lars a day; and yet it never was supposed, during third, and no more: although, within the same the revolution, or afterwards, that the people of period, it has been called upon to raise, and has the United States had made unreasonable or ex-raised, the compensation of nearly all other offi orbitant provision for their public agents. But, cers of government in a far greater proportion. unless the early history of the country was mark. This enhancement of other compensations is not ed by great extravagance in this particular, the || adverted to for the purpose of showing that Con rate of six dollars a day, fixed by the law of the gress has been as favorable to others as to itself, first Congress, was no more than a moderate and or that it has made itself the latest object of its necessary allowance at that time, because it was own bounty. In neither case has it supposed itno more than the average of what all the States self to be bestowing bounty, or conferring favor. had found it necessary to pay to their respective | It has sought only to make such provisions as the delegates during the revolution. public interest demanded. But the circumstance is referred to as furnishing evidence of the neces sity of the late law, by showing that a similar necessity had been found to exist in other cases; and that by that law, Congress had done nothing for its own members which executive recom The only question then, is, whether there has been in truth such a change in the country in the value of money and the expense of living, as to|| render that provision which was no more than sufficient in 1789, insufficient in 1816. It is a truth, plain to all whose experience or information ena-mendation, and its own opinion of propriety, with bles them to judge, that so great has been the the general concurrence of public sentiment, had change in the foregoing particulars, which eight not compelled it to do at an earlier period, and in and twenty years have produced, that it is not in- ample measure, for other officers of government. correct to estimate the expenditures necessarily The State legislatures, from the same necessity attached to a seat in Congress at twice their form-of complying with the change of circumstances, er amount. This change has not been confined have made corresponding changes in the salaries to the condition of members of Congress. It has of the officers of their governments; and it may extended all over the country, and as well the na-not be inapplicable to recent occurrences to retional government as every State government has been obliged to provide for it in a proportionate increase in the salaries of their public officers. mark that the members of these legislatures have, in almost every State, increased, in many doubled, in some trebled, their own pay, during the period The statute book of this government exhibits a in which the compensation to members of Conconstant and progressive increase of compensationgress has remained at its original rate. As far, in all the departments of government, with the also, as the committee can learn, this increase of exception of the legislature and the supreme ju- pay to members of State legislatures has, in every diciary. On the recommendation of the executive, instance, taken place in the same session in which or its branches, the legislature has repeatedly aug- it was voted. mented the provisions for that department, patiently raising the pay of clerks and of writers far above that of its own members, without agitating either itself or the country with any question about its own compensation. From the heads of the departments to the lowest clerkships in the public offices, a general augmentation has obtained throughout. A long enumeration of instances is not necessary. One may suffice. When members of Congress were first paid six dollars a day, the salary of the attorney general was 1,500 dollars a year. This salary has since been increased to three thousand dollars; and the executive has, at the present session, found it necessary to recommend a still further increase, as essential to the public service. If the duties of that officer have increased, so have the duties of members of Congress in at least an equal proportion; and which of the two stations requires the greatest sacrifice of private pursuits may be easily discerned. Objections have been made to the manner of compensation introduced by the law of the last session. It has been said to have created salaries. If, by this, it is intended that the law allows to every member a defined and certain sum, without any deduction for absence or omission of duty, it is not a correct representation. Such deductions are provided for by the law, as completely as under the former mode. It has already been ob served that a difference of opinion has long exist ed on this point; and it still exists. When the law of 1796 was passed, there were those who thought it advisable to change the mode then in practice, and to adopt the example of an annual allowance, which had been formerly set by a very respectable State. There have been, and still are, those who are not without fear, than an augmente tion of the daily pay, if it should not in fact tend, in some cases, to the protraction of the session, might produce an evil of equal magnitude, by subjecting the legislature to such an imputation. At the time of passing the late act, it was found upon inquiry, that from the organization of the Nor is it at all true that the inconvenience of government to the commencement of the thir- attending a session of Congress is always in proteenth congress, (1813) congress had, on an aver- portion to its length. The season of the year in age of all the years, been in session one hundred which the session is holden, may be as material as and fifty-nine days in a year. For eight years, its duration. The length of the journey to the ending with the thirteenth congress, (1813) it had seat of government is the same in both cases; and been in session, on an average, one hundred and both cases require an entire breaking off of all pri sixty-five days in each year. An easy computation vate engagements, and an exclusive devotion to will show that, supposing congress to sit hereafter public business. It may be added, also, that while as many days within the year as it has usually compensation was computed by the day, as the done heretofore, the present amount of compen- sessions would naturally be longest in times of sation, including travel and attendance, will ex- war, the greatest expense would fall on the treaso ceed the amount received for travel and attend-ry, when it could bear it with the least conveni ance under the former law, thirty-eight per cent. After the lapse of eight and twenty years, then, Congress has, for the first time, increased the pay of its members. It has increased it about one ence. Thinking, however, that the measure of augmenting the compensation was itself a necessa ry one, and that the form, if not the best, was a fair subject of experiment, the House did not for bear to adopt it, from difference of opinion in regard to the manner. It passed the law in its present form, in the hope that good would result from the change of mode, and with the knowledge that if such should not be the consequence, the former mode could be easily, and at any time,. again adopted. There now remain other topics connected with this subject, which the committee would submit to the consideration of the House. to accept such appointments, nor from accepting them after their term of service has expired; nor has it prohibited the grant of such offices to their relations, connections or dependants. There are hundreds of offices in the gift of the executive, which, as far as pecuniary emolument is concerned, are preferable to seats in Congress; indeed there are none, except of the very lowest class, which in that respect are not preferable. will be commonly regarded less from motives of pecuniary emolument, than from the love of honorable distinction and devotion to the public service, should possess more attractions that the legislative office, is it still fit or expedient that subordinate places in government, such as have no recommendation but the salaries and perquisites belonging to them, should have the same influence? Is it for the interest of the people, that their Of all the powers with which the people have representatives should be placed in this condition? invested the government, that of legislation is un- Is it expedient that better service should be com doubtedly the chief. In addition to its own im-manded for any other Department than for the portant ordinary duties, the legislature is the only hall of legislation? Or, admitting that offices of power which can create other powers. Depart-high trust and responsibility in the state, such as ments, with, all their duties and offices, with all their emoluments, can emanate from the legislature alone. Over the most numerous branch of the legislature, therefore, the people have retained the power of frequent elections; and with this branch alone they have trusted the original exercise of the right of taxation. The members of the House of Representatives are the special delegates and agents of the people in this high trust. They, and they alone, proceed immediately from the suffrage of the people. They, and they alone, can touch the main spring of the public prosperity. They are elected to be the guardians of the public rights and liberties. Can the people, then, have any greater or clearer interest than that the seats of these, their representatives, should be honorable and independent stations, in order that they may have the power of filling them with able and independent men? Is it according to the principles of our government that the legislative office should sink in character and importance below any office, even the highest in the gift of the executive? Or can any thing be more unpropitious to the success of a free representative government than that the representatives of the people should estimate any thing higher than their own seats, or should find inducements to look to any other favor than the favor of their constituents? It would be a most unnatural state of things, in a republic, if the people should place greater reliance any where else, than in their own immediate representatives; or if, on the other hand, representatives should revolve round any other centre than the interests of their constituents. Through their representatives, the direct influence and control of the people can alone be felt. In them, the rays of their power are collected; and there can be no better criterion by which to judge of the real influence of the people in the government, than by the degree of respectability and importance attached to the representative character. Evil, indeed, to the public will that time be, should it ever arrive, when representatives in Congress, instead of being agents of the people to exercise an influence in government, shall become instruments of governinent to influence the people. It is probably the necessary tendency of government that patronage and influence should accumulate wherever the executive power is deposited; and this accumulation may be expected to increase with the progress of the government, and the increasing wealth of the nation. To guard, as far as possible, against the effect of this on the legislature, the constitution has prohibited members of Congress from holding, while members, any office under executive appointment; but it has not restrained them from resigning their seats | And yet, not only is it well known that persons, at every election, decline being candidates for the legislature, but the government has not been without instances, in which members of either House have relinquished their seats in the Congress of the United States to accept offices of a very low grade. Can the public interest require the establishment of a habit of filling such places by candidates taken from the legislative body? Or what is the value, to the people, of the right of representation, if they have nothing to give which their representatives will not relinquish for even the smaller appointments of the executive power? It cannot but tend more, one would think, to the permanent safety of the republic, that no such hopes or motives should exist; that there should be no inducements of this nature, either to an unfaithful and compliant discharge of official duty, or to a more indirect but not less pernicious exercise of the influence of a public character and a public station. The geographical extent of the United States furnishes a case out of all analogy with any thing which has heretofore existed, either in any State government or the government of any other country. There are members of Congress who reside more than a thousand miles from the seat of go vernment; a great proportion live at more than half that distance. If these members are accompanied by their families to a session of Congress, even the present compensation, with the strictest economy, does not defray their expenses. To live within the means provided for them, they must come as exiles from their own homes; they must abandon, not only all private pursuits, but the enjoyment of all domestic relations, and live like strangers and temporary lodgers in the metropo lis of their own country. How far it is wise in government to demand of those who enter its service this sacrifice of all social feelings, those who have the deepest knowledge of our nature are most competent to judge. It is a sacrifice, which will not, ordinarily, and for any length of time, be made, by such as have the dearest and strongest ties to their country, and the greatest possible stake in its prosperity. One further observation is obvious. If an adequate provision be not made for members of Congress, the office will fall, exclusively, into the THE NATIONAL REGISTER. hands of one or the other of two descriptions of (No. 18 lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency titles, derived from the State of North-Carolina, to of providing by law for authorizing those who hold lands in that part of the States of Tennessee, Vir. ginia, and Kentucky, to which the Indian claim has not yet been extinguished, to have the boundaries of their said claims ascertained and re-marked, or otherwise identified; in order that the evidence to support the same may be perpetuated, or other land marks established. Carter, was read a third time, passed, and sent to The bill for the relief of the heirs of Landon the house. The Senate adjourned to Friday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, Dec. 20.-Petitions from the sufferers Clark of N. Y. and on motion of Mr. Webster reon the Niagara frontier, were presented by Mr. ferred to a select committee. means) reported a bill to relieve Nathaniel Taft Mr. Lowndes, of S. C. (committee of ways and from imprisonment, which was twice read and committed. If the view which the committee have taken of sundry unfavourable reports on petitions for pro Mr. Yancey, N. C. (committee of claims) made this subject, be not altogether an erroneous one; perty destroyed by the enemy. The report on E. if great changes, in relation to the value of money,|| Park's petition, which claimed on the score of cer and the price of living, have taken place in the tain acts of the United States' officers having occa country; if it has been found necessary to pro-sioned the destruction, was laid on the table; the vide for this change, by an increase of the compensation of other officers throughout the geneothers were agreed to. ral and state governments; and more than all, if it be desirable to maintain the constitutional importance of the legislative office; to open to the people a wide field for the selection of representatives; to put at their command the best talents District of Columbia, reported bills to incorporate Mr. Tucker, of Va. from the committee for the in their respective districts; and to enable them the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank of Georgetown, to retain the services of those, whose knowledge in the District of Columbia; the Central Bank of and experience have best fitted them to promote Georgetown and Washington, in said town of their interests and maintain their rights; then, the Georgetown; the Union Bank of Alexandria; the object of the law in question was not only a useful, Patriotic Bank of Washington; to extend the char but a highly important and commendable object.ters of certain Banks in the District of Columbia, In regard to the mode of accomplishing that ob- and for other purposes; and to prevent the circu ject, it has not been, and is not, easy to reconcile|lation of the notes of unchartered Banks, within opinions. On the whole, the committec are of opinion, that under all the circumstances, it is advisable to provide, that the increase of pay should be made in the form of an addition to the former daily allowance. They, therefore, recommend, that in lieu of all other compensations, there be paid to members of Congress and delegates of territories, -dollars per day for their actual attendance, and dollars for every twenty miles travel to and from the seat of government. And they report a bill for that purpose. NATIONAL LEGISLATURE. the District of Columbia; all which bills were read and referred to the same committee of the whole Mr. Pickens, of N. C. the house again resolved it. The Constitutional Amendment.-On motion of self into a committee of the whole, Mr. Smith, of Md. in the chair, on the proposition to amend the constitution, so as to establish an uniform mode of election of representatives and electors. when the amendments offered to the original proThe debate continued until past three o'clock, position having been rejected, the question was taken on the second and last number of the propo sition in the following words: "A division of the States into districts, for choos ing representatives in the Congress of the United President and Vice President of the United States, States, and into districts for choosing electors of after each enumeration and apportionment of re shall take place, as soon as conveniently may be, presentatives shall be made, which districts shall remain unaltered, until after the succeeding ent meration and apportionment of representatives," And decided as follows: For the clause, 87 51 There being a sufficient majority to carry the question in committee of the whole, but not suffi cient to sanction the proposition eventually; the consent of two thirds of both houses being neces After referring one or two private petitions, Resolved, That the committee on the public The committee rose and reported the resolution to the house. Mr. Pickering, of Mass. proposed further amend- I the United States relative to the proceedings of the ments; when The whole subject was laid on the table. The speaker laid before the house, the annual report of the secretary of the treasury. The house adjourned to Monday. Monday, Dec. 23.-Mr. Lowndes (committee of ways and means) reported unfavourably on the pctition of I. Humes, collector of the internal revenue in Pennsylvania. Report ordered to lie on the table.. commissioner of claims, accompanying a large trunk full of documents relating thereto. The message & documents were referred to a special committee. Some debate took place about having the President's report printed. The House finally resolved to print it. Mr. Taul of Ky. then moved to have the committee discharged from the consideration of the subject. Motion refused. Mr. Wilde, of Georgia, moved to have the bill for the national university taken up as the order of the day; and Mr. Johnson moved to have the bill of the military committee discussed. Both motions were rejected. Mr. Robertson (committee on public lands) reported unfavourably on the petition of D. Crum and S. M'Claskey. Report read and concurred in. Mr. Tucker, Vir. (committee for the District of Columbia) reported a bill to incorporate the Bank of the Metropolis. Report twice read and com-agement of vaccination; Mr. Pitkin in the chair, mitted. The bill prescribes the duties of the agent who The House then took up the bill for the encour Mr. Taylor, N. Y. (committee of elections) re-is to furnish matter and instructions to the army ported the election of W. P. M'Clay, of Pennsylva- and navy, and to every post office in the United nia, Thomas M. Nelson, and John Taylor of Vir-States. No debate occurred until the question of ginia. the agent's salary arose. Mr. Condict proposed $2,000, Mr. Hahn, of Penn, $1,500, and Mr. Ross, Penn. $1,000, Mr. Taylor $1,800. It was at last settled at $ 1,500. Pensionary (revolutionary) claims of S. B. Hubbard and Ann West, received unfavourable reports. First agreed to, second ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Nelson, Vir. (committee on judiciary) reported a bill providing for the publication of the decisions of the United States supreme court, to pay salary to a reporter, &c. Tuesday, Dec. 24.-Mr. Robertson proposed an inquiry into the expediency of educating, at the public expense, in the military school at WestPoint the sons of those who had fallen in the serSame committee reported a bill "authorizing the vice of their country. He thought that if any porappointment of circuit judges, and for other pur-tion of the community had such a claim, it was this poses." Mr. Calhoun, S. C. from the committee to whom the subject was referred, reported the following bill:. A bill to set apart, and pledge as a permanent fund for internal improvements, the bonus of the National Bank, and the United States shares of its dividends. one. He did not wish to see the institution filled with the children of rich influential persons, who needed not such privilege, and considered it better that moderate education should be diffused generally, than that there should be but some few dozen scholars scattered over the country, and those few possess high degrees of literature. He did not wish to constitute a privileged class, or establish any hereditary distinction. He would consent to nothing repugnant to the purest principles of republicanism: but he thought that it would remove from the minds of those whose country's cause Mr. Lattimore, of Mississippi, reported a bill for called them to battle, one of the chief grounds of forming the western part of the Mississippi Ter- inquietude, if the nation should become responsi ritory into a State; and another bill for establish-ble for the education of the children which their ing a territorial government in the eastern part of deaths might leave destitute. He therefore prothat Territory. Report was twice read and com- posed the following resolution. mitted. The bill contemplates placing the fund under the care of the secretary of the treasury, for the time being, with directions to purchase stock the same as it becomes due. Resolved, That the committee on military affairs On motion of Mr. Chappell, S. C. be instructed to inquire into the expediency of Resolved, That the committee on pensions and educating, in the military school at West-Point, the revolutionary claims be instructed to inquire into sons of all officers, non-commissioned officers, and the expediency of repealing the several laws which privates who have fallen in the late war, fighting bar from settlement the claims against the govern-the battles of their country. ment, denominated loan office certificates, indents Mr. Talmadge, of Con. suggested the expedienfor interest on the public debt, final settlement cer-cy of altering the words, so that if other military tificates, commissioner's certificates, army commissioner's certificates, credits given in lieu of army certificates cancelled, credits for the pay of the army for which no certificates were issued, and invalid pensions. Mr. Forsyth, of Georgia, (committee on foreign relations) reported a bill on the navigation of the United States, prohibiting importation in foreign vessels, unless when the goods are the product of the country to which the vessels truly belong, and excepting the vessels of such countries as do not impose similar restrictions on American vessels. Mr. Forsyth also reported a bill regulating the duties on tonnage and imports. These bills were twice read, and referred to a committee of the whole. academies should be established the provision would embrace them: and Mr. Harrison, of Ohio, proposed to have the words "late war" struck out so that the regulation might be general. Mr. Robertson admitted these amendments, and then the resolution was agreed to without opposition. Mr. Harrison, of Ohio, moved for a regulation by which goods destined for Cincinnati in Ohio State, might be allowed to pass from Orleans_to that place, and to be landed there. It was referred to the committee of commerce and manufac tures. On motion of Mr. Creighton, of Ohio, Resolved, That the committee on the public lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of increasing the salary of the register and receiv A message was received from the President of er of the land office in the Marietta district. On motion of Mr. Blount, the committee on || on roads and canals relative to improving the na post roads were instructed to inquire into the ex-vigation of the Ohio river, in regard to the falls at pediency of establishing a post road from Mary-Louisville. ville, in Blount county, to Sevierville, in Sevier Mr. Desha offered the following resolution: county, Tennessee. The engrossed bill supplementary to the act for the encouragement of vaccination, was read a third time. Resolved, That as the land south of Green river, On motion of Mr. M'Lean, of Kentucky, the now within the limits of the State of Kentucky, same committee were ordered to inquire into the was by the State of Virginia, set apart for the purexpediency of establishing a post road direct from pose of satisfying claims for revolutionary services, the city of Washington to Wheeling in Virginia, and a portion of which land has since been, by the through Fredericktown and Cumberland in Ma-general government, ceded by treaty to the Chickryland, and Uniontown, Brownsville, and Wash-asaw tribe of Indians, by which cession many of ington, in Pennsylvania. the revolutionary patriots have been deprived of the benefits arising from grants for meritorious services; that the President of the United States be requested to take the necessary steps to have Mr. Ross, of Pennsylvania, required the yeasthe Indian title to the land lying within the limits and nays, on the passage of the bill. Although he of the State of Kentucky extinguished as soon as believed he should himself vote for the bill, he practicable. thought it proper that on a bill for the establishment of a salary officer, the people ought to know who voted for, and who against the bill; and he also wished that their constituents should know who were at this time present, and who absent from their seats. Mr. Calhoun thought, as the resolution was ofi a subject new and somewhat local in its nature, it would be better not to decide on it immediately, and moved that it lie on the table. Mr. Hardin joined in the request, as he said it contained facts new to them, and such as required Mr. Desha acquiesced, and the resolution was laid on the table. Mr. Cady, of N. Y. was opposed to the bill, ex-examination. cept as related to the army and navy. He thought it was the duty of each State to provide for its own citizens in such a matter. The bill, on motion of Mr. Tucker, of Virginia, was laid on the table. Some private bills were read and committed: and bills were passed directing the discharge of Nathaniel Taft, and John Ricaud from imprisonment. Some debate took place about the bill for opening a road through the Chickasaw country and Tennessee, for the people to return up the river On motion of Mr. Taylor, of New-York, the from Orleans; some thought the subject came un-house went into committee of the whole, Mr. Bas. der the consideration of the committee on roads, sett in the chair, on the bill to provide for the canals, &c. and would be attended to in a general regular publication of the decisions of the supreme act. Several of the western members insisted up-court. on a particular bill. Two or three private bills were passed; and the house adjourned. Mr. Taylor, of N. Y. moved to fill the blank for the salary of the reporter with the sum of $ 1,000; and supported his motion and the general object of the bill by a short speech. Mr. Hardin, of Ky. moved to strike out the first section of the bill; in effect to reject it. Thursday, Dec. 26.-A number of petitions were presented and referred to various committees ; among them was one by Mr. King, from sundry inhabitants of the District of Maine, complaining Messrs. Taylor, Nelson and Root argued in sup of the advantages enjoyed by British vessels over port of the bill, that from the importance of corthe vessels of the United States; also, a petition of rect reports of the decisions of that court, and the Mr. Archer, from sundry inhabitants of Cecil danger that they would not be published at all, or county, in Maryland, stating their apprehensions at least much delayed, the government ought to of a scarcity, and praying the prohibition, by law, make direct provision for the business. Some of of the distillation of spirits from grain, and the ex- the States, it was observed, had made more liberal portation of bread stuffs, for a limited time; also, provisions for the reporting of decisions in their by the speaker, the petition of Elizabeth Matilda own courts, than that which was now proposed. Shubrick, widow of the late Captain John T. Shu- Messrs. Robertson, Hardin, Ross and Wright brick, of the navy, who commanded the brig Eper-were opposed to the allowance, as the reports vier, and was lost with that vessel, on her passage || would be given without it. The reports of State from the Mediterranean to the United States, courts, from the narrow limits within which they praying some provision for herself and the infant were required, required that salaries should be of Captain Shubrick; also, by the speaker, the pe- given to reporters, or they would not be reported tition of D. W. Boudet, portrait and historical at all. painter, praying that he may be allowed to collect, under such restrictions as Congress may think proper, the national trophies, presents, and other articles of curiosity, to be displayed in a museum which he has for several years been making arrangements for establishing in the city of Wash ington. Mr. Johnson, of Ky. made a motion for measures relative to the establishment of a manufactory of To this it was rejoined, that the reports of the United States' courts were less demanded than those of the State courts, from the limited scope of their subjects, and little occasion that legal men had to resort to them. The question was decided in the affirmative76 to about 40. We send out the Register this week without a summary of small arms, at Newport, on Licking river, in Ken-news--first, because there are no news of importance; and, secondly, because the public documents and the proceedings of tucky. the national legislature demand a place. This number will b found to contain several important documents. The speeches of the governors of New-Hampshire, Kentucky, and Ohio, ure unavoidably postponed, to make room for the proceedings of the general government. They shall have a place as su we can like room for them. Mr. Culpepper laid on the table a resolution that the house should hereafter meet at 11 o'clock instead of 12. Mr. Harrison moved for directing the committee |