The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-18

homestead
DEAD IErTKRs
Mr. SEWARD, Gree soil) Of ~ Y, offered resolutions
calling for statistical information relative to dcaletters
weight letters, losses account of prepayment
Laid ever ''N w.
Mr.. FISH, (whig) of NJ Y presented a memorial from
Mr. Aspnwai President of the Pacific mail steam ane
protesting against the annument of contracts with that
company for carrying mails. Referred.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
At quarter to the Senate into executive ses
sion. In three hours the doors opened
LAND OFFICE CALIFORNIA.
Mr. GwM, (dem of Cal, offered resolutions directing
inquiry a. to the expediencyo creating land dis
trict and new collection district in California Adopted
Adjourned
HOUSE OF Representatives.
WASHINGTON April II, 1864.
A NEW MEMBER.
Mr.. THOMAS D. ELIOT, member elected from Mas
saehusets in place of Zeno Scuddcr appeared and
qualified.
OUR NEUTRAL RIGHTS
Mr. WAlBRDGE, (dem.) of N Y, asked leave to sub
NIT the following
that the United States rtme bayng neutral
tn that n
I 1 ,as Il be
ai Nag Of s ss, and which a %
Ssn S y''.ss character Of ,Cvsrss1y sSnsdsEins
with immunes corresponding those which appsrtain
our r sTsry that Gu1 rights as thus rest
the S sas sSas
s% S s'h hs ss
and just cause of war.
Europe change poi.isai ssssrsisnsy il
ss s and The M Of po
ss
s peIsn '
aphiea and POSITION y Island Of
will that her sovereignty
seem: a!urally to belong.
Mr. WMBRlDGE moved suspension Of the rules, say
ing his object merely to have the resolutions sent TO
the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The House refused to suspend the rules for the
Mr.. wAIBRncE referred the resolution, under the rule,
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
INCREASE OF SALARIES CLERKS
MI Mr.. RoDDINs, (dem) OF Pa from the Committee Of
bill of ncreasig the salaries Of clerks, messengers
watchmen and others in the executive department Of
'hs s city & ne said ne preferred m the original
twelve hundred dollars second class fourteen hundred
third class, sixteen hundred messengers, watchmen
lampghters, and all others in subordinate stations in
the executive departments twenty per cent the
larcs they receive and gives the Superintendent Of
the Census and the Assistant Postmaster General the
salaries the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
The yeas and nays taken six times various
motions including two unsuccessful ones to hay the bill
on the table before the House voted and rejected the
substitute which merely proposed to raise the salary of
first class clerks from nine to eleven hundred dollars per
annum The original bill ordered to be engrossed for
| third reading, when
Mr. JONES, {dem( of Tenn. moved for reconsdera,
on Of the vote He said- the bill passes in its present
form it would make indefinite and permanent the appro
priaon for the salaries long the act shall remain
on the statute books Next the estimates will not
be submitted for the salaries Of these clerks but the
will be taken from the treasury for the next hun
dred thousand If the bill passes with the objection
able provision in It, II all the checks of
tive officers with regard to those salaries He wished to
insert provision that the appropriation shall only apply
Mr.. CIINoMAN (dem.) Of N c., said-Ths is an impor-
ant BILL and will increase the expenditures hundreds Of
thousands annually We should not be rushed into its
passage without due examination and 1t should be
amined with that care which all money bills ought to
receive We have lately got into difficulties the sub
ect of salaries there being many applicants for Office
believe the action of Congress has contributed very
| much TO produce the evil 1t has become serious. A
larger number than importuning for places In
the last Congress Colonel Gentry made handsome
speech in favor of the increase of salaries lie told Of
ayoupg man who practised law in Tennessee and after
wards obtained Office in this city, but 1t said his
salary was really too small for the decent maintenance
Of his family The consequence was Congrs increased
the salaries of the clerks and appears there is
greater demand than for further increase Of
pensation Take the case OF this young man. He is
salaries given in Washington. He hither to
the Inauguration and gets into Office He is turned out
by the succeeding administration and thus it is with
so, after having contracted bad habits. If the public
service service required it ! should say give them the
die in battle who perish on the frontiers.
We have individuals constantly applying to for work
to q,esr speeches and and asking Il
a widow lady came to me. Qaughter) She had a hus,
band. Renewed laughter) l beg pardon. am glad
up to the sixteen feet horse story distressed lady
tom Qaughter.) The husband a messenger in one
could barely, through his difficulties discharge his
duties Qaughtcr.) He could do very little Hearty
outburts of merriment) He not able to attend to
his, his business at all Qmmoderate laughter) He had
half dozen children. Here the laughter was i'm.
moderate that the Speaker nerposed requesting gentle
men to come to ORDER and rappng brisky with his ha
/ decOrum.l In. /
on to state that she was anxious to get her son place
called on OUT doorkeepsr polite gentleman, and he in
members of Congress had brought boys from remote
states to get them places as pages They well
drod miles to seek such Offices Our pages received two
dollars per day, without my vote / happened to
the rate OF four to four and half dollars per day
There persons in the departments glad to hold office
at dollar per day. but when you raise the salaries to
thousand dollars year young all over the
country ready to rush hther for places Thus
the incumbents are ousted by politicians from North
Carolina Tennessee and other States. scramble for
place produced you raise the salaries and exper
has shown this TO be the truth We trus
tees and arc handling 3 other peoples money snRpose
hands, they tell they cannot get them for less than
fifty or seventy five cents day sayto one Of them
you are taxed the plough, sugar, SALT and blanke
you buy; you willing TO pay an additional tax t,
enable somebody else to four Ave dollars per day
the taxes for the support government the very
moment you beyond that line you unjust toward
MN Inc only rule Tor government to adopt is to pay
what Is nccessaryno more admit, for higher Offices
! such ms the Commissioners of Patents ought
| have learned and judeious men, and should give
salaries to the best officers beg gentlemen t.
! bear one thing in mind-there is not singl
instance in my time when the emoluments of ofic,
have been reduced. Salaries q sort of advancing
tdot never recedes You cannot satisfy the wants OF
those gentlemen. suppose you raise the salaries OF
clerks TO what the Secretaries receveeght thousand
| dollars per annum-you would find exScnators and
members OF the Cabinet coming here to take clerkshps
and after filling the Offices ten years they win tell
that house rents are hgh-that it costs great deal to
keep carriage and to rent pews in fashionable churches
(laughter). No man makes much money he wants
TO- can very well understand the hberalty Of the
who can put his hand into his pocket but il is diff
ferent with those who dispense other peoples money
DO not feel that tax my constituents many Of
whom cannot make dollar day. to pay high salaries,
when we can get the service for less money than
propose to pay know the rates OF wages in the United
states are higher than IN any other country but this is
no reason why We should Fay ten times than is paid
elsewhere 1t thaulless duty thus to speak and act
but am not disposed TO give away the public money
lessy This Is The most extravagant Of governments If
you put down the pay as to secure competent men