The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-03

/ ~InF e.@
,hat which was allowed TO the Secretary OF state 2,
"a he Secretary Of the Treasury, office beyond all
question the most laborious In the government o.
any ofthe other Heads OF Depanmen's an irhsf
lion greater by one thousand dollars than me liner
Justice Of the United States received, and TWO 'nou
sand dollars more than was allowed the Attorney oo
neral OF the United States Even postmaster n'gn,
get and some of them would get, compensa'o"s
10 that ofthe Chief Justice, and one thousand ooai
more than that Of the Attorney General. cou'a =
oossiby be that the limitations proposed 70 DC
were Unreasonable or iIIiheralI Could u I've seriously
urged by any gentleman that any OF the on'os'' ~no
might be affected by the proposed regulations were
unon any lust consideration even the most iperai
view Of the matter entitled TO higher compensation
than the hiqhes, officers known TO eAis. unual u's
Government Was there any thing IN the nature %
duties Of the offices OF dstiic, Attorney
lector, or postmaster, or IN their comparative ugny
or inheritance that called for or would JUSTIFY more
boubiiful recompense for their services !
The emoIuments, Mr.. p. said, which were annually
received by some OF the officers of the United STATES
in large cities had been condemned ana uenouneeu'
both BY the public press and popular opinion, as extra
VACANT anti-republican and OF an influence anu ten
dency decidedly unfav orable and vicious The sober
sense of the People would not tolerate either the nasty
accumulation and sudden laying up OF opuient fortunes
in the pace of few years by the holders oil puoiic
office; or what was worse the prodgal dissipation OF
inordnate official incomes in luxurious lndugences 70
the prejudice Of all just fiugaily and OF all SCUM
morality in individual and social life. Mr.. Z. wished
TO bring back the Government to the sinphchy, .ne
pur,ty and the economy which belonged TO u IN the
days Of Washington. He was anxious TO restore u
TO its primitive lis original condition IN these respects.
He wanted to frugal, just and at me sane 'i'ne
enlightened and liberal administration OF the Govern
ment in the early days Of the Republic, when merit
real substantial meritwas the passport to pubic Ia
yor and confidence and money was not extorted from
the People To be ebezzled by aithless agents, OF vast
ed away in lavish and useless expenditures, ne
wanted TO see the time when an end would De put 70
.C,tx ,r,ssnp sIexf
would longer be appointed TO public trusts whose
rretensons consisted in little else than III Judged ana
noisy violence or in os,enatious devotoS 70 the nar
Of the Public after proving themselves incapape oi
conducting their own, having none to attend 20.
Bad principles and vicious policy with narrow bigot-
ed and demoralzine party politics, had had the ascen
dancy long enough, and had made inroads VIDE anu
broad enough upon public virtue and private morals
But notwithstanding the progress OF these influences,
and the alarming advance Of others OF disorganzlng
and destructive nature undermining the rights oil pro-
pery and atenng the quiet and tranquility OF .he
country the People, after ALL excepting always the IN
corrigbe agtato's and ever-restiess disturoes, WIN
their misled followers, the side OF order SUD
ordination law, liberty, and peace, and IN favor OF
return TO those principles which were the only SURE
fou ndaon Of good government as well AS OF free ana
civilized society The People had seen the necessity
of reform resolved, and would be satisfied with
nothing short of real, actual substantial reform
Among other reforms, Mr.. P. said none was more
obvious necessary than the retrenchment OF all ex
travagance in the expenses Of the Government. For
one, he meant to give all the aid in his power to the
work Of reform, and nj all times and he was
gratifed TO Witness even at late day, some symp-
Of contriton in those who still retained, and
would retain for short time ongel the administration
Of public affairs twas the saying If he remembered
rightly, Of one who had improvdenty wasted IS sub
rotous living, and outlived both his fortune
and his health that no one had sinned with much
repentance or rcpented ~with little amendment as
himself 1t to be hopeu that the Administration
which about to wind up its affairs, and retire from
Office might be able to take itself at least much
consolation this small it might be; though the
evidence Of repenance,I however deeply repentance
might have been felt il to be feared had not been
often or very strkingIy visible to the country Mr. r
was glad, however, TO see The work commenced with
some appearance of sincerity, at the eleventh
hour and he rcoiced that they favored late and
unexpected as il was, with opportunity to accom-
psh under the closing auspices OF this Adminisira
ton SO much good he believed the enactment OF the
provision of this bill into law would be sure to ef-
feet.
Mr.. CALHOUN said he always listened to the re-
marks of the Senator from Vermont Mr.. PRENTIss)
with great pleasure; he had ever found them replete
with sound practical sense. On no OCCASION however,
had he been highly delighted than the present
He sincerely hoped the suggested 10y the Sena-
would be carried by all parties; it was alike
honorable to his judgment and patriotism. He now
began to entertain hopes that on and profit
gate expenditures enormous salaries and tees OF office
would longer be tolerated Ii Senators would turn
their eyes for to the monstrous abuses, the
prodiga waste of the public money tn grew out otthe
eysem offs high protective tariff they would shrink
aghast the disclosures Now was the time to.r,na
the General Government back to that purity and SIM
plcity which the Constitution originally contemplated
to reduce the revenue TO the actual wants 1.-THE Gov
ernment-to take from all public agents those enor-
nous fees and emoluments that had been suffered to
accumulate in times of surplus millions II they de-
sired to aay high party excitement thai W.. ns,as
to ACCOMPLISH H. The enormous ices oil some OF these
oil nros f,aa NH itInua nd n n
to enter the of politics, and just long they
were Permit ed to be received they would act like The
high prizes in the lottery to tempt Adventures Be-
sides (sad Mr. CO every dollar saved by such steps
wouh be adding to the public treasury, and doing
sosiething towards placing the country in proper
state of Defence such would enable her to take her
stand among the proudest nations of the earth.
Mr.. &. here made allusion to the remarks OF Mr..
Preston during the morning hour in relation to the ma
uonal defences in parts of which he said he most
heartily concurred. He thought, however, before any
system of defence was adopted, that it should receive
the sanction of our abest military and naval officers,
as the improvements that had been made in the science
of military and naval tactics would render such
course prudent at least if not indispensable their
part.
The question then taken on the amendment, by
yeas and nays, and unanimously adopted, follows
YEAS Messrs. Allen, A nderson, Bates, Bayard'
Benton, Buchanan, Calhoun, Choate, Clay, of Ken,
Clay of Ala, Clayton, CuthBert Dixon, Fulton,
Graham, Hubbard, King, Knight, Linn, Lumpkin,
Mangum, Mcnick, Mouton, Nicholson, Norvel
Smith of Indiana, Smith, OF Conn., Sturgeon, Tappan,
Walker, Wall, Williams, Wright Young-40.
MISSISSIPPI RESOLUTIONS
The Legislature of Mississippi, after stating the