The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-22
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
ECONOMY.

ECONOMY.
We will here add word upon Mr. Browns reso- |
luton, and the sliding scale" OF reduction which II
proposes II relates solely to salaries and compensa-
ton to members Of Congress, and does not extend to
abuses in the army, navy, diplomatic list contn
gent fund Ii reaches the pay of naval and military Of
icers but not the frauds of contractors and Others
1t reaches the salaries of foreign minister's but does
aim at diminishing their lumber, at the chang
es SO frequently made among them reward parti-
sans 1t reaches the emoluments of officers who are
paid by fees, but does not limit their amount 1t does
not reach the printing and stationery OF the House,
or other modes of squanderng a contingent fund
Now let us examine these things. How many mil
lions have been squandeIed by the navy commission
ers assuming the duties of the head OF their depart
ment of the naval constructors, and other officers
Of how many millions has the country been cheated
in the Florida war, large portions OF which might be
recovered of those who have grown rich upon the
plumber How many ministers and charges have
been sent to countries where they were not wanted,
and how often have they been changed at the expense
of salary and outfit for each change?
MIR. Brown proposes reduction OF all diplomatic
salaries We tell him that the present salaries
not enough for Britain France, and more than
enough for other countries, and that in several of
those countries we merely send Consus. And yet
he proposes general and uniform scale of reduction
for all countries. BY raising the salaries Of Minis
tiers to Britain and France from nine to twenty thou
sand dollars dispensing with missions to some half
dozen foreign Governments and recalling no Minis
ter for the sake of giving JOB to another, shall
save large sums annually. The marshas are paid
by fees and commissions and some of them receive
thirty thousand dollars annually. From this amount
MIR. Browns "slidng scale" would take 81 500, and
the remainder would be 500 500. If $1,000 be
enough for clerk, and $4,000 for postmaster,
$22 500 are too much for marshal So district at
torney may make twenty thirty thousand annually,
and Mr. Browns ssding scale" would still leave him
an extravagant compensation. This is enough to
show that his principle is not sound. Retrenchment
in official emOluments should consist in equalizing
them as much possible, and in making all certain,
and contingent. He may say that marshals and
district attorneys would neglect their duties upon
salaries and therefore require the stimuant of fees.
Let us Try it. Our cities filled with lawyers who
make very slender living by their profession, and
would gladly discharge all the duties of marshal
district attorney for 500 OO0 If this be not
true why sWashingon besieged with such throngs up
on any change of the Administration seeking offices Of
much less emolument than $4,000 The country
would be well served at present, if salary
ceeded 50 500 less than I'll 500, and if young
men without families were excluded from office.
MIR. Brown proposed to reduce the pay and mileage
of members of Congress to 81, instead of $50. We
have objection to this, but would propose better
mode and would also endeavOI to dsspate of the
delusion which exists upon this subject. Many sup
pose that members Of Congress receive the most
travagant compensation yet careful examination
will convince them that this compensation is much
less than that of various other officers and much less
than majority of them could make in private BUSH
ness. A long session continuing for six months, and
short for three, the whole number of days con-
sumed in each Congress is about 27O, average
of 1876 for each year. The whole compensation for
this time, at 49, - l6O average Of $1,000 an
nualy. This sum for 1876 days is at the rate Of $2,
92O for year. Therefore if each Congress in
session without intermission, during its whole exis-
tence each member would receive less than the col
lectors, marshas and district attorneys of the large
cities than the treasurer register, comproers au-
dors, captains Of the navy gher officers of the ar
my, and several other officers. But as the average
time Of session is only 1876 days annually and mem
bers of Congress obliged, practically, to renquish
all other BUSINESS their emoluments from every thing,
public ard private, excepting mileage are little more
than $1,000. 10 member living 500 miles distant
from Washington, the mileage amounts to $500, and
the expenses of going and returning would not ex
distance, and l35 days the average annual time of
session. we find that each member receives l49O an
nually From this we must deduct $3.50 for expenses
of travelling and about $500 for board $40 weekly
Ale $l48O annually, charged with $3.50 expenses,
extravagant compensation for tho virtual relinqush
ment of all other busness2 We can hardly get suit
able men in Congress for less. But will propose
fixed compensation of $1,000 annually, and mileage
at 500 for every 100 miles, This would reduce the
long session to about three months or less and save
much of the time wasted for the purpose of get
ting So per day. and leave the members as much net
profit as they obtain under the present system Mr..
Brown will gain little by reducing the compensation
while he leaves it to be paid by daily allowances and
If he thinks that fixed compens alton would induce
hasty legislation reply that the country would suf
fer less from it that from the delays and other mis-
chiefs induced by the present system.