The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-17

by the clerk doorkeeper, sergeant at arms, posimas
Ter, should receive a compensation higher tate
than 81 so per diem. The compensation received in
lsil as before said the OF So per diem
Now, there two very worthy men, persons who have
been employed in that office since July s47 who have
received only - so per day. the estimates having been
made according 10 the resolution of the House of Repre-
sentatives and not in conformity with the act OF Con.
gress of 1912, which settled the amount for the mes
sengers and the clerks of the House of Representatives
as well as the messenger employed in the office OF the
Secretary OF the Senate. The estimate since that time
seems to have been based upon the supposon that the
resolution of the House OF Representatives repealed the
act OF Congress. Now, sir, presume that gentlemen
will perceive, upon looking the resolution that was
intended 10 regulate the pay OF the great number of
sengers employed in the House. and that of the egu
lar messengers employed in the Clerks Office by the
of ls4l. By that act the messenger himself is by law
made permanent officer, though in inferior stu
alton, the Secretary OF the Senate the Clerk of the
House There is matter enough in the resolution OF
4 isAa for the House to act upon, without its being
supposed that it intended to repeal the act OF
Congress. will show, sir, il it is desired, that
up to a late day the estimates have been made
cordngy and the appropriations not made in accordance
with the act of 1871, STIMULATING that this officer should
have this permanent and fixed salary; that is that he
should have the salary the Clerk of the House,
or the Secretary of the Senate but find the estimate
sent in by the department TO correspond with the resou
ton OF 1912 find that the messenger of the Clerk the
House of Representatives provided for specifically 1t
lett to the contingent fund to be paid the numerous
other messengers or pages or assistants OF the House of
representatives PAID the class of officers
assistants in the Senate. The messenger the office
OF the Clerk, for example, received in 1912, 81 OD5; tina;
was in conformity with the law il then stood. Al
the present session find, sir that the messenger
the same office is paid only the OF 1912 So The
SIMPLE question ls---and one, ihink which Judicial
tribunal would have no difficulty in seing-whether
resolution OF the House could repeal act OF Congress
The resolution of The House carries messenger in the
Clerks office to the same rank salary with the
senger OF the Secretary of the Senate The messenger of
the Secretary oil the Senate has 81 ,o95 By separate
resolution OF the House the year following the salary
OF their messengers generally diminished 10 S. 50
per day. There were number of other messengers
employed in the House besides this individual. The
question is whether that resolution, the first place. did
TO apply only to the other messengers and whether
it intended 10 apply also to the salary of the
senger of the Clerk OF the House If would have APP
piled to him. this amendment oug ht to be adopted unless
that separate resolution can be considered to repeal the
act OF Congress passed IN the preceding year If could
then admit this resolution ought 10 be adopted. |
makes difference, for three years. of five hundred
and odd dollars and have therefore concluded to move
that this sum OF five hundred and odd dollars as stated
IN the amendment, may be embraced in the bill.
| Mr.. ATliERTON. | understand that the object of
this amendment is to give certain messengers the office
of the Clerk of the House of Representatives an Adj
tiona that is, Tor three years past of the
pay supposed to be due to them and this amendment is
founded upon law which is supposed to give them
larger pay than that authorized by the resolution of the
House of Representatives under which these officers
were elected, under which they had been paid up
| this time Now, suppose Sir, these officers
elected, expecting the salaries which they have re-
ceived, and the House have employed them. expect
ing that they would be paid those salaries have
doubt that the law-if there was law fixing the sal
AIRY OF any officer of the House-would operate as a
limitation, and that the House would not, by the resou
ton be authorized to increase the salaries of those o
GERS beyond the law. But if the House choose select
an officer under resolution, and Tx his compensation,
thus making contract with one of their otcersa
senger of the House. Tor lnstahcel cannot any OBJ
lection to It, do not see why persons should be paid
amount which they did not expect when they went into
the office, and certainly which the House did not expect
10 pay them Certainly if the House supposed they
doing injustice to these Individuals the Clerk would have
made an estimate for this additional sum
The question being then taken upon the amendment, 1t
arpieC Ted
Mr. KING made verbal amendment, which was
agreed TO-:
the following provision:
For paying the wachmen employed in and about the
Executive Offices from the lst of January lSi7 the end
of the "a session 9th Congress- The increased pensaon
provided 1r the messengers and assistant messengers
ployed said Offices by third Of The making
appropriations for the civil and Diplomatic expenses OF The
government for the year 1887, S3, i5O.'
Mr. BELL. hope shall be more fortunate in OBJ
tanning the assent OF the Senate to this proposition than
oslion is to pay COMPENSATION to watchmen employed in
the Executive building. 1t is found upon the second
section of the civil diplomatic bill OF 1897, which pro.
vides that the OF $4,000 be appropriated out of any
money the treasury otherwise appropriated to enable
the President of the United States by suitable means,
provide against the commission of depredaons, &c The
third section of the act OF 1897 is in these words, in sub
staDce further enacted, That those officers whose sal
aries less than 2,Ooo SHALL in addition thereto, be al
lowed the following increase OF annual compensation from
the ls day of January last TO the end OF the next session of
Congress- that is to say, such of said clerks, &c,
whose annual compensation does not exceed 81 900, an
addition OF % per cent hereto such of said clerks
whose annual compensation exceeds III 900, addition
of 10 per cent thereto; and 20 per cent addition to the
salaries of the messengers and assistant messengers"
That is the amount OF increase OF compensation pro-
vded for in this sectOn to be pad out OF any money
the treasury not otherwise appropriated 1t was my
fortune to be member of Congress at that time, and
| may say that | personally acquainted with the
fact that the watchmen employed about this building have
complained, if not annually yet periodically that they
were not included in it, | have the memorial before me,
presented by many years ago. 1t was thought too
uncomfortable to attract the attention OF members OF
Congress any committee, and 1t has been lying
here from that time to this have thought the claims
of those persons worthy Of atenton--worthy of as
those who had received less that 81, Ooo 20 per cent
for limited time and this was upon general
law regulating the salaries of the officers of these de-
partmens those who had salaries of 81 900 had them
increased ten per cent and OF the messengers SUBJ
ordinate to the clerks employed in and about this depart
ment, twenty per cent was added to their standing
salaries for limited period of time. When came ia
inquire why the wachmen not included, was in
formed that it was mistake, that there intention
by the gentleman who broug forward this in the
other branch-a gentleman distinguished for his
my in appropriations for salaries, &c. understand tina
it mistake, and that AT no subsequent Congress
have these watchmen been able TO ob ain the attention
Congress to what they considered a grievance.
Now sir let me state behalf of those persons thai
their service is burdcnsome and degree be
yond that of officers of the government, far n
personal attention is required Their service is night
service The principal part OF their duty performed
during the night The service is which requires ant
presupposes that they persons OF great proby fidelity
and sobernessof public upghtness and public prob,y
1t could be ntrusted to any other class OF men
they had been in service long time, and most of then
service belleve-men of approved fidelity ant