fere in the fixed compensation of our custom-house and other officers. And, if the currency of the country had been suffered to remain in the hands of those to whom it properly belonged, he would have been content to have remained a silent spectator of passing events. But this has not been allowed; and when he himself, in common with the whole business part of the community, began to feel the grinding operations of this fatal experiment, he thought it was time to look into the receipts and disbursements of the money of the people, and see if all was going on with regularity and economy. And, sir, said he, I confess that, in looking into this matter, I have been startled at the progressive and accumulating expenditures of the Government for the last five years. We are going on, lavishing millions upon mere political partisans, under cover of compensation for services performed. We are increasing our departments, our clerks, and our custom-house officers, beyond all former example. There is in the collection of our customs a looseness and extravagance that must forcibly strike every honest man, be him of what party he may. We are paying to weighers and markers from $2,000 to 7,000 per annum. The struggle does not appear to be who shall be foremost in building up and sustaining the interests of the country, by adding facilities to our commercial intercourse at home and abroad; but our patriotism appears to have dwindled down to a mere mercenary scramble for dollars and cents; or, who shall be most successful in drawing money from the treasury for services which are never performed. And, sir, we are gravely told by gentlemen that, if we restrict those officers in the amount of compensation now received, they will be tempted to barter their honor, and compromise their integrity, from selfish and mercenary motives of gain. Sir, said Mr. V., this is a doctrine that I do not believe; and if gentlemen will name any individual in the habit of using this argument, he would at once say to the President, dismiss him from the service of the Government. [H. OF R. Have you not increased the expenses millions per annum' Have you not added one-third, or nearly so, to the number of subordinate officers? Here is the record, said Mr. V., to prove my position on both sides, (holding up the report of the Committee of Retrenchment in one hand, and the Blue Book in the other. Now, sir, I propose to compromise this question with the supporters of this administration, and to say to them, if they will bring back the expenses of this Government, not to the days of Jefferson, but to those of the late administration, or even within a million per annum of that administration which was put down for its extravagance and prodigality, I will be content. This, said Mr. V., is no high-wrought picture of your former professions: here is the book!-your own report! covering two hundred pages: witnesses examined under oath; all going to prove the profligate character of the last administration, and making loud professions of what you would do if the good people of the United States, would put the reins of Government into your hands. Sir, said Mr. V., here is the bond; and I call upon you to comply with its provisions. Give us practice instead of professions, or you will stand convicted before the American people as sporting with their credulity, and relying on their gullibility. Sir, said Mr. V., in times gone by, the theme of retrenchment was one that the friends of this administration delighted to dwell upon. It is amusing to look back upon those times, and to examine the tables of figures and comparative statements then made out by these gentlemen to show how extravagant were the expenditures of the late administration, and how economical they might be if they had their supervision and control. Why, sir, said Mr. V., this whole book (holding up the celebrated retrenchment report) is made up alinost exclusively of these tables and comparative statements. Well, sir, they have got the control, and it is now my time to present comparative statements, and here they Sir, is the sum of 3,000 dollars per annum to a collect-are. Gentlemen may take them to their rooms, and look or, 2,500 dollars per annum to a surveyor and naval offi- at them, and detect errors if they can, for they are from cer, and 2,000 dollars per annum to weighers, gaugers, the official record, with day and date. markers, and appraisers, (duties that can be performed by any business man of integrity in the country;) are these salaries so insignificant in amount as not to command Years. the requisite talent and integrity to perform their duties 1825 without subjecting them to the temptation of fraud and 1826 corruption? Sir, this cannot be believed for a moment 1827 in the country from whence I come. EXPENSES OF CONGRESS. Compensation of members of Congress. $496,551 48 Contingent expenses of Congress. $85,289 00 66,745 25 426,611 20 321,299 00 90,666 25 1828 502,419 13 121,653 00 355,124 96 120,450 00 1832 Why are not all our State officers corrupted? They 1829 perform more labor for much less money. Under your 1830 present system, you pay to a mere weigher, whose duties 1831 can be performed by any mechanic or laborer of good character, competent to solve a question in the rule of three, near 7,000 dollars per annum--a sum larger in amount than is paid to all the four supreme judges of Years. Ohio. And even by this amendment, he will receive double as much as is paid to the governor of that State; 1826 and still gentlemen complain of low salaries. 1825 1827 414,931 91 88,656 20 1828 Sir, I have heretofore presented to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole certain views on this sub-1829 ject. I have heretofore called their attention to the in- 1830 crease of Government expenditures under the present 1831 administration, as compared with those of 1802, and of 1832 the last administration. I have reminded the supporters From this it results that, during the first four years of of the present administration that they came into power reform, the expenditure under each of the above heads under the professed declaration that they were to restore the Government expenditures to the Jeffersonian stand. For compensation to members of Congress, was greater than that under Mr. Adams, byard; that they were to lop off one-third of all the officers, Contingencies, and that the most rigid economy was to be adhered to in Salaries of President, Vice Presidents, heads every department. Has this been the case? Have the of departments, clerks, &c. expenses of Government been reduced one-third? Has one-third of the officers been dispensed with, and lopped Contingent expenses of executive officers, off? Is not the reverse, in every particular, the fact? Next comes expenditures on account of foreign rela- to the member, that in this he is entirely mistaken. It 1832 168,847 51 Contingent expenses. 30,000 00 87,148 06 77,849 18 derstand this matter at least as well as the member his self, if we are to judge of the extent of his informati from the evidence he has given to us in this debate. T member says there is no appropriation in this bill to p custom-house officers; and, there being no such app priation, this reduction cannot apply. Sir, this is the old story: perfectly consistent to incre salaries in appropriation bills, but not to reduce the Does not the member know that his colleague [Mr. Ca BRELENG] has introduced a section into this very bill, Here, again, the reform exceeds the previous adminis- way of amendment, to permit custom-house officers tration by- In salaries and outfits to ministers, &c. Total, Then, in total expenditures: Years. 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 $59,000 111,000 $170,000 Total expenditures. The increase of expenditure for reform, under this head, is only eighteen millions! Against this it is to be said that, during the four years of reform, twelve millions more of the public debt were paid off than during the preceding four years; leaving still an increase to be accounted for in glory! of six millions. dividual. come to the Treasury for their compensation, on the d of the amount of duties paid in 1832? Here Mr. V. read the amendment, as follows: "Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Secret of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to to the collectors, naval officers, surveyors, cler gaugers, weighers, provers, markers, and measurer the several ports of the United States, out of any mo in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such st as will give to the said officers, respectively, the s compensation in the year 1833, according to the impo tions of that year, as they would have been entitled receive if the act of 14th July, 1832, had not gone effect." Will not this be an appropriation, if it should succe Certainly it will, and that to an extent that will be st ling to those who shall turn their attention to this subj and see the amount of money that is going out of treasury day after day by a similar amendment in the propriation bill of the last year. Sir, (said Mr. V.,) by this amendment you permit higher officers of the customs to come into the Treas without restraint, for the whole of their compensati The member from New Jersey, [Mr. PARKER,] in his *TREASURY DEPARTMENT, defence of this increase of custom-house officers, says it AUDITOR'S OFFice, May 7, 18 was necessary to prevent smuggling under your high Sir: In compliance with the request contained in the acu tariff of 1828. Sir, that tariff went into operation under nying letter of the honorable Leonard Jarvis, referred to thi to be furnished with a statement of the several office the late administration; and during the continuance of fice, the four years of that administration, the increase of off-the ports of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chi cers in the custom-house at New York was one single in-ton, and New Orleans, who have received the suppleme compensation from the Treasury, the amount thus receive each, and the amount of compensation received by them e That-administration was put down for its alleged prodi-sive of this additional allowance," I have the honor to stat gality, and a wanton disregard of economy in the ex- the weighers of Boston, (who received an equal amount of penditure of the money of the dear people, and the party pensation cach,) Mr. Joseph Loring, Thomas M. Vinson, Na to which the gentleman belongs was elevated in its stead, iel Tracy, John M. Fiske, A. H. Ward, Theo. Dexter, and under professions, "long and loud," that they would reEstabrook, have received extra compensationduce the expenditures at least one-third, throughout For 1833, every branch of the public service. How have these pledges been redeemed? Why, sir, in the custom-house of New York, in the five years you have had the Government in your hands, you have nearly doubled the officers. These weighers act also as gaugers and measurers; But suppose every thing as strictly correct that the gentleman alleges, and that the officers had to be increased nett compensation received by them in those capacities can ascertained at the Treasury. The other officers attached t to meet the high duties of 1828, is it not now proper to ton have no claim for extra compensation for 1833. The bring them down to the low duties of 1834? The gentle-ers of New York, fourteen in number, viz: David Poore, 1 man will not now pretend that there is danger of smug as Kirk, Jeremiah Brown, P. B. Hoffman, A. Bleecher, gling, when a large portion of the fine goods that were Hallett, T. Hazard, J. Tallman, A. S. Depeyster, Edward! most subject to such abuses, come in at present free of er, John Franklin, Elihu H. De Camp, Lewis Leutrilli all duties. Sir, I say, without hesitation, that, in the city J. Stevens, have received extra compensation-of New York alone, more than one hundred of these offi- For 1833, And they had previously received, 89,61 16,5 826,11 $15,3 29,6 $41,9 cers may be dismissed without prejudice to the public And they had previously received The other officers attached to New York have no cla extra compensation. The weigher of Philadelphia received extra compensatio For 1833, And had previously received $2,0 3,9 MAY 8, 1834.] The General Appropriation Bill. [H. or R. which the law had intended should be paid by the per that my colleague ought to have known that the constitucentage on imported articles and the fees of office, and tion prohibited any such clause; but, if it had not, I would to distribute those fees and this per centage among their myself have had no disposition to reduce their present retainers and dependants. compensation. Sir, with my consent, the salary of old Sir, (said Mr. V.,) I know we are gravely told that, Chief Justice Marshall, and his associates, should never unless this section be agreed to, you will leave the col- go below your Secretaries; but, under our present sys. lectors, surveyors, naval officers, weighers, gaugers, tem, I regret to say, that they are made secondary in markers, and appraisers in debt. How is this result point of compensation, not only to our Secretaries, but to brought about? Why, by these officers keeping in their our weighers, gaugers, and markers of the customs. And employ a host of inspectors, clerks, night watch, &c., not these are the gentlemen that my colleague fears to touch, necessary to the public service. For, under your present lest an aristocracy should be brought into existence, and regulations, collector, with the consent of the Secretary that all the offices of the country should be thrown into of the Treasury, can appoint subordinates without limit. the hands of the rich. How long since my colleague beBy the amendment I have just read for the information came a convert to this doctrine? Did he preach it in of the House, you release the collectors from all necessity 1827, during the canvass that brought him and his party of observing economy in the administration of their de-into power? If he did, all I can say is, his coadjutors in partments. You throw the door of the Treasury open to my part of the State sang to a very different gamut. I them and their principal officers; and you, in effect, say to do not know what was then the opinion of my colleague, them, Distribute your millions accruing from the per but I should much question whether he then held the centage and fees allowed by law (and which was intend- same opinions now expressed. If there is great danger ed to cover the whole expenses of collection) amongst in this thing of raising up an aristocracy by paying low your subordinates and dependants. salaries, my colleague and myself are in imminent danger Sir, (said Mr. V.,) I have no disposition to do injustice of being overwhelmed by it, and we should be up and to any of our public officers; but, from the consideration doing to avert the calamity; for, as I have before stated, I have bestowed on the subject, I am constrained to say, one of these weighers and markers receives more money that great injustice will be done to the tax-paying people for his annual compensation than is paid to the four of this country, by keeping this army of officers any judges of our Supreme Court. Sir, this may all be right, longer in the employ of the Government. Then why but I have great doubts whether the substantial yeoman. not at once dismiss them, and permit the regular fees of ry of Ohio can be made to swallow this doctrine, aloffice, and the per centage on imported articles to go, though it may come under the high sanction of Jackwhere it ought to go, to the payment of the regular and sonism. necessary officers, without permitting them to come into My colleague complains at the attempt to create a bethe Treasury, without restraint, and under an unlimited lief in the country of hard times; a depreciation in the appropriation? price of our products; and distress in the money market. My colleague [Mr. LEAVITT] complains that this He acknowledges that wheat has declined a little, but amendment is too important in its character to go into an says that other articles are selling higher than at former appropriation bill; but, before he concludes, he is disposed to censure me because it was not extended still further, and made still more important. He asks why I have not brought the army and navy info this general reduction? Why, sir, the answer is at hand: there is now a bill on your orders to regulate the pay in both these branches of the public service. But why, says my colleague, is not the Judiciary included? This is still a more extraordinary interrogatory; but I should have supposed The naval officer and surveyor of Philadelphia claim extra compensation for 1833; but the amount due them cannot be ascertained from the returns they have made to the Treasury. The naval officer received in 1833, Surveyor, The collector and naval officer of Baltimore claim pensation for 1833; but the amount due them canuot be ed from the returns they have made to the Treasury. The collector received in 1833, Naval officer, periods. Will my colleague specify what those other articles are?-is it pork, beef, tobacco, or whiskey? These, if I mistake not, are all staples of the district of my colleague, and, if I am not misinformed, have all fallen in price. A gentleman, who belongs to the same party with my colleague, from Ohio, now in this city, told me yesterday that such was the fact. And, in addition to this evidence of the decline in the prices of our staple productions in Ohio, I have the testimony of some fourteen or fifteen hundred petitions now on your table, going to sustain every thing that I have said on this subject. My colleague says that I have been here many years $2,450 85 as a member, and alleges that, during that time, the great 1,295 96 staples of Ohio had sold at as low prices as at present, extra com- and asks why nothing had been done heretofore to reduce ascertain- salaries, and benefit the agricultural interests. It is true, as my colleague alleges, that, since my ser$2,968 16 vice here, prices for the staples of Ohio were equally as 1,842 18 low as at the present time; but that depression was not the result of presidential experiment, but resulted from $257 69 very different causes, most of which have been removed 1,489 14 by the enterprise of our State, in the construction of her canals, and the opening to her citizens new channels of $1,746 83 communication, and different markets in which to vend their productions. But my colleague is much mistaken, if he supposes I was inattentive to the interests of Ohio at the time to which he refers. Sir, the representation of Ohio, at that day, presented on this floor an undivided front in favor of creating a home market for her productions, in which she was successful beyond her most sanguine expectations. $2,206 14 $5,682 27 None of the officers attached to the ports of Charleston and New Orleans have as yet made any claim for extra compensation for 1833. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Sir, I am aware it will be a digression from the subject under consideration, to go into this matter of a home market, but, with the indulgence of the House, I will touch upon it very briefly. To those who have witnessed the early struggles and progressive strides of the youthful and vigorous people these articles for your army and navy confined to the (in part represented by my colleague and myself) in Boston brand. No, sir; the ware-houses and wharves of forcing the proceeds of their industry into a market of New England are crowded with these articles of the Cintheir own creation, this recital will not be received with indifference and neglect. It was early seen by the intelligent men of the West, that our fine soil and climate would be of little value, unless some permanent market could be obtained for its productions. The foreign one, which had given vent to our surplus, was fluctuating and insecure, and, at the time of which I now speak, had been entirely cut off by a general peace throughout the civilized world. cinnati and Ohio brands, a great portion of which is consumed by her manufacturing population. After these results, and in the face of these facts, (said Mr. V.,) will my colleague say that the delegation of Ohio have been backward in building up and sustaining the interest and prosperity of their State? Sir, (said Mr. V.,) I have no hesitation in saying that Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, have as direct an interest in sustaining the manufacturing labor of New In this situation we were left with our bread-stuffs to England, as if they had a right of property in one-half perish on our hands. What was to be done? was the of her spindles and looms. And, whilst I would never question of all reflecting men. The answer was, Divide consent knowingly to do injustice to any portion of the your labor, throw a portion of it into manufacturing; American people, to add prosperity to another, yet I supply yourselves with mechanics and artisans sufficient never will consent to see this great interest prostrated unto minister to your wants; regulate your own resources der any abstruse and impracticable theories on political and labor in such a way as to give to the great agricultu- economy. ral interests of the country the privilege of feeding the Whilst I am upon this subject (said Mr. V.) I will say man that makes his shoes or weaves his coat. Sir, (said a word or two to the members from Indiana, Illinois, and Mr. V.,) this was the response of the intelligent yeoman- Missouri. One great branch of our business in Ohio is to ry of Ohio; and I need not say to my colleague that, in purchase the stock of the people of these States, and no portion of our State was there a greater unanimity of graze and feed them for the Eastern markets. The Mad sentiment and feeling on this subject, than there was in river and Scioto valleys alone send thousands of dollars his own immediate neighborhood. into those States annually for the purchase of their stock. Sir, (said Mr. V.,) Ohio never supported the tariff of The Bank of the United States lias, heretofore, enabled 1824, because she was ready to establish manufactories us to obtain funds that were uniform and secure throughwithin her limits. No such thing. She gave her sup-out every portion of their territory; but, if that institution port to that interest from a different motive; for it was be put down, what can be done? I say to those members, then as well understood where the manufactories were to Look to it; that's all. be located as it is at this moment. My colleague speaks of a reduction in the experditures Ohio wanted a market for her agricultural productions, of some of the departments. I would be glad if he and the only means by which she could obtain that ob- would specify in what particular branch of the service ject was by diverting a portion of the labor of her sister these reductions are to be found. I have given to him States from agricultural pursuits, and transferring it to day and date, time and place. Here, sir, is the official the manufacturing arts. By this means she would obtain record; point out the error, if any exists, and it shall be the double object of getting rid of rivals, and obtaining corrected. Do not deal in generals, but give us particu customers. This was the object she had in view, and it lars. My colleague names the navy as a branch in which has done more to build up her prosperity than every there had been a reduction under the present administraother act of legislation since she became a member of the tion; but it appears to me that this will not better bus Union. case: for the curtailment in building up this arm of our Sir, (said Mr. V.,) permit me to give you a few prac-national defence has only left a large sum to be thrown tical illustrations on this subject. Some twenty years into the hands of the administration, to be lavished upon ago, Ohio first turned her attention to the feeding of cat- favorites and partisans, instead of being employed, as tle. At that time she had to compete with prejudices heretofore, in the laudable object of increasing our ravy. that were almost insuperable. The distance from the But my colleague says, there has been so much money market, even of Baltimore, was thought to be so great expended in making treaties with, and removing the Inas to render the beef of her cattle unfit to use after so dians; and, to aid in filling up, my colleague has brought long a drive. At that time, (said Mr. V.,) we had but a in the pension act. It is true that, in the Indian depart small portion of the Baltimore market, and that against ment, there has necessarily been some million and a half the cattle from the South Branch of the Potomac-the of money expended more than there was under the forcharacter and quality of which kept ours at very reduced mer administration, but this is not six millions, nor eight prices. But our march was onward, and the perse-millions, which is the difference between the four years verance of our feeders has at length enabled us to com- of the last, and the four first years of the present adminis pete with the cattle from any portion of the United States, tration. And now permit me to inform my colleague, and in any market south of Boston. that the late pension act will not bring him out, as the From Baltimore we passed on to Philadelphia, where comparative statement that I have made does not include we had to compete with the feeders from Pennsylvania, appropriations of money under that act, but is only New York, and New England. There we had to encoun- brought up to 1832. Sir, it would be better for gentleter the same prejudices, and surmount the same difficul- men to come out boldly, and acknowledge that they have ties as before. But they all have been surmounted; and, expended the money to reward partisans. Who that so far from our cattle being confined to the markets just will look into this matter but what can see where the mentioned, we have now the control of these markets money has gone? Why, every body must know that from May to August. We have a heavy interest in the when you increase offices by hundreds, that you must New York market; and some two or three years ago, we have money by millions to pay them with. pushed some hundreds of our cattle into Boston, the great emporium of New England itself. But this matter does not end here; for we have made the New England States, by building up her manufactories, and giving a different direction to her industry, our best market for our pork and flour. We no longer see your advertisements, by authority, for proposals to furnish Sir, said Mr. V., my colleague speaks of ephemeral popularity--my standing with my party--that I am spoken of to fill the gubernatorial chair of Ohio, &c. But no insinuations on the part of my colleague; oh! no, nothing of that sort. He only gives historical facts, and leaves our common constituents to make their own inferences Very well; this, I suppose, is all fair on the part of my MAY 8, 1834.] The General Appropriation Bill. [H. OF R. colleague; and of course I will not complain. But, after their families in this city? So far as his (Mr. W.'s) exall, I should really question the propriety or good taste perience went, these articles, so far from being cheaper of bringing our State politics into a discussion upon this than they were six months ago, many of them were floor upon the reduction of the salary of custom-house twenty-five per cent, dearer; and this, he believed, would and other officers; but as it has been done by my col- be found to be a general complaint throughout this city, league, so it must be. whatever the case might be elsewhere. He repeated, As to my popularity, it is not for me to speak. All that he was convinced that the necessaries of life were will admit that I have had some share of the confidence dearer than they had been; and he called on gentlemen of the people of our State, or I would not be here; and to specify what article of food, of clothing, or any thing I am free to admit that it has been at least equal to my requisite for family consumption, could be procured in merits; but assure my colleague that I did not think of the city of Washington cheaper at this time, if so cheap, advancing it when I submitted the proposition now under as it could have been formerly. He utterly denied that consideration. It was the least of my thoughts in submit- they could specify a single article; and, therefore, could ting these amendments, whether the act was to raise or not receive the assumption of such a reduction in prices lower me in the confidence and affections of the good as any reason to make this indiscriminate reduction of people of our State; and if it will relieve my colleague in thirty-three and a third per cent. in the salaries. Unthe slightest particular in any of his misgivings relative to doubtedly he did believe that there were some officers, the effect that these amendments may hereafter have that he could name in this city, who received more compenupon my political standing in Ohio, I will inform him that sation than ought to be given them. But he could not beit is long since well known in my district that I am not a lieve that the Secretaries of the several departments, alcandidate for re-election; neither am I a candidate for though exercising the most rigid economy, considering the gubernatorial chair. It is true that my name has their style of living, &c. here, could or did lay up any been mentioned in connexion with others, as a candidate money out of their salaries. for that office, but it has been without any solicitation But he ventured to say that if ever these salaries were on my part. Twenty-three years of political life ought to altered at all, a diminution need not be expected; but satisfy the ambition of any man, much less one so humble that, if any thing, they would be increased, and that the as myself. My wish, said Mr. V., is to retire to my farm, very persons who now propose the reduction would be and to spend the remainder of my life in pursuits much the very first to increase them. The simple question bebetter fitted to my early habits and present feelings than fore the House was, whether they would agree to this again to enter into the field of political controversy. amendment. In support of it, the honorable member But whilst this is my wish, it is due in candor to say to from Ohio had gone into a comparative statement of the my colleague, that in my opinion a change in the reigning political dynasty in Ohio is essential to her future prosperity and character, and that it will afford me great pleasure to aid in effecting that change in any way that will best meet the wishes of my friends, and subserve the interest of the State. expenditures of the present and the preceding adminis trations. So far as this paragraph was concerned, he could not see how this availed, for the compensation paid to the officers named in it was the same that was paid by the preceding administration; and yet, because the expenditures of the Government, as the gentleman asserts, Mr. WARDWELL said that, being unwilling to take had increased in other departments under this administraup the time of the House, he had been hitherto a listener tion, a proposition was made to reduce these, which were to the debate. There were, however, so many assertions the same under a former administration. He could not made which, although doubtless believed to be correct understand by what kind of logic the honorable member by honorable members who made them, but which, could reconcile this. He would, however, say that if the nevertheless, were so contrary to truth and to the fact, honorable member would examine into all the offices unthat he was induced to present his views on this amend der the Government, and if it should be found that there ment. He had no hesitation in saying that, believing were any paid more compensation than they ought to remany of these salaries were too large, whilst others were ceive, then he would be willing to go with him for all too small, if a bill should be brought in making a proper such reductions as should be found necessary or expediscrimination between those offices which were rated too dient. A committee had already been appointed by this high and those which were too moderately compensated, House, of which the honorable gentleman was a member, he would vote for it. But, whilst he acknowledged that to examine into the subject of salaries generally; and he many of these offices could be pointed out as being rated trusted that such would be the investigation of the comwith too high salaries, he considered it a most consum-mittee, as that their report would be approved of not mate piece of folly to vote for the reduction, on that only by this House, but by the nation. In account, of all those which were enumerated in this Mr. LEAVITT said he would offer no apology for obclause. What was the reason given for the proposition truding himself upon the attention of the House, while to reduce all these salaries indiscriminately? The honor- he briefly stated some of the reasons which would govern able member who proposed it acknowledged that, six him in recording his vote against the proposition under months past, he would not have considered them too consideration, and noticed some of the remarks which had large, but that, inasmuch as the Government had, by its fallen from his colleague [Mr. VANCE] in its support. The measures in relation to the Bank of the United States, amendment before the House, said Mr. L., has for its obraised the value of money, and caused a relative reduc-ject an indiscriminate reduction of the compensation now tion in the prices of all the articles of subsistence, the allowed by law to the officers connected with several of compensation which he now proposed to give the several the most important departments of the Government. officers named in this amendment would be equal to that the first place, I hold the proposition to be highly objec which they have heretofore received, and of which this tionable, as being offered to the House in the form of an amendment would deprive them. Was this, however, the amendment to the general appropriation bill. The legitfact? Do gentlemen really believe that the situation of imate province of such a bill is to make provision by law things which they have ascribed as a consequence of the for the application of the public treasure to objects which measures of the Government is as they have stated? He have previously received the requisite legal sanction, and asked this seriously, because, if they said so, he would be any departure from this principle involves a violation of bound to believe them. He asked if there was any re- the soundest rules of legislation. Whatever, therefore, duction in the prices of boarding, or in those articles may be the abstract merits of the pending amendment, which were necessary for the subsistence of clerks and it is clear that this is not its appropriate place. It is not VOL. X.--250 |