Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-08-31
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1850.

Mr.. HUNTER, from the Committee on Finance to which
referred House bill making appropriation for the support
of the Military Academy for the year ending the 30h june
1851, reported back the with amendments which pro-
pose strike that part of the bill in which the salaries Of
the professors of the academy fixed fifteen hundred dol
lars and with the exception of the professors Of French and
Drawing, to make them two thousand dollars
He expressed the hope that would be the pleasure of the
Senate to take up the bill and pass it at once
By unanimous the bill then taken up and
sidered as in Committee Of the Whole.
Mr.. HUNTER. I will explain, in a moment or two, th
object of the amendments There in fact but amend
men the others being alterations which follow, mat
Of course if the ohers adopted The only respecn which
the bill thus amended differs from the bill as passed the House
in regard to the amount fixed for the professors salaries
The salaries of these professors heretofore have been made
of three four emshe item of pay, the item of forage,
the item of communication Of subsistence and allowance for
The House, in lieu Of the salary which these pro-
ssors enjoyed from these items have stricken OF much
derived from the Communication for forage for two horses
The Committee Finance recommend that, instead of this
dmnution salary of $4,000 shall be allowed to each Of
Them with the exception of the professors of drawing and
French, whose salaries they propose shall remain fixed by
the House, $780, They have increased it to
tan whichhhey think is preferable to allowing to be paid
in the former mode because Of the objections made in the
House relation the item Of forage for three horses
part Of the salary which the professors received The
Committee Finance believed that competent TO dis
charge these duties could be procured for less than
which about the they receive in the shape Of
these allowances and they have therefore proposed that the
professors of mathematics philosophy engineering, ethics,
and chemistry be allowed So, 900 EACH in exchange for all
these allowances with the exception of the longevity ration,
which one more honor than Of profit and is particularly
valued by military
If il be the pleasure Of the Senate keep the salaries at
they were about what they there be OBJ
lection to this amendment and the change in the sums
simply the result Of the establishment of that principle ask
the question: therefore, first this amendment for if adopt
ed by the Senate the others will follow matter Of course
to harmonic the residue of the bill with it.
Mr.. BRADBURY. ! do not know that perfectly un-
derstood the remarks Of the Senator from Virginia but
understand tbem the adoption of this amendment will increase
the salaries which the professors referred to in the bill have
heretofore enjoyed The House have made reduction Of
Them and instead Of bringing them back TO the precise sH
alton in which they formerly stood, the Senator from Vir
GINA proposes amendment which will increase their
luments Now take this to be the worst possible time
engage in increasing the salaries Of public officers, for
know that the drain the treasury hope the
Senate will in whatever alteration the House has
fit make will venture say that if we reject the amend
men and adopt the bill passed the House, not single
officer will resign, and there will be difficulty whatevern get
ting competent officers perform the duties Iapprehend these
salaries will then be quite large enjoyed at tine uni
verses aud public senaes of the country BY professors
AT any rate willing to try the experiment. and whe-
Their any resignation will take place, any difficulty be
perenced in obtaining competent men TO perform the duties Of
Mr. HUNTER. The Senator from Maine will find that
the proposed by this amendment be given salaries
these professors is not very far from what they enjoy
PROFESSOR philosophy now Bes
in pay and allowances aud is proposed to allow
him 000 The professor Of engineering gets 1872
and il is proposed to allow him 1900. So with the profess
Of mathematics, ethics and chemistry eash Of them
receives 81 1872, and it proposed give them 000
So that in point Of fact vary the from what they
receive but by very small amount And do not agree
with The Senator that because the gentlemen who have
cuped these places and untitled perhaps for other
business, will resign curta their salaries it proper
and just do On the contrary think that they have
served faithfully they should receive what their services
worth, and at that rate ought to be what paid for similar
services in the first universities and academies in the land
believe the smoun, is not high paid in the University
Of New York and certainly it is not high is paid in
the University Of South Carolina of Virginia. with which
am particularly acquainted and yet know that
these professors not only but they ought be of the
highest grade of talent do believe that can
for these duties who equal TO them in point Of
scientific atanment at the proposed to be given them
in the bill it from the House. II is very small
matter; and the poorest Of all economy, think is that which
consists in reduction Of the salaries of professors in in
situations of learning Why, the difference in qualifications
which might be secured by difference Of thousand or hi
teen hundred dollars in salaries might be worth to us hum
dreds Of thousands. Indeed 1t is impossible to estimate IN
money what we may gain lose by this or that plan or
grade Of instruction No doubt shall get men to serve
salaries put down low $780, bat the question
whether shall get competent men as as
those who grace and adorn these stations hope
will be the pleasure Of the Senate to adopt this amendment