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OF THE

DEBATES OF CONGRESS,

FROM 1789 TO 1856.

FROM GALES AND SEATON'S ANNALS OF CONGRESS; FROM THEIR
REGISTER OF DEBATES; AND FROM THE OFFICIAL

REPORTED DEBATES, BY JOHN C. RIVES.

BY

THE AUTHOR OF THE THIRTY YEARS' VIEW.

VOL. XI.

NEW YORK:

D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 346 & 348 BROADWAY.

1859.

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ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

TWENTY-FIRST CONGRESS.-FIRST SESSION.

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES

IN

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

CONTINUED FROM VOL. X.

WEDNESDAY, March 31, 1830.

Pay of Members.

The House then resumed the consideration of the resolution, offered by Mr. MODUFFIE.

Mr. SMYTH, of Virginia, spoke in opposition to the resolution. He said the object of the gentleman from South Carolina, who had introduced the resolution, seemed to him to be the application of a forfeiture of the pay of members for the purpose of curtailing the length of the session of Congress. It also contemplated an indirect reduction of the per diem allowance of members. He confidently believed it was no part of the policy of that gentleman (Mr. MODUFFIE) to seek popularity by his proposition; but he believed him mistaken in relation to the effect which would result from its adoption. He believed its effect would be to leave the business of legislation, or throw it into the hands of less competent incumbents. It went upon the hypothesis that one hundred days were sufficient for the transaction of the public business. To this he could not agree; its admission would be to pass condemnation upon their predecessors. The last five sessions of Congress had averaged one hundred and sixty-seven days; and all experience proved that one hundred and seventy days per session were necessary. It should be considered that the business of Congress was continually increasing, on account of the great national questions arising before them-the pension system, the international improvement system, &c.

ry circumstances, who represented the true interests of the people, would be compelled, in justice to their own interest, to go home as soon as their pay was reduced; and there would consequently be none but the aristocracy left to do the business of legislation. He held it bad policy to render the representatives of the people at all dependent by a curtailment of their pay. It drove them to seek relief in Executive patronage; and he could refer to hundreds who had gone into post offices, Indian agencies, &c.; and he deemed this an evidence that they were insufficiently provided for. Mr. S. said, if the pay of other officers of Government were reduced in the same ratio, he would consent to reduce the pay of members to six dollars a day; but not otherwise.

Mr. S. then went into an examination of the business which has been done this session, in comparison with that transacted during former sessions. He concluded by remarking that he believed the only remedy for the evil complained of, was to be found in short speeches and long days' sessions; and he moved an amendment to the amendment, providing that, during the remainder of the session, a motion to adjourn should not be in order until half past four o'clock.

This proposition, involving an amendment of the rules of the House, and consequently requiring to be laid one day on the table, was decided by the Speaker not to be in order.

Mr. STORRS, of New York, understood the object of the resolution to be the correction of a moral evil, the existence of which was eviMr. S. said he did not believe it was the dent. He thought it would be a reflection on wish of the people that their representatives the House to contend that it could not transact should legislate for them without pay after they all the essential business which came before it have been in session one hundred and twenty in four months. The number of bills which days, should they find it necessary to remain were passed at the long sessions, he believed, longer. He also contended that, should this did not exceed those passed at the short sesproposition be adopted, the members in ordina- sions. He referred to the haste with which

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