Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-04-01
RsAaRKs OF HON. !. 2. HUasEL1.

N~@1A EAA2iAIos
The Committee of the whole House hav
Ing under consideration the Bill to ~increas,
the salaries of State officers and Comnol
Pleas Judges, the question before the com
miitee, being the motion TO strike out al
after the enuciing clause, Mr.. Hubbell said
Me- HAIgMAs:-Ih hope The motion of tbs
gentleman from ColumbIana, mir. Amber
to strike uut ali after the enaciing clause o
this bill w.li be agreed to by the
The present compensation provided by Law
for our public officers, | believe to be anple
10 secure The services of cur eblest and besI
citizens, in whatever public position they
may be called upon to GIL by the Partially
Of their ceaaIry-Rlen. Ever since the or.
ganiz sih"n OF our Stale Government, the
abIest and mos, distinguished public men o.
the country have been seen ia active anc
laborieus public employ ments, and dischurg-
ing their duties cheeriully and withou, com
plant. whether the salaries were high OF
low. And from a careful observation I an
convinced that these officers are quite as
likely to be illed by men of talent and in
tegriiy. with The preseni salaries, as they
would be il the salaries were increased.
II is true That it would Sc EN- that the leg
tslature in legislating upon this subject, in
some instances has tailed to make a proper
discrimination, and while | believe a more
careful observance of the labors and respon-
sibililies of the executive and judicial off
GERS should have induced a more liberal com
Pensation in u few instances, ! believe The
present salaries lnore equitable and nearer
right than the provisions OF this bill propose
I IN mako fi,ofn Ap ipara.., aF .fE.Sf -
Pensation would only stimulate the exertions
of the demagogue. and in a scramble for
office among the politicians, modest msri,
has q poor show of success.
The history of the political parties of the
Country would seem to prove that the most
active and INSCRIPTIONS competitors for Of
Tee, as a general rule, were the most sue
cussful. With such the amount of money
they employ to corrupt the eiector and the
effort they make to secure The office sought,
is in proportion TO the salary it paws. The
argument for this bill principally relied upon
by its authtr. (Mr. Leete,) aud others WIN
advocate its passage, is that il ia necessary
TO increase the salaries of these officers 10
command the services of men of talent and
industry. This is a very plausible but u
specious argument. II I were CONVINCED of
its truth. ] would cheerfully yield Inv OBJ.
J~ections and vote for this bill. IL is said
that we must Judge of the future from the
past. Scarcely an instance has fallen under
my observation where on office has been de-
clined or resigned on account of the made
quaey OF the salary. IL is almost an uni
versal rule that such persons as the people
see proper to elect to en- Office, accept il
whether the salary is little or much. In the
early history of the government, official sal
aries were much less than now, End then,
as now, just such persons as the people saw
ut to elect, accepted the offices whether the
salaries were iittle or great. In the execu-
tive, Judicial and Legislative branches Of the
Government, the Morrows, the Trimbles,
the Corwins and Hitchcocks were seen ur-
duousiy engaged in the public service, and
labering with an ability aud industry seldom
equaled, and never surpassed in this or any
other Commonwealth. With them a high
salary was made q sine qua non, to the
acce ptance of an office. Considerations of
patriotism always furnished them with a
motive to accept an office with a
reasonable salary. In fact, the compara-
lively low salaries paid a quorter of a cen
fury ago, commanded The best talent of the
State, and | know the members of this
House are not willing to admit that the pat
rioiism of our Fathers has become extinct
with the present generation.
About fifteen years ago the Legislature,
in a Paroxysm OF economy and retrenchment
reduced the salaries of Common Pleas
Judges to $3.50, and the per diem of the
members of the General Assembly to two
and this law remained unrepenIrd
upon The Statute book for several years; du-
ing which period there was scarcely a Com
non Pleas judge who resigned his commits
sion on account OF the inadequacy of the
ompensation-and our Courts were then
composed OF some of the ublest judges that
ever adorned The judicial bench OF our State.
do not wish 10 be understood as indorsino
his legislation, but ] allude to it for the !
purpose Of silenciDg forever the clamor that :
iigh salaries are necessary to Command the :
oil our best and ablest men. Du- =
the same period such men as Samson d
c. Anthony, G.. B. GODDARD, B. s. L
owen, t. w. Powell and Alfred Kelley, :
he old wheel horse OF the State in leeisIa- s
ion. served in one branch or the other OF .
SSCthOi U tWO OOliaTS per -
and their legislation was marked with Il
degree of economy, prudence and wisdom P
Unsurpassed in our Legislative history. d
These worthy and iIlustrious examples, !,
uper-added TO the lact that at every return u
lg annual election there is no scarcity of I
among our most distinguished .
tlzens for exec uiive, judicial and lerisla- IL
We offices. should satisfy gentlemen that o.
lis argument is not true. The true rule for III
le Government TO be guided by in deter W
inIng the salaries of public officers, is to CT
y what Is right and reasonable, and no ~
ore. The tendency Of extrayaeant sala- W
rs is to encourage a strife among dcma- vi
'gues and bad men for the Offices; aud in hi
ch a contest. the unprincipled demspopue M
much more likely to be successful than an re
NEST man of modest merit. Salaries &C
oaid not be made so large as to make the ~
hoes sought with a view of making large vi
Icuniary fortunes, or sought from merce- u
ry considerations. In determining the IN
mpensatlon of an Office we should ascer- ma
n the qualifications to discharge it's duty. So
d be governed by the profits OF the pro- me-
and other occupations of life to
by this rule, | am we'll satisfied SD
; present salaries are all they should be. me
L"Tnmon Pleas Judges now receive a sal OF
OF $i6oo. Al the last Session of the L
neral Assembly the number .,f these VIC
was Increased about one-third, and mo
labars reduced in the same proportion. ers
is IS equal TO an increase of about one am
I'd to their compensation in the reduction An
their iabors. This enforcement of iu, froI
lni force, ! think, ought to satisfy these OF
'tle'neh for the present. This bill pro. rec
es to increase their SALARY to So 300 ina
other consideration hot to be overlooked sta
hat the incum6ents of these Common oid
use JutishIps, with rare exceptions, were SAT-
ilous for the position. und are satisfied me
h The saInrr nrL hay