The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-02-15

Messrs GvM ] Tuonrsos, and GRAseER, with
regard TO former debate on the subject Of the MIS-
sissippi bonds.
BILL 54s.
On motion of Mr. ARNOLD, il was resolved that
the debate should cease al three o'clock, bill $40
for the reduction Of the pay Of members oil Con
gress-y6 per diem and the same amount for every
twenty miles Of travel and for the reduction OF Tue
pay and emouments OF certain officers OF the rode-
raj Government in the civil departments oil Tue
same.
The House then resolved itself into COMMITTEE
of the Whole the state Of the Union, Tor the put-
pose Of proceeding TO the consideration oil the SUD-
ject Several substitutes for the Dill were submit
ted one by Mr. Gwn TO reduce the salaries OF GER
tain officers of the Federal Government TWEEN
ty per cent, prohibiting extra compensation, and
providing that the pay OF members shall be four dol
lars day for the remainder OF long session beyond
five months and another by Mr.. Hunt substituting
an annual compensation Of fifteen hundred dollars
for the members three thousand dollars for the pre-
siding officers of the two Houses, and four dollars
for every twenty miles Of travel. After much con
versation, and the absence Of quiet, the committee
rose without coming to any definite conclusion on the
Mr. CUSHING moved to reconsider the vote by
which the debate on the bill was ordered to cease at
three O'Clock but the motion did not prevail-yeas
81, nays no.
Mr.. MALLORY moved call the House, and
Mr. ARNOLD was understood to say that he
hoped that the gentleman would not thus undertake to
dodge the question.
Mr. MALLORY replied that he never lodged, but
always sailed under an open flag
Mr.. ARNOLD told him TO meet the question
Mr.. MALLORY said that he would meet 1t here
and elsewhere.
The yeas and nays were taken on the question
whether there should be call of the House and it
1ac cd in fha
On motion of MIR. ARNOLD, the House again
went into Committee, aud resumed the consdera-
ton Of the bill.
MIR. HOLMES moved to amend it so as to allow
members, instead of mileage the actual expenses in
cured and SO day for the time necessarily occupied
in travelling 10 and from the seat of Government, in
stead Of the proposed IS for every twenty miles
lie argued that the scale set down in the bill would
operate unequally To illustrate this, he referred TO
the fact that from some sections of the country men,
bers travel by railroads at the rate of two hun
bred and forty niles per day. while, in other sec
tons, the conveyance is much slower, and conse.
quently more expensive.
Mr.. CUSHING opposed the bill; and, in the
Of his remarks he said that they about
to leave these halls, perhaps for ever--to bid adeu
to one another-they ought to be the last men Of
whom it should be said hereafter that their final act
was to degrade and humiliate the legislative power
Of the country by reduction Of the pay of the Con-
gress of the United States. He argued that should
The principles of the bill prevail, the effect
would he to exclude thousands of poor and merito-
rious individuals and give place to persons in atuent
circumstances.
Mr. BEESON said it had been alleged that there was
party in this country whose policy would reduce it
TO iron money and black broth. He would, in order
10 show who that party were advert to the yeas and
nays given at the last session of the present Congress-
from which it would appear that the Wing party,
the question of fixing time for the redemp-
ton of specie payments by the banks of
n,str had VOTE in cinlo q IL
resumption here depend redemption no.
where. The was this. The banks Of the Dis
trict, finding that the banks at Baltimore had
ed, Chat being of the conditions which their
own resumption depended, by law then existngD
applied to Congress to be tnkered that their
sumption should be made to depend on Richmond
alone II the policy of that party, which, by
expanding the currency the greater part Of the
union about five hundred per cent in the space of ter
years. and then contracting to the amount in
four years had produced the present Of distress
Of iron money and black broth He was then about
proceeding to show what the remedy for the
evil, which gentlemen, by propositions for retrench-
ment, designed to remedy-but the hour Of three
having arrived, he constrained to take his seat
without concluding his remarks.
The question then taken the amendment of
Mr.. Holmes, ami it agreed to--yeas SO, nays
81, And proviso was attached thereto-yeas l03,
nays 5S-that the mileage Of any one member shall
not exceed $500 for session of Congress.
to submit proposition; and having in vain essayed
to state what it was.
Mr.. ARNOLD, in loud tone, said lac could not
hear solitary word. A voice, "5i8 =" and laug h
ter Gentlemen all around him were believing like
hyenas. A voice "Go it !" and "orderl" "or-
der ~
After the confusion had somewhat SUI sided,
Mr.. WISE stated his amendment, which he de-
sired the Clerk 10 write down, as follows Provided
further that, besides his pay, no Senator shall be al
..,E ind haef ri
not roasted and not to exceed in cost, two dollars.
Renewed laughter
Mr.. ARNOLD asked to amend it by adding
Except the Guard, who are to receive foreign ms
sons after the 4th of March. Very loud laughter,
and cries Of "54S ~
Mr.. WISE (good-humoredy) remarked that he
would accept the amendment with pleasure, were it
not for the reason that there member Of the
Guard in the Senate.
The CHAIR decided that the amendment was not
in order.
The confusion in the House at this stage of pro-
ceeding increased to such an extent, that
MIR. ARNOLD induced to say that, I'M
less order restored, the Committee might as
well rise at once. Gentlemen design
edly-ay, designedly making a noise And he call.
ed on the Chair TO keep order -[Laughterl
The voice and the gayil Of the Chair partially pro-
duced this desirable result and dment
then adopted the effect that members shall receive
pay only for their actual attendance except in
Of sickness of themselves or families or by leave Of
the House or Senate.
Mr. MOORE moved to strike out all after the en-.
acting clause Of the BILL and insert that from and al
ter the commencement of the next session OF Con
gress, each member Of the House of Rrepresenta
tves and the Senate shall receive during the session
dollars day, AID four dollars for every mile
Of travel TO and from the seat Of Government ever,
member on taking the oath to support the Constitu
ton of the United States shall pledge his honor, il
the presence of the House of Representatives, til,
Senate, that he will strictly conne the Thanking phi
yiege, with regard TO letters to his own person. bu
he shall not be restricted from exercising the larges
liberty in frankng public documents to his consti,u
ents and the country. The second section propose