Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-02-27


on then individuals would no longer aspire 10 Office
! for would hold out ndmcement. Mr. ID. went on
To show that Ivy this plan the influence Of the Execu
tive wond be esscned, and concluded by slightly mo
dilying his amendment
| Mr. SALTONSTALI. agreed that this subject re
CURED attention. and that there were many abuses in
tile system which called loudly for reform. He sub
mit,cd however whether nj this late period of the ses
sion there time for the investigation of 50 import
ant matter Only few days remained OF The SEES
sion, and there was no less than five approprIa-
ton bills to be acted upon He hoped, therefore, that
the appropriation bills would he first passed. and the
present subject be postponed until there should DC 4
more favorable opportunity for doing it justice.
| Mr. WADDY THOMPSON hoped, that in case he
could vote for the proviso he should not be accused
| of being opposed 10 retrenchment and REFORM III
the system were an evil it appeared to h:m an IRE
mcdiable evil MIR. w proceeded to contend that, al
though in two or three places the fees of United
States district atornes, &c, ght be too large yet IN
the majority of cases, in various parts OF the country,
the compe nsation was hardly sufficient to ensure the
| services of competent men. The consequence was,
that in numerous instances none but thirdrac lawyers
could be procured TO act for the Government IL was
absurd and unjust to reduce the tees OF whole class
merely because one or might receive liberal sum.
The fee bill did undoubtedly require alterations,
but vet he did not hesitate TO say that the fees the
majority of cases in other parts OF the Union were
not sufficient 10 the services OF competent men
| The question being on the amendment OF Mr. DAVIS
to the motion of Mr. Hunt to strike out the proviSo
Messrs. GRINNELL, YANDERPOEL and MON
ROE, gave their views.
Mr. FLOYD said that he had not intended TO address
the Committee upon this provision OF the bill for re-
ducing the fees of the district attorneys, and should
not do so now lie not an ardent adnlrer Of the
PRINCIPLES of teconuny and REFORM, which appeared 10
be deserted by those who had proissed them the high
est regard We have been told sad Mr. F. that the par
" which has lately irlumphcd had inscribed in the ann
pie folds of It's banner, ECONOMY and/cfohn; and he
supposed when he came 10 attend this session OF Con-
gress that those who had preached loud and long
on that subject would make attempt to practise al
ter election what they had preached before the election
We have been told, too, that the present Admnstra
ton has been condemned for It's eIravasance and where
is the member on this floor of the Opposition party,
who can rise in his place and say that he did not give
circulation 10 speeches, delivered here at the last
sion denouncng the Administration prohigate and
cxtraynpant. And yet have reached the 18th page
Of the general appropriation BILL and the first dollar IS
not yet stricken out by any move from any member of
this great ECONOMY and reform" party An honora
BILE member has told that The reform called for by
the recent election general reform, and not lriaing
pcayune business. SO be it. Let him apply his &C.
neral reform to this HILL and reduce the expenses of the
Government Another has told us that they r-ill begin
the work when they have the power. Sir, said Mr. F.
they have the power nOw-et them try and If any
has the courage to make the attempt, my word for it,
he will find enough here 10 help him carry it through
Now is the time to commence the good work, before
the Offices filled with their friends now, when
they escape the odum of reducing salaries after
appointments are made. Will they be willing
10 apply the pruning knife when their political friends
are in possession Of The Offices: Why, Sir, it is
but day or two since, that my honorable colleague
from the Columbia District Mr.. Vanderpoell at
tempted to strike out an appropriation OF 81 600 for
clerk in the Fifth Auditors Office but although the
clerkshp is vacant and has been for time, lie got
no aid from the economy and reform party they shrunk
from abolishing sing solitary vacant ccrkshp; and
if they cannot spare clerk from SO large bureau
as this where, ask they to carry OF. their princ
pies of reform; They have told the people that the
penses of the Government were too great. have no
doubt that many believed them, and have decrecd re
duction Of expenditures. Let gentlemen now redeem
their pledges 10 the people. Let them begin sOmcchtrs
and they will find those here who will aid them in
ryng out the principles of economy and reform on The
most enlarged and liberal scale.
MIR. EVANS to question Of order The
amendment proposed to alter the fees allowed by the
existing law, and was, to that extent repeal OF the
law The proyiso, reported in the bill, did not alter
the charge for fees, but this amendment did. lie con-
sdered il irregular and unusual and put it to the Chair
whether the proposition 20 amend could be admitted
The CHAIR observed that if this were original
proposition 10 insert such provso in the BILL he would
have hesitation in ruling il ont OF order. But
though the provso in the bill irregular, yet the
Chair could have control it, inasmnch it had
been reported by the Committee of Ways and Means
and entertained by the House. Therefore, the provso
being in the bill, it was competent TO amend or perfect
the same, although it might 60 to change an existing
law.
Mr.. THOMPSON of Mississippi, in pursuance of
notice given, then submitted his amendment as fol-
| lows:
| Strike out in the eighteenth and nineteenth pages
of the BILL that part relating TO the district attorneys
clerks and marsllals, respectively, and insert:
hereafter lien fre-, emolumen and receipts,
allowed, il shall and may be lawful for the United States
clerks attorneys counsel and marshas district and
and receive the fees that now are, or hereafter may be
held 10 The clerks attorneys and counsel and cis
in highest Of the said States in which like services
rendered and no other fees OF emonmcns except That me mar
shals shall reccly. IN u for summing all the jurors Tor any
tua attendance court five dollars day and for any
services including the compensation for mileage performed by
sand officers in the discharge Of their official duty Tor which no
provided by the laws Of said States respectively
the said officers receive such fees are now allowed by
lie United states and every district attorney except The dis
ict attorney Of the Southern district Of New York shall receive
IN addition TO the above fees salary oil TWO hundred COLLARS per
annum"
| After some incidental remarks nv Messrs. HAND,
FILLMORE, J. THOMPSON, CURTIS, UNDER
WOOD, JONES Of Virg mia, BROWN of Mississippi,
and WELLER,
i The question was taken agreeing to the amend
men and decided in the aiiirmayc-ayes Ga, noes 90.
MIR. CAVE JOHNSON moved to amend the amend
men first adopted, by adding thereto the following
\ find provided also, That in addition TO the account
required 10 be rendered BY every collector OF GUS
toms, naval ocer and surveyor oil porls, every sucn
collector naval officer and surveyor shall, each and
every year hereafter, render quarter yearly account
under oath 10 the Secretary of the Treasury in such
form said Secretary shall prescribe, for the purpose
of giving full effect TO this proviso, OF all sums OF
money by them respectively received or collected
for fines, penalties, foricitures for seizure OF
goods wares, or merchandise on account of suits
instituted for frauds against the revenue laws or
for rent and storage of goods, wares, or merchan'
disc, beyond the rents paid by the collector or other
such officer, and if from such accounting it shall ap-
pear that the received any year, BY any
collector naval officer, surveyor, on account OF hnef
and penalties forciturcs, and account OF any sell
lures made or suits instituted for frauds eyasions OF
the revenue laws and for rents and storage as atoe
said SHALL in the aggregate, exceed the sum OF two
thousand dollars, such shall be paid into the
Treasury for the of the u S. And such collector
shall hereafter, under any pretence whatever have, oil
receive retain for HIMSELF the aggregate, more than
thousand dollars per year, including commissions fol
storage, and any other commissions salaries al
4 y N - hall