Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-22

| W ASHlHOTuNf May IL, 1907
In the House, to-day, we have had an exceed
| ingly exciting, not to say stormy session. 1t
was emphatieally of those scenes, of which
! we have had series ever and anon in the
political drama. Mr.. Preston King the Free
Soil Democrat in the district of the late Sas
Wright, of Western New Y ork, made charac-
teristic speech matters and things in general
and politics in particular. He treated the
| Compromise very gently, and some suppose that
In heart he was in favor of it. his brought up
! MIR. Cullum, of Tennessee, u Wing Scott South
ern man. He addressed the House for an hour
IN an exciting speech, in course of which he laid
| down the law and the gospel on the Scott wing of
the Wing party. He dashed into the late Wing
caucus, and took to task those who had seeded
from the caucus
He alluded among others, especially to Mr.
| Chngman of North Carolina, because MIR. G. was
originally opposed to the compromise aud was
! now in favor oft. He frequently Interrupt
| ted by Mr. Clngman, who wished to answer him
on the spot, but Mr.. Cuum was not willing
| to spare any part ofhis hour. Indeed Mr.. Cling
| man defined his position some days ago. in pub.
| lished letter under his own signature. He had
indeed been opposed to the measure, as yielding
too much but as the law had gone into operation,
and as the fugitive slave feature was the only one
capable of being repealed Mr.. Clingman was
Tor holding to that, the only part which most
favored the South. In this, Mr.. Clingman was
consistent Mr.. Clingmau finally obtained the
1oor, and vindicated his position. But he was
followed in able and exciting speeches from Mr.
GENTRY, Mr.. Cabell of Florida, Mr.. Marshall, of
kentucky, Mr. Dockery and others, who pitched
into Mr.. Culum, and turned tho tables on the at
tack aimed at those who had left the caucus. These
gentlemen took bold stand against setting aside Mr.
fillmore tor the purpose oftryingan experiment
with Gen Scott, without previous declaration in
favor OF the Compromise. The debate waxed
warm, and the arguments of Mr.. Cullum were
handled without gloves 1t in fact one of the
most exciting scenes of this session, and the mem
bers lowered close around the several speakers
from first to last
In the Senate to-day, Mr.. Underwood intro
duced his long expected bill for reforming the sys-
tenn OF compensation of members. Instead ofSs
day and mileage at the rate of SO for every 30
miles OF travel, Mr. Underwood proposes a salary
OF 2,ooo year, with mileage at the of 90 cents
ihlle' recKonlngn air geographical lines from the
pace OF residence to the capital he also recon-
mends that 81 900 should be paid at the COM
mencement OF the session, and that the other
Slo00 should not be paid till its close This is to
De an lnducement to make short sessions The
Dill also provides that for every day that member
Is absent from the House, except in case of sick
ness, $40 shall be deducted, and that he shall
render MS account under oath, and that the dis
lance anf the reckoning shall be made by the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury on a uniform SCALE These
are the main features of the bill. Mr. Under
wood alluded to an attempt in 1918 to establish
similar system based ona salary Of ST 500 without
mileage. Adopting some of the principles of that
law, MIR. Underwood raised the COMPENSATION
from 81 500 to So, 900, in consequence of the aug
mented price OF provisions, and other increased
expenses OF members, and he had also superadded
the mileage.
While this bill was reading, it was remarked in
my presence, by an old member, that after the
law OF 1918 was passed, some eighty members
who had voted for it, were placed on the SHELF
Ii SO, land the records can be examined1 it does
not speak favorably for such law. 1.-THE people
could not then stand $1,000 witaom mileage it is
not to be presumed, that they will relish two
thousand dollars, wih the addition of mileage
In any shape. But we shall whether Mr..
Underwood will get his bill through both Hous-
es. Its considered to be visionary and impracti-
cable.