The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-02-06


an amendment, was taken up, which pro.
nosed TO strike out the entire House bill
save the preamble and insert other words
which provided the payment Of ten dol
lars per diem to each commissioner while
engaged in the service of the State, in ad-
dition to other necessary expenditures.
The question upon the Senate amend
ment excited quite an animated but de-
sultory debate, in which several members
participated.
Mr.. BOOKER moved to strike out ten dol
lars and insert six dollars, which Mr.. PAT
TERsoN thought quite enough, as 1t was as
much as the members of that House re-
ceived. Mr.. 4. TURNER thought the POSI-
ton of commissioner was one OF hohof
more than anything else, and that II was
entirely ont Of place to compensate the
commissioners with money, to OTTER tneHl
which he seemed TO regard as a KIND Q,
indipnitv, If the commissioners desirea
nav he would give it to them but he wouid
think the less of them. Mr.. H~ANsBRoUGH,
the philosopher of Stafford, who gives SO
much rood advice and so often entcrtaihs
the House, took high economic grouhds'
| He thought the office was entitled 10
penses-the account of which shouid DC
furnished by the commissioners, ana Delne
furnished should be paid without auaiIingi
lint he would in no wise degrade its dignity
by ~obtruding "ilthy lucre u upon the
REGIMENTS Of such great honors. Mr'
| STRIUGHAN uttered a proverb that ne VINO
lived on honor would rapidly get poor put
then he didn't think as much money was
raon;red TO meet the solid demands in the
real life of the commissioners as the Be-
nate had indicated. He was for finding a
boundary line between honor and necessity
With him it appeared that honor would De
offended at too much, and flesh and blood
would be stinted towards poverty by toe
little. Mr.. PATTERSON vehemently pro
tested against the ten dollars, and would
white down the bill to bare expenses.
This ten dollars he regarded an intolerable
extravaganza at a time when everybody
was hard run, and when the House was
considering how to relieve the people
with STAY laws, homestead bills, etc. Mr..
PATTERSON pounded the subject well, and
uttered his indignation with most decided
emphasis.
With this storm from the economists
which storm was Just about to be helped on
by a few surges worked up blythe Neptune
from Accomac but which surges were cut
off by a turn in the proceedings:-the more
liberal part of the House had quite a labor
to make Roadway. Mr.. CRUMr cndeavored
to arouse a enSe.o of appreciation OF the
services to be rendered by the commits
sioners. A part of the duties: that oil
comforting upon the subject OF a restora-
ton of the State to its former boundaries,
was one involving a great deal OF sentl-
ment and no great labor, and it might be
well to regard the office so far as that was
concerned one of honor, and to rest IL Win
the payment of expenses. But the second
part Of the duty that of the settlement OF
the State debt and its a~pportionment be.
tween the States, was one OF dry detail
and hard drudgery, which no commissione
in chancery would undertake for ten dol
lars per day. Was such labor to be per-
formed without compensation? Could any
one competent be asked to perform it for
less! The gentlemen appointed were men
of ability and high character. Two OF
them were practicing lawyers, who, in at
tending to these duties, would be leaving
their courts and their causes to the da
mage of their private interests. MIR.
CRUMP very earnestly deprecated the rails
ing of this question of economy upon such
a subject.
The question upon Mr.. BooKER's amend
ment was decided in the afhrmative-ayes,
40 noes, 81. -.
Mr.. STRAUGHAN moved a Reconsideration
of the vote which motion prevailed.
The question being again on Mr.. BOOK.
ER's amendment, Mr.. HERNDON addressed
the House in an earnest appeal in behalf OF
the Senate's amendment. He eulogized
the talents and high character of the COM
m~issioners, and deprecated anything ike
parsimony in remunerating them Tor ser
vices in the important matters entrusted 10
them.
Mr.. BOOKER withdrew his amendment
and the question being upon the Senate's
amendment, it was decided in the mega
tive-ayes, So; noes, Sc.
Just here Mr.. GARRETT moved that the
House adjourn, remarking that they would
return tomorrow in better humor.
The Speaker took the opportunity to an
nounce that Mr.. D~UNNINGToN was placed
upon the Committee on Asylums, in lieu
of Mr.. WoLTz, who was excused from SER
wing on account of indisposition.
The House then adjourned.