Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
Mr. PARKER had no objection to the motion standing for the 3d of March,
though he did not consider the motions for the first Monday in December
or the 4th of March as unparliamentary. He thought the salaries of the
PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT high enough. The salaries of some of their
public officers might at present be somewhat too low, but the time would
soon come when the price of living would become lower, and then they
would be fully adequate; and therefore he did not wish to see them
advanced at present.
Mr. BUCK was opposed to putting off the question till the time
contemplated by the present motion. To get rid of the subject in such a
way, would be descending from that state of independence which they
ought to preserve, and would have the appearance of a slight cast upon
another branch of Government. If they were prepared to meet the
question, they might as well meet it now as then. To agree to the motion
proposed, would show a degree of cowardice, and effectually put it out
of their power to consider and determine upon the subject. The Senate,
he said, had found sufficient reason to originate this bill, and he
thought, if it were only out of complaisance to them, the subject should
not be treated in the way proposed. It was said that this subject had
already been decided, but he did not think so. There had been no general
proposition for augmenting compensation. They had had the subject under
view partially, but he knew there were some members (he knew of one at
least) who voted against any partial advance, because they thought it
should be general. This was his motive. He thought all the officers of
Government were upon an equal footing, and therefore he voted against
advancing the salary of one and not of another--not because he thought
they were already sufficiently compensated; he did not think they were.
He wished, therefore, the subject for a general augmentation to come
under discussion. If he should be convinced an advance was improper, he
should give it up, and should be against putting the subject off to a
time when it could not be considered.
Mr. HARTLEY again urged the propriety of postponing for a shorter
period: he mentioned the 17th instant.
Mr. MACON said he was opposed to the bill _in toto_, and he considered
the motion of the gentleman from Virginia as meant to try the question.
He wished it to stand for the 4th of March, as at first proposed,
because, if it stood for the 3d, the subject might be called up and
acted upon on the last day of the session. He should therefore renew the
4th of March, because, if there were a majority who wished the bill to
be rejected, it was desirable that as little time as possible should be
lost upon the subject.
The question for postponing till the 4th of March was put and negatived,
46 to 45.
Mr. PARKER then moved to have it postponed till the 3d of March.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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