Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-13

On motinn Of Mr.. PEyrLrTov, the bill to
inc,eas tic ray Of certain filters Of the GOV.
ernmicBt WIS taken up.
This bill has been reported in full in the
enquirer" 1t comprehends all the en-
ployees of tho executive, legislative, financial,
military and penal d"partnrl's.
On motion of Mr.. WILSON, of I,le of Wight,
the bill was amended S, as to increase the pay
Of Sergeant alarms to $50 per week, irstead
of $40.
Their amended increasing the pay Of Door
keepers to $50 per week, instead of $35.
!. Mr.. BURwELL inquired Of the Chairman of
the Finance Committee whether any compu
tation had been made of the amount of the
increase aggregated in this lii, and il 50 villa;
it was.
Mr. BouLDIN, in reply, stated that no ccn.
putation as to the whole amount had been
made. 1t was the purnose of the Committee
to increase BY this BIZ tho salaries CT ;tc high
or pficers-the hrads of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES;
twenty-five per cent. In the lower class q
officers some of the salaries were doubled
The lowest salaries had been about $50. now
the lowest were 81, 500, which vas the small
est amount, in the opinion Of The Committee.
which could be given with any respect 10 he
real wants of the srbor iiratc.
Dir BURwELL said that it did not GLOW
that the pay OF tho heads Of departments. whn
were already getting what tine increase prn,
posed would give to s"me of their suborli,
mates, should be increased. because an ir-
crease was deemed just in the case Of the
latter. lie was in favor Of increasing the
pay Of officers of the government in all cases
in which its business was apparent, but he
could not see what difference could exist. RI.
tional!y, between tn" real necessities OF the
head Of department ard his family ana that
of the subordinate. He moved, AZ y tcst, to
strike out the words "l0ur thousand dGlIars'
after the words Secretary of tho Common.
wealth"
Mr.. DYERLE was opposed 20 the cons;dera-
ton of tho subject altogether. This was no
time to talk about increasing prices 1T any
kind. The Legislature SHOULD finish its work
to decrease prices bei0r" an increase in any
quarter were thought Of. lIo moved O lay
the bill on the table.
MIR. PsSDLEToN arose to make a statement
before the vote was taken on that m"t,on.
lie knew one clerk who was only getting
5000 in one Of tho State Offices: who was not
able TO buy meat ~ eat moro than Once or
twice = week and one IF the her!s IF lie.
partment. who had been compelled to rel =
large portion Of his property in order TO meet
his expenses.
On motion Of Mr.. WILSON, the yeas and
nays were called on the milton u lay al the
table, and the rote resulted-ayes y; bays
81.
The question recurring upon the motion Of
Mr.. BuRwELL,
Mr.. H.YMoHp, Of Marion, said that the
present salary of the Secretary of the Com.
mpnwenlth was 81 800; wha- he got as liGrl.
! rian depended upon the number Of books he
sold. IFS fees last year amounted 10 only
some two Or three hundscd dollars. Ii IL.
creased to $1,000 the a!nouns Of increase
would only be some 500 more than he got in
times Of peace. lie would add that he had
made a calculation If tie whole amount OF
increase involved by the bill. l~lir!ecto :le
pay of the officers enumerated agsrega.ei
s24 600; under this bill it would amount 10
$a9.250.
Mr.. B~ouLDrN, in reply to the remarks Of
Mr.. grRwELL. said that tha5 gentleman APP
peared disposed to..introluce Il ~leyeling process
in the offices of tlIa Government. 1t must,
however, he remembered that in all govern
nentS and under all circumstance il was es-
sential tn paw by grplation-a cnrling to the
quality Of the services rendered. The mere
ministerial or mechanical labor Of the suhur.
.linate could not he. classed with the ~inteller'
tual administrative labor of the chief, and,
therefore should not he placed in the same
category with it. 1t was for this reason thai
the President of the Confederate States re-
ceiyed S25 ono per year; that all officers
in civil and military departments, received t.
high compensation according to grade.
Mr.. BURwELL said that the bill had beer
presented to the House as q matter vf eIpc
diency based upon the question Of subsistence
For this reason he had proposed to make This
test. TIE could not Sc" how f"e persons il
one position could live upon legs than tivt
persons in another. In making the mr'ipn
he would say that he selected tho SacrciarY n
the Commonwealth accidentally: that gentle
man he knew to he an excellent %nfirer, vel
worthy of the esteem AID ronfienre Of III,
Legislature, but his name being the first thu
met his e7e. he pitched uron it to make tn
test question. The question If quality Wa
now introduced rs q reason why the ~salarin.
of the heads of departments should he ~
creased, when he hal Thought that it was sim
NV n question Of Subsistence. As FIR thu
| YpnlIffItH 't"HpJIuE tHfFC I'S!t'iF NiIN'
valuable services we were now called unon t.
requite by an addition of salary. they had al
been before this Legislature, and not one OF
them did not come without fears. rrntcstatior,
and recommendations; and MT one in all
heads or suborlirateS, under 'nrty five year.
of age at least, could lie tempted to resign hi:
position.
S,me desnl'ory discussion followed, after
L. L.. -. II.
amendment by Mr.. BURwELL was rejected
and the bill passed by u vote of ayes So, noes
D.
tion. which was adopted, instructing tho Gem
mittee on Courts ~ inquire into the c1pe
diencv Of providing By law FIR the proteclio,
OF soldiers families. 50 as they shall not II
dispnsssssed Of the tcncments they occupy. by
their landlords, during the var.
A resolution was adopted irstructing the
Committee on Banks to inquire into the Exp"
diency Of suspenling The char.er Of sub
banks as may refuse to receive money on lie
posit.
Mr.. CusTIs offered n resolution. which was
adopted, inquiring into the exp"liency OF
abolisbing the Beard If Directors Of the Etst.
srn Lunatic Asylum. and that tho directory
he placed In the bands OF the Governor Tor tho
present.
message was received from the Governor,
advi ing m appropriation to the Central In,
matte Asylum, and transmitting = communi.
cation frGm the Superintendent Of the same,
which were ordered to be printed.
The SPEAKER presented ? communication
from 1t. Gov. MONTAGUE, stat = that the abb
1ence of Captain R. B. FAUSr.:aor. the dele
gate from Matthews, from - seat in the
House, was occasioned nv .ainful wound,
received Mt the battle Of Cha" louisville.
The Militia Bill was DOW TAKEN up, and it.
amendment and discussion in detail we're
proceeded with, consuming tho remainder Of
tho days session.
Lieut. Col. Edmund Kirby.
KILLED, at to b-ttle Of Chicsamr e.. on the soth Sep.
TENDER, 1863, IT. Col DMUND KIRBY, Of the seth N