OF that
9vear. as they would have been entitled to re-
mceive, if the act of the fourteenth July, elgh-
teen hundred and thirty-two, had not gone in
"to effect"
MIR. S. said that this amendment had been
suggested by the Treasury Department and
was only the transcript of similar clause In
the bill of last session. Unless it should be
adopted. the Collector of philadelphia would be
So 600 out of pocket. He insisted on the policy
of giving these officers full compensation.
MIR. CLAYTON opposed the amendment;
but gave way for long explanation OF Mi.
SUTHERLAND and the reading of letter
from the Secretary of the Treasury. He then
resumed: and went into statement to shew the
vast increase in the number of custom house Of
6cers in New York since 1886 clerks IN
stead of 35; appraisers, instead OF z: 10 clerks
in an Office that had but one; 12O inspectors,
instead of So, sc. &C. And then argued 10
nrove that this increase was far beyond the pro-
portional increase of the business OF that custom
Mr. HUNTINGTON, of Conn opposed the
amendment, the true effects of which he stated
would be. to give men salaries for duties they
had no longer to perform.
Mr. SUTHERLAND modified his amend
ment so as to conine il to collectors, naval ofl-
care and snrveyOrS
Mr. GORHAM said that this modification had
removed his chief objection to the amendment,
which was TO increasing the salaries ofmen APP
pointed, notify the President and Senate, utby
the Collectors only.
MIR. HARPER stated some facts showing
abuses which existed in the custom house at
Philadelphia; but had less objection to the
amendment as now modified.
Mr.. SELDEN supported the amendment-he
thought the great wantof reformation had res
pect to the inferior officers; the naval othcer,
i'm particular, might be dispensed with atogeth
er.
Mr.. JARVIS opposed the amendment, and
observed on the high salaries of Custom House
Officers.
Mr. VANCE now offered an amendment to
the amendment before the House. directing the
Collector in New York to dismiss long list of
officers in the Custom House there, including
deputy collector, assistant cashier, 20 clerks,
assistant appraisers, 81 night-watchers, &c.
amounting in all to 101. He briefly advocated
this amendment.
Mr.. CAMBRELENG warmly resisted the
amendment proposed by Mr.. VANCE, and advo-
Gated that moved by Mr. SUTHERLAND.
Mr.. PARKER took the same ground, and
went al some length into an explanation of the syS
tenn of Custom House duties and emoluments.
MIR. PEARCE, of Rhode Island, advocated,
with great earnestness, the amendment OF Mr.
SUTHERLAND, as did also Mr.. BROWN, OF New
York
Mr.. FILLMORE moved further amend
ment in the shape of provso, that the salary
of the Collector do not exceed $4,000; and that
the Naval Officer and Surveyor do not exceed
s., 500.
Mr.. SUTHERLAND accepted the amend
ment as a modification, though In favor OF re-
tanning the present salaries.
Mr.. CLAYTON explained and defended his
conduct as a member of the Committee of Re-
trenchment, particularly in reply to Mr.. CAM
BRELENG.
Mr.. HUNTINGTON demanded the Yeas and
Nays They were taken accordingly and stood
as follows: Yeas a. Nays III.
So Mr.. SuTHERLAND's amendment was reject
On motion of Mr. POLK, the word Custom
House" Cat Baltimore) was changed to ware
house, andthe appropriation OF $3.50 Tor watch.
men at the War Department, was augmented
to S., 800,
MIR. ADAMS now renewed the motion which
had been made in Committee by Mr.. FooT, to
strike out the words ssGreat Britain" and "Rus-
sia," from the appropriation for salaries OF Fo-
reign Ministers; and accompanied his motion
by succinct enumeration of the grounds on
which he opposed it.
Mr.. WAYNE briefly replied.
MIR. DAVIS desired the question first to be TIA
ken on the Proviso he had offered in Commit
tee, that the nomination be made TO the Senate.
But this was pronounced ont of order.
IT, ploin nod bar hx-
he would not vote for the motion to strike out.
Mr.. WILLIAMS briefly replied.
Mr.. FOSTER went with warmth into an ex-
preston of his views, declaring his apprehen-
sions that no nomination would be made to the
Senate; and his determination to support the
Constitutional rights of that body.
The Yeas and Nays We're taken on this
amendment, and decided as follows Yeas, 90,
Nays 122.
MIR. JARVIS moved to reconsider the vote in
favor of part of Mr.. VANcE's amendment, on
the subject of the salaries of Custom House Off
GERS
Mr.. HUNTINGTON demanded the yeas and