Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-06

an unsuccessful effort to have his resolutions
offered on the 4th Of February, calling for in
formation In regard to various matters relating
to the elections lately held in Kansas, was
taken up and adopted.
MIR. Collamer concluded his remarks, and
Mr.. Seward obtained the floor.
In the House, the salary bill was discussed
at length. In the course of his remarks upon
the bill, Mr.. Mason, Of Kentucky, Oemocrat)
said that the salaries Of the clerks under Wing
rule were $1,000 year, and were raised to
81 800 under Democratic rule, and then, by
Democrats, to $2,16o, upon the ground that
living was SO high in Washington. "Sir,"
said Mr. M:
The price paid would command the best ser
vices 10 the country in this department; and they,
and you, and !, and everybody, may be well as
sured OF that. Ii you put the pay at a rate which
will command the best services ia the country, is
not that high enoughg II you put it higher than
that, what is the consequence? You put the pay
at patronage prices. You put the prices so high
that Clerk is elected here, like the President, to
admin stcr patronage aud dispose of high-salaried
offices And so it is with the Doorkeeper. Mem
bers Of Congress 60 to the Doorkeeper to ask pa
tronage for their friends. ] do not know that they
bow oosequiousy TO him to obtain appointments,
but know that the Doorkeeper is almost as much
beset as is the President, himself in distributing
the loayes and fishes that come under his care
Youput the Clerk and the Doork, eper in the posi-
tim OF distributes of patronage, instead Of fixing
the salaries at rate that will command the best
services in the country. The gentleman from ILL
nois MIR. SMITH objects to this bill, and to any
decrease OF these salaries. Why, sir, the Gov
ernor OF his own State--a gentleman who has been
a member of this House, one who has high repu-
tation for military achievements true and honest
nian-gets only 81 500 ya,. The chief justice
OF the supreme court Of his State gets only ST. 200
Tor all the mental and physical labor of presiding
over the court OF last resort Of the State Of Illinois,
ne gets only 81 200 year; whilst you give your
common messengers here 81, 800 or Sl,750."
We can tell Mr.. Mason and the country,
that the prices paid now to clerks, messengers,
and even laborers, are patronage prices"
and hence the scramble for those places, there
having been, as we were informed, seueral
hundred applicants for the places in the be-,
stowal of the new clerk of the House.
The bill was referred to the Committee ofthe
Whole on the state of the Union; in other
words, sent to the tomb OF the Capulets.
The House then went into a discussion Of
joint resolution, passed by the Senate, in re-
gard to the efficiency Of the Navy, when Mr..
Davis, of Maryland, spoke at length upon the
doings of the Naval Retiring Board, approving
its actin in purging the Navy ofits rotten ma
terials, and in opposition to the joint resolu-
ton. The discussion upon the resolution,
without being concluded, occupied the remain
der Of the day.
Wednesday--in the Senate, the day was oc-
cupied by Governor Seward and Mr.. Thomp-
son, of New York, who spoke upon the Kan
sas question.
The House continued the discussion upon
the joint resolution relating to dropped and
retired naval officers, which was passed-ycas
122, nays 81.
The Senate, few days ago, passed bill to
capitalize the Danish Sound dues, in accord
ance with the treaty between the two nations
on that long vexed subject The amount paid
is little over four hundred thousand dollars.
Mr.. Houston, day or two ago, introduced
bill to raise one regiment of mounted yolun-
tcers for the defence of Texas
On Thursday, after the business Of the morn
ing hour was disposed Of, Mr.. Hammond, of
South Carolina, spoke upon the Kansas ques-
ton, and was succeeded by Mr.. Doolittle, Of
Wisconsin, on the same subject Without con-
Guiding his remarks, he yielded to motion to
adjourn over till Monday.
Mr.. Clarke, Of New Hampshire, gave notice
Of an amendment he should propose, namely:
that the admission Of Kansas under the Le-
compton Constitution, should be upon condi-
ton that the people may have the right to alter
their constitution at any time, and that moth
ing they may do shall revive any act repealed
by the Territorial Legislature.
The House was for some time engaged, on
Thursday, onthe "qucstion Of privilege"--to
wit Mr. Hoard's resolution concerning the
executive influence brought to bear upon
Mr.. Burns (of Ohio vote in the Kansas mat
ter The whole subject was laid on the table
ayes 90, noes 80.
The House then proceeded to the consider
ton Of the Army bill, and spent the remainder
Of the day upon it,