Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-12-11
The Per Diem Question.

marks Ol VT. carter, OF L:fuuuuu, luaue III tue
House OF Delegates 90 thu 9Th OF DECEMBER, On
Il bill TO reduce the pay ot members ir"ln So
per day TO -.
Mr. SPEAKER, At the session OF this body
last winter, and al an early day Ut the session,
introduced bill similar 10 It's objects To the
one now before the House and having then
mot without opposl,lon) succeeded in getting
favorable report on it, from the Committee
on Retreuchnent,' | was much disappointed
at the bill being disposed OF, BY motou to
lay 90 the table, particularly as that motion
cut off all debate Oh the subject. AT an early
day OF this session the Question Ut the reduc-
lion oil the pay Of members has been again
brought forward By another member auu |
hope will now receive that Consideration II is
Justly entitled 10, aud will pass with great
unaulnuy.
Know sir, that on all these questions Of
retreuchment Of EXPENSES, those who ADVOCATE
them lay themselves open to the Suspicion
that they are Got IL eaIUast, aud that their &c
ton is rather intended Tor home cop-umptuu
than for any practical use here vi III ether
| words, are not "bcua fde," but for buuc,mbc.
| assure this House that the respect | have
for it, as we'll as my own self respect, will ever
| prevent my advocating any measure here, that
| d. not lully approve Of a. proper, aud which
| do not in GOOD faith wish to become The
law of the land The provisions CT this bill,
viewed only as questions of dollars aud cents
are Got so small and insignificant as some
seem to think. Tue saving OF $50 900 or s27,-
0O0 70 the exhausted Treasury Is not to be over
looked and il reaches still farther, tor By cast
ing this mote of (hlgh pay out OF our own eye,
We shall be able TO see more clearly to remove
the beam (f any such their be- out Of the eyes
of others. And by putting our OWL house 10
order, ii will be al earnest to our constituents
that we mean TO make clean sweep OF all
extravaganza and unnecessary expense 10 other
departments OF the Government.
Again, sir, the spirit evinced in amos, all the
legislative bodies OF this country now, tends to
extravaganza, aud the trasping per fas, aut
uefas, after the peoples money, coufded to
them, or under their power OF appropriation.
| want to see this spirit rebuked, and driven
out of all our Legislatures, both State aud
National and know no place where the god
example could better begin than right here,
and no better occasion than BY the prompt pas
sage Of this bill All the memories associated
with this hail. aid US in this good work, BY
| bringing back TO our recollection the better aud
purer days of the Republic. Add our own
| Washington looking dawn upon Us from bis
monumental marble, speaks to Us through his
own pure actions, 10 voice louder than that
| from Memuou statue, 10 emmuate bis exam
ole Of purity and self-sacri6ce. Peace sir hath
| its victories as bright aud more lasting than
bloody war; and | doubt not tina, thu fame OF
| Washington this day reaches higher and ex-
pands wider, from bis purity sDd spotIess
honesty in the administration OF ali trusts COM
mitted to him, than it does from his high mill
sary achievements. Sir, want by this emula-
ton of bis example, deep wide mark of COO
trast to be drawo between this representative
body of the people oil Virginia, and some other
legislative bodies, We nave heard Of; aud
whilst they take more THAI they are justly
entitled TO, let Us By the passage OF this Dill,
take less than the law would now give. Some
gentlemen have said to me that their constlt-
ueuts did not demand This reduction Of pay,
and therefore this tlli was uucaled tor. Ay,
Mr.. Speaker There is the rub. Ii NY COZ
stituents were at the door OF this hall, demand
ing this reduction Of pay, for one would not
feel half the Interest in its passage, that | now
do they would then have taken their interest
in their owu hands; but when think of that
copfi1iDg trust, with which they sent me here,
without Instructions. without any demand OF
| pledges and when thiuh of their losses by
wer and drouth, Of their burdens By reason Of
necessary taxes to sustain the honor Of this
dear oldStatc and of their straitened clrcuns;au-
ces feel every luteut OF action doubled, to
do all | can, if cannot do all | would, Tor
their relief.
! Mr.. Speaker, there is something very strk-
ing and beautiful in the proper idea Of the
relations of Constituent and representative
! the latter being the mirror, IN which the
| wishes, the wants and the principles Of the
former are fully reflected. Pass this bill, and,
added to all these other principles and Dtu-
ences existing between constituent aud repre-
! sentative, there will go from this hall the cleo
trio like Influence of sympathy, the representa-
| tive sympathlZng With the constituents and
on our return home, our work done here. when
| the captious and unreasonable are hndlng
fault with what We have dooe ADD with what We
have not Done how rich vii! De the return OF
all our sympathy from the reasonable and
homes, constituent saying, lie hath dons what
he could, let him alone.
Sir. Speaker. | will not trespass longer upon
the time Of the House; and whilst like p2cl
Cordelia in the play cannot "heave my heart
into my mouth to say all that feel on this
subject, | hope the House will excuse me for
not saying less than | have.
LoUDoUS COUNTY ITEMS. II rom the Lou
doun Enterprise Que OF the largest meet.
iogs ever held in Hamilton, assembled Oh Fri
day night last in accordance with call made
to take steps for the incorporation Of the town.
After remarks by several gen tlenen vote was
taken to ascertain the feeling OF the meeting.
which resulted almost unanimously IN favor OF
Incorporation, only three out Of about seventy
opposing the measure. Committees we're ap-
pointed to correspond with Senator I. +. Tay-
ior TO obtain all the information in his posses.
sion 10 regard to the matter and to wait Cd
Judge Ball of the County Court, aod have
day fixed for the election, appoint register
and judges of election &c.
The trains ofthe W. s O. R. R. ran to
Round Hill Oh Mooday for the first time, There
we're DOT a great many persons present, but
those who were seemed truly glad to extend