The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-17
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


the Whole on the state of the Union, Mr.. Burr in
the chsir,) and took up the Civil and Diplomatic
Appropriation BILL
Mr.. EWING, of Tennessee, proceeded TO speak
vi the Presidents recent message, which, he said,
consisted of two distinct parts. The first, he un
derstood, was exposition of the views OF the TX
ecutive with regard to what may devolve on nun
Ill a certain contingency which may arise between
the State OF Texas and the United States The
second part undertook TO recommend what course
of policy shall be pursued by Congress. These are
the two leading features OF the message; one re-
Commends that shall be done, and the other stat YES
what the President intends 10 do. lie regarded II
as unfortunate that the President had written the
first part of the message, for II would add To the
flame already burning, rather than produce n
salutary effect upon the country lie then sup;
ported the Senate bill, proposing to give Texas
ten millions Of dollars for settlement OF her
boundary claim, which would be Of advantage
10 the South and 10 Texas. II Texas should be
given two hundred and fifty thousand square miles,
she would be dead as door nail, and stand as
monument of the lmpossibillty Of cuitvating and
proftipg by go large territory. BY enabling her
10 pay her debts she can prosecute her system OF
internal improvements construct railroads and ca
mails, extend the telegraph lines, &c, and be The
better enabled to 70 on TO greater prosperity. He
could see no way of getting out OF the boundary
difficulty but by passing the Senate bill. Scylla IS
on one hand, and Charybdis on the other; and this
affords the means of escape, without doing lnjus
tiCe to Texas, ana al the same time acting IN good
faith towards New Mexico. This was the day and
the hour lac said, to advance the banner OF peace
and Cancellation.
Mr.. SWEETSER commenced remarks, and had
not proceeded far, when
The hour TO which the general debate was limit
ed arrived.
CIVIL AND DIPLOMATIC APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr.. RAYLY said that he anxious to ex-
prcss his views at length on the Presidents mes
sage, but the rule gives a gentleman who
reports bill the privilege of closing the de-
bate to defend il from attacks made upon il, he
should not violate it's spirit. lie should on some
other occasion SUSTAIN his view that a more dan
gerous message never emanaed from PresI-
dent; and that If its principles should be car
red out, this republic would be transformed into
military despotism. He then replied TO remarks
which had been made with reference 10 the Com
mitee Of Ways and Means, OF which he is the chair
man and stated, in relation TO the petitions referred
10 il asking for modification of the tariff, that
the committee intend 10 report the House that it
is ne1pedient to act upon The subject.
nxrREScHMEsv AND REFoVN.
The CLBRK read the first clause of the bill, fol-
lows:
"Eor compensation and mileage of Senators,
members of the House Of Representatives, and del
egates, four hundred and sixteen thousand three
hundred and thirty ght dollars: Pr0rided That
the mileage Of Senators, Representatives, and Del
eEates shall hereafter be computed on the route by
which the mails transported from the Capitol Il
the residence OF such Senator, Representative, OF
Delegate: And prorided further, That no such mem
Der Of either branch OF Congress, residing east y
the Rocky mountains, shall receive more than one
thousand dollars mileage for each session, and n,
such member or delegate residing west OF the
Rocky mountains shall receive more than two thou
sand dollars mileage for each session, nor shall any
member OF the Senate receive mileage Tor any SEES
sion of that body which may be called within thir
days after the adjournment OF both Houses Of Con
gress, unless the travel for which such mileage il
charged has been actually performed"
MIR. JOHNSON, of Tennessee, moved TO amend
by adding proviso: that the salaries fall officers
civil and military, as well as members of Congrcs
holding office under the Government, where tn,
salary ID over one thousand dslnIs, aud no consJi
tutional Prohibition, from aud after the first Mon
day in December, 1850, shall be rCdu,od one fifth
upon the whole amount Of salary; provided ii doe
not reduce the salary below thousand dollars
ard then down TO THAI sum.
MIR. J. said that the time had arrived to com
meEce retrenchmcnt. The appropriation bills cal
for more than 81 900 ,0O0 to be pended during
the present fiscal year In lcss than two or tire,
years reform sill be the watchwOrd If party, unless
tie spirit Of cXtravagance be now resisted; auo
they should begin with this amendment.
The question was taken, and II Was disagreed TO-
SnLsAor
Mr.. SWEETSER moved 10 amend the clause
by reducing the mileage 10 five hundred dollars
ior Zach member residing east Of the Rocky Noun
tsins, and one thousand dOars wet.
MIR. Thu RsION, delegate from Oregon, was OF
the opinion that the gentleman would not have the
amendment succeed Tor any thing.
n. r I order,
on the ground that NO one has the night 10 impute
improper motives 10 p4smbcr on the floor.
The CHAIRMAN said that II wac not in order &c
impute improper motives.
Mr. THCRSTON remarked that such was To-
his intention. lie merely wished to conjecture
And be stOod up ia his place now, and would here
AFTER and boot at the idea that members are re
CURED 20 come here and serve for less pay thar
the mcancst manual labor would command
We have men capable Of lcgislating Tor the ma
tiOn and dscharging their duty, pay them like
men, and do not undertake, for toe sake Of bun
combe, 10 reduce the allowance. The actual cn
pence. Of coming hither or going 20 Astoria, il
Oregon, coat nam six hundred doilars in cash. In
expenses gong aBd coming amounted 20 twClv
hundred dollarF; 20 that, II the amendment should
prevail, he would flil short two hundred dollars
When he fret came 10 Washington, Il cost hin
eleven hundred and fifty dollArs. and the traye
occupied .hrcn months and a half time. II wa
through one OF the most sickly portions 81 the uni
verse, and he was liable 10 death nj any time.
Mr. MORSE proposed 10 amend the amer dmcnt
making the mileage Of members not to e1cecc
three thousand dollars this and four thousand th,
other side Of the Rocky mountains. lie said tina
inc question Of mileage has been debated for tht
lHtt thirty years. Il was fixed, after elaboration
at what some supposed, at the time, SUN eicnt 4
compensate gentlemen who we're decmed by the1
constituents worthy 90 bold seats on tins floor
lie wac cory 20 sec a growing Opposition 70 di
Tninish the value and rcspectability 81 seat u
this floor, by proposing 20 let u out 90 the loves
bidder The great mistake IN this country va
the want u proper determination iOr places whic
require talents, genius and educ alton, from thus
which merely mechanical IL said, ~ithuu
disparsgcmcnt % those who heard him, that, u th
pay Of members vas higher, there would be bet
ter collection Of high.mnded men than there nos
was. such salary should be given az 10 ooIEman
the beet talent 81 the country.
The question Va- taken, and Mr. MoRsr's amend
nent - the amendment was rejected
Mr. NENABLE offered an amendment, and sal,
that he considered ell this legislation, with viey
Of cutting down mileage, a. wrong IN principle
The very moment It is cut down, ono Of the mos
important ties which binds the people TO tho Gov
.runentis lOOsencd. man who comes here fror
the western part Of Texas was entitled - more pa
than he Was, and ought % have il. II you cut dow
the pay and mileage Of members. you make IL =
that none but wealthy man can come here. lO
make IL an aristocracy. man may become nc
by piracy snd plumber.
lie was Tor paying men 81 talents what they cal
earn At home, aud not placing them Ia a cOuditio
Of psupcrism II they 60 to Congress. " they hay
10 pay all their money for bard, you will fin
them going 20 the White. house begging f.
ohsrC6sb p- foreign missions, and Offices that pa
better. lie Odd not VIsh II % be askcd, ia 81
urnrs "Wii no man put me in the pricst's Office
that rnsy gets i.ule bread,"
Mr. SWEEtSER'S amendment was then rc
jectcd.
Mr.. ORR moved 20 strike out all that portion O