The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-31
THURSDAY. AUGUST 30, 1850.



Arkansas IN favor OF Ashley DAVIS praying that he may
be placed upon the pension roll which referred
the Committee on Pensions
Mr. CLARKE presented petition OF citizens of Iowa
praying ihe establishment OF mail from Quasqueton to
Animosa. in that Stale which was referred the Com
miltee on the Post Office and Post Roads
On motion by Mr.. SEBASTIAN,
Ordered, That The Conni,tee on Indian Affairs DO dis
charged rom the further consideration oil the
Lewis Ralslon.
THE MILITARY ACADEMY
Mr. HUNTER from the Committee on Finance, Ia
whom Seferred The bill making appropriations for
the support OF the Military Academy for the iscai year
ending June 3o 1850, reported the same back with
Mr. H. moved tba, The Senate proceed to the consider
alion OF said bill; which was ageed to.
The amendments having heen read
Mr.. HUNTER said: Mr.. President, will explain these
amendments IN minute or two, or rather this amend.
ment; tor there in tact, only one,he others follow
Ing the hrst az matter OF The only difference
Representative is this In the House Of Repre-
they reduced the salaries which ihe professors have
heretofore enjoyed The professors salaries have here
oioc been made up OF three different itemsof pay, of
forage and Of subsistence Of servants. The House
duced the salaries heretofore enjoyed 10 81 500 The
Senate committee reconmnd raising them all 10 ~ 900,
except in the cases oil The professors OF drawing and
French. whose salaries stand, recommended by the
House, at III 500 They have raised their salaries
sum certain. in the place o leaving them to be made up
from variety oil sources The committee believe that
competent cannot be procured Tor less than the
they have fixed II Is ony about the sum which they
now receive from the varons sources | have named.
lhe proposition, therefore, Is, that the professors OF
mathematics. engineering, etics, and chemistry, be al
lowed $1,000 m exchange for the ralions heretofore
gwen them, with the exception OF the longevity ration,
which IS mark more Of honor than of profit, and one
especially valued by all military ask, that the
question be taken upon The brst amendment and if that
is adopted lbe others vii! follow as matter of course
Mf. BRADBURY. III, President do not know that
perfectly understand The honorable senator from Vir-
ginia, [Mr HUNTER J but. if do understand, the
adoption of this ndnen will increase the salaries OF
he IN in
what they have heretofore enjoyed, The House
have made reduction hese salaries; and Instead OF
bringing them back to the precise situation which they
formerly Stood tue senator iom Virginia Mr.. HUNTERl
proposes amendment which will increase the emou-
ments OF these officers think this the worst possible
time to increasing the salaries of public officers
when the drain upon the treasury great as it is
this time hope that the Senate will in what
ever reduction the House have seen fit 10 make. | will
venture the trial OF the experiment, il reject the
amendment OF the committee, and adopt the bill IT has
passed the House Not single officer will resign; and
il they should there will be difficulty whatever in
genv competent officers 10 perform the duties appre
tend that the salaries received quite large
he average similar services in the best public semi.
naries throughout The country. al any rate, will
ling 10 try The experiment OF leaving them as they
and see whether any designations will take place. or
whether any difficulty will be found in obtaining compe
tent mea to perform the junes.
Mr. HUN TEX. The senator from Maine will find
that the proposed in this amendment for the salary
the professors does Eo vary far from that proposed at
present The professor OF philosophy receives 81 o44
W
engineering receives 81 792, II proposed TO pay him
$4,000 The professor OF mathematics receives 7o2
and is proposed TO pay HIM $4,000 The professor Of
ethics receives 1873, and is proposed to give him also
$4,000, and with the professor OF chemistry So that
in point OF fact, vary the sums which they now
eeye by very small amount do not agree with the
senator that because these gentlemen who are accus-
pmed TO these places, would not resign we to
tail the salaries, il is just and proper TOR US TO do so On
the contrary, if they perform their duties ably and faith
fully, think should give them what their services
are worth The sums proposed are not so high as are
paid in the first universities think they not SO
high as in the university OF New York, or IN the uni
veTsty OF South Carolina, in the university OF Vr
GINA, with which am more particularly acquainted
Yet sir, know that these officers not only but
ought 10 be, OF the highest grade OF talent do not be.
eye you could men, II they were TO die or 10
resgn who would be equal 10 them IN scientific attain
ments, for the proposed IN the bill as II came from
he House IL is very small matter TO give them tins
Rcrease but the poorest OF all economy rs that which
seeks the reduction OF the salary o the professors IN any
institution OF Learning. The difference IN qualification
which might be secured BY difference, perhaps OF
thousand or fifteen hundred dollars, might be worth 10
the country hundreds OF thousands IL is impossible TO
estimate dollars and cents the difference in value OF The
instruction given BY different men. have no doubt that
you might hnd who would serve, II you were 10
put down the salary 10 $500; but you'd you get com
Peient those who now grace and adorn that in
suguon hope Will DC the pleasure o. me SENATE
have received, making round sum, and s something
less than that received IN the institutions oil which have
spoken. The committee thought /, was not too much,
and thought il best to give them these IN the gross,
50 that should suppose they obtained their salaries
by ndireeton Heretofore of IL has been received
the shape OF commuiaon o forage oil three horses and
they did know what they wanted with three horses
they had received the amounts money, 90 not
believe any change would have been made N The House
They sought 10 strike out the abuse OF paying them com
mutation for forage, and did not consider what was ne
cessary,o support their grade and rank.
MIR DICKINSON. concur with my colleague OF the
Committee ot Finance, acting chairman IN what he
has sad with regard to this bill My public experience
has taught me that when to the question OF the
salary OF public oihcer poor clerk, the difference is
great between $3.50 and $780, and great deal Is said
services II - said, Tor lower sum Il ia equally trne
and peotical that
Fool. win rush where angels feat % tread"
Yor can Gil up the public service with incompetent men
when few thousand dol lars would give efficiency In
the public service THAI not the place 10 institute irue
economy When come TO act upon an overshadowinp
APPROXIMATION OF hunded thousand million OF dol
lars then the extravagance OF the government is
Conspicuous favor drecness and simplicity ~ the pay
meni favor an amendment which proposes,o show ic
the Sena'e 10 the people, and 10 these officers them
selves Just how much they receive, without any back
door policy Of paying them for rations or lorage W.
ought 10 know how much they receive, ana l DO no
think II is too much IN this case. When we come Y
oyershsdowng appropriations, let us apply the axe
The root Of The tree. The government must have EN-
Toyees Let il have time than IS necessary Le
have competent men, and pay them fairly Tor Their ser
vices Abolish good many under officers IN ana abou
the governments but let those you employ he eincien
men, and ray them fairly but not exlrsvagantly and u
dollars and cents that you lay your finger upon.
MIR. BRADBURY. MIR President, am perfectly wei
aware that any suggestion thai tends 10 economy or au
effort that may be made 10 keep either the salaries OF o'
GERS or The expenses OF the government down 70 the pon
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