The daily union., 1852-12-24

10 further provisions. The OF ialhef oI moshei
did not occur TO me, from The age OF most o the hemoes
OF lhe body but perfectly willing TO adopt ~ OF any
other reasonable excuse. IL ,;
But the proposition now is 10 get clear OF the seeon
allogeher-to have check and no Iesuant ahu ,le
YOU the ease for The consideration oil the people ~
this aspect You make Tor yourselves salary o SloVo
year besides the mileage that you nave hau
no,w outstanding the facilities by railroad and steamboat
of reaching The OF government, none oil when ea
sled in the year 1915, when the act was passed ana
then you reserve TO yourselves Inc iisht wthoul amy W
ducon OF playing the gentleman dler, and running over
the country wherever you please II is said On we are
TOO conscientious 10 do tive are too elevated 10 DO H.
The TO that is. Why don't your yeas ana hays
show your constan, attendance And why do ihey
show that you often without a quorum! IL you
were as Conscientious the argument assumes you are
how happens Il ha, We are 80 often compeiisd 70 auoih
in consequence OF absence without excuse or Justc
ton ~,
Mr. President. in framing this whole bill. have heen
guided by the laws OF my own State and The principles
Of human nature. | have regarded these laws OF my
own State applicable to those principles OF our
nature which SHOULD now operate upon, and which
be found in this chamber among senator's az wen
as among the rank and file Of the republic think, by
the analoges IN other cases we are mol degraded III oes
required take the oath which the third section OF lhe
bill requires take, by stating how often we nave
absented ourselves from the performance OF our duties
reference which my friend has thought proper 10
make to single is play, and would merely re-
mark upon that subject that gentlemen come here VINO
have no families, vile child requiring Their aenno
then they have not those membranes which may some
times prevent others of us from devoing ourselves 70 he
public service and being that attitude, without incum
brances they have excuse Tor their absenteesm H.
therefore. they can be kept at home-and this call their
home attending to the pubhc business BY such pro,
vision as have made, then lhese young gehueeh VIII
be kept out OF mischief abroad.
The PRESIDENT. The Chair is of opinion that the
senator fro from Kentucky IS no. in OF order; En- ,a..
MIR. UNDERWOOD beg the Char not to under
stand tina, meant 10 make any personal al uson to hm
[Laugherl That is all play, as well as the remarks OF
my friend from North Carolina The question ls whether
you shall make the salary of member two thousand
dollars and have no check whatever IN case OF absence
and neglect OF duty. What is the law now! The law
now s that you are TO have only your per a,s". LOT at
You make IL out upon honor You do not swear TO
it. The law does not allow you any compensation now,
came TO Congress the practice was, whenever member
wished to absent himself, Tor him 10 make moon ask
ing leave and your rules show that TO be required
But we have abandoned the rule and the law, and go
away when and where we please. and come when we
please and yet compensation runs on II The law
administered as it exists now, we should tnd the
very thing which is required by my bill except that
now no oath is required. Ii members not degraded
by the present law they cannot be by the provisions of
the third section of this bill think The senstveness OF
members about taking an oath In verifying their account
results from pride OF station, which for one desire 10
see little humbed therefore prefer 10 see the sechon
remain in the bill
as understand, is The motion of the senator from
North Carolina, TO postpone indefinitely this subject.
do not mean now TO indulge IN any remarks upon the
merits Of the bill; do not 10 give my opinion
as TO whether such bill ought TO pass my motion was
TO amend the bill by striking out the third section and
az my for that motion can be stated very briefly
and they differ somewhat from those OF the honorable
senator from North Carolina and have not been adverted
TO by the honorable senator from Kentucky, will state
them.
had supposed that ia this country in any republi-
can country the relation between representative and
constituent OF confidence and good faith sup
pose that the constituents WILL know whether aIepLe-
tempt the services of a in this body by
the fact tha, he is is sitting his seat every day.
when in point of fact he may lake part in business,
founded upon false idea OF the nature of those
My objection, therefore, is 10 the attempt 10 measure the
service by the attendance when the services of
man who may be absent. who may be absent perhaps
on private business WILL ~ the eyes oil his constituents,
be Tar greater than those OF another who may be regu
lar attendant and yet take no part in the business OF the
body. | believe the measure OF value TO be wrong,
and therefore think that the section ought TO be stricken
out
believe that the supervision of mans constituents
IS the best supervision he have to his
this body. They will Judge whether he intends to do
his duty or no-whether he rightly represents them or
not IL Tor them TO determine 10 The performance OF
those services and not for us 10 resort 10 This schooboy
system OF hines, man is not in bis seat every day
during the session II IS on tba, ground that am OPP
posed TO the third section OF The bill | might give
other reasons, but IN my judgment this is sufficient II
IT be retained shall vote against The bill IL il be
stficken out, and II some other amendments which
think the bill requires, be made may probably vote for
1t; Tor do think that the present compensation allowed
to members OF either house of Congress IS entirely mad
eqoae to the services performed indeed, is not the
commencement OF compensation for those services Ii
does not even cover their expenditures.
That the bill requires amendment 10 other respects
am satisfied My present motion, however, Is to strike
out the third section Whether not the motion OF the
honorable senator from North Carolina postpone the
bill indefinitely in order while my amendment is pend
'ng is for the Char TO decide II should be in
der the question will come up the indefinite postpone
ment but II the amendment ought first to be disposed
OF, hope it will be adopted.
Mr.. ADAMS MIR. President il is always with re-
luctance that differ with my friend from North Caro-
lima who addressed the Chair upon this subject In
some points IN which he viewed this question, how
ever, do differ with him. My opinion is that this bill has
merit IN II, though differ with my honorable friend from
Kentucky who offered IL, regard TO some OF its prpyis
tive IN regard 10 ISLANDERS which have been circulated in
reference 10 the conduct OF this body would beg leave
10 remind him that penal statutes intended Tor the
vlrtuous and the good bat only for the vicious and do
not believe that this body would be grading itself by
saying TO the country that IL afraid to stand up TO
the hghes, standard that any gentleman may think proper
to present as lis rule of conduct
The senator from North Carolina, however, objects
seriously 10 requiring go before executive
absence, and particularly TO the oath which is prescribed
IN this bill too object 10 that provision and II
tInue the consideration OF the bill. shall. II else
does, move To strike out the clause which requires the
certificate TO be verified by the oath OF the party ap-
prove OF the certificate and of the penalty the fullest
extent; but would not require senator a represent
alive 10 make oath. think OF the objections OF
my friend from North Carolina properly apply 10 that
The certificate or statement of a member Of
either house, take il for granted, would be true II it
were not so my observation has convinced me that he
who would deliberately certify to that which un- /
true would veDty II by his oath That provision IL
seems 10 therefore, would do good and IL would