The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-12
IN CONGRESS OF THE u. STATES.
Thlrtieth Conxrcss-First Session.
THURSDAY, MAY IL, ls4s.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
The journal having been read

THURSDAY, MAY IL, ls4s.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
| The journal having been read
ADMISSION OF WISCONSIN UNION.
The House resumed the consideration of the bill for
the admission of Wisconsin the Unionthe question
on the state OF the Union in sundry amendments thereto
The House rejected the second amendment in relation
to grants OF land Tor certain works OF internal improve
ment, and agreed 10 the remainder of said amendments
The bill was ordered to be engrossed was read third
time, and passed
Mr. LINCOLN moved to reconsider this vote, to en-
able him to remark upon the question whether the price
of the alternate sections of land given aid of internal
Improvement, should be enhanced no4. He was un-
willing that should go out the doctrine of the west
ern States that the price should not be advanced He
should of course prefer this but wished il to be under
stood that he would not refuse grant because of the
hancement in price.
The Senate had already passed bill granting lands to
aid the State OF Illinois in the construction OF road and
although he would prefer an amendment taking away
the enhancement OF the price, he would be glad 10 have
the bill with the price fixed upon. He admitted the
soundness of the argument of the gentleman from Ind-
ana Mr. SMITH, thatthe treasury OF the general govern
ment might be recompensed for these grants with en-
HANGING the price of the alternate sections.
PosTMAsTERs' COMMISSION.
Mr. BOCOCK rose to his motion filled heretofore) for
the reconsideration of the vote by which the Senate bill
in relation to the frankng privilege and the commission
House
Mr. B. said: When the amendments of the Committee
few days ago. he apprehended that their whole purpot
was not understood The provisions in those amend
ments may be very proper additions to the provisions of
the Senate bill, but the amendments 20 further They
strike out part of the Senate BILL which, in his esma
ton, and in the estimation of others this floor, ought
not to be stricken out
OF deputy posmasters was fixed at rate believed to be
adequate, and remained until recent period Under
the act OF lS45; new system of postage intro
duced, by which much lower rate of postage was
charged upon the maabe matter received at the diff
ferent Offices While the rate OF commission remained
the same the gross amount OF receipts upon which those
commissions calculated being reduced, of course
the pay OF the posmasters was reduced-very greatly
reduced
When the law of 1916 had been fairly tried, it was
found that the most disastrous effects likely to re-
suit to the service from rigid enforcement of its literal
provisions Postmasers were resgning in numbers,
others were threatening to resign and general dssats
faction was spreading itself among them Under
these circumstances, the Postmaster General, with
the advice Of the Attorney General, determined, by
virtue OF authority which he thought he possessed,
to allow to deputy posmasters extra compensation This
was resort which appeared essential under the emcr
gency which then existed.
To remedy this state OF things, the necessity
Tor resort to extra compensation, and at the time
to provide adequate compensation for the postmasers
the act OF 1S47 was passed Its evident and avowed in
ton But by mistake in the wording Of it, that end
was FUZZY accomplished BY It, Il apparently raised
the amount Of commission, but by ordering different
mode OF computing it, it is rendered almost imperative
IN that respect Under the acts passed previously to 1885,
the commission allowed was stipulated rate con the
on the quarterly receipts Of the office was allowed pe si"' By
the act OF ls47, the commissions allowed certain
rates on the annual receipts. The word "annua" was
legal provisions that subject The difference of COM
pensation made by this change must be manifest
TO all The rates OF commissions varying, according
to the amount received, by the mode the highest
rate is allowed only once per year; by the other
mode four times. The rate Of commission estab-
lished by the act of ls47 is 40 per cent. on the
lHrun hum rodI la fxroo
hundred, and SO on, Now, if the gross receipts of an
office is $500, by allowing the per centage the quar-
tery receipts the pay will be $3.50; but by allowing it
only the yearly receipts, it will be $40 In the
case, the 40 per cent is calculated 500 four times
for each quarter; in the other, il is calculated 800
once and on the remaining $500, the rate of 33t per
compensation OF the postmasers.
That the amount allowed by the act as it stands is
not enough, is proven by the fact that il is about to
be altered by the unanimous vote of both houses of
Congress The posmasters have not had sufficient pay
them under the of 1s47 But there another point
to which he wished to direct the attention of the House.
injustice has been done, the result of mistake The
Postmaster General states the fact and it evident
from the circumstances 1t designed to increase the
commissions OF the posmasters so as to obviae the
cessy of the extra compensation yet, it stands, it does
not accomplish the whole purpose.
Under the law OF 1925, the rate of commissions as
follows, viz
On the first 800, 30 per cent
On the next $500, rs per cent.
On the next 1900, 70 per
On all sums this, per cent.
The above to be calculated quarterly.
Under the law of ls47 it is as follows viz:
On the first $780, 40 per cent.
On the $500, 1874 per
On the next ~, 900, 80 per cent
On all sums over this l2a per cent.
The above to be calculated yearly, instead of quarterly
The amounts received under the late law, under the
present law it stands, and under the law of 1s47
designed to be, exhibited by the following
table: