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AMERICAN ADVOCATE. ■NO. XXVI ] TUBLISHK!) WEEKLY, on THURS DAY MORNIN'I, BY OEOROE W Wheeler a j \mescl \rke, at’ THEIR, ERIN 5 ING OFFICE, NEXT DOOR TO DR. J. M. STISttKIT—AT THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM— OMS. /'A* MiVJ) YCR rimiiww —w ■ ■■■■ m —in I . l iiiimpt mm, To the People of Citoigta .CONBOIOOS of having wi b ter.il an| fidelity, the erduot)* *!u ies it h*\s Ibeen the pleasure of th Le riafoture to us jrign me, and enfeebf and by tiia:* vs*:, the re *tt)t of laborious exertions to /.promote th*; p.folie welfare ; Ibid determined <o hear 1.7} silence the unmerited .ml umuwmfoble yeproaches, with whi ch I rtd assailed, I was .nenatbln th t the tnisraprt sent tioiia of art ful demagogue*, might for i season mislead Che judg-msut of hoti st men ; but relying on the liberality and intelligence oft *e peo pie, I had repos ‘d io the epWirtidO tbi t time and reflection would he alone snffi eient, to ensure a just delusion npou toj public conduct. That such will be the re sult, lam still fully persuaded; hob the veryeifracrdinary presentment of the Grand Jury of the county of Wi’*kes, which hue m eeqtly appeared in the public ppe-s, t n and (which, as I apprehend,; was procured by plausible representation, unde? th® guise of patriotism, having tor their q foct personal eggraudizethetifo gratification of a tnean and ra Ugnaut spiri ) would seem to tmpuse on .me the task of presenting to lb a public, a fair exposition of the several sub jects of complaint , .. < The Act of ooiftgr©&Bj changing the mode of compensating the member*?, appears to constitute the frpuvmial ground of displea sure. For my vote in its behalf, I nut de-~ tjnunccd as unworthy of your ccofidenee.— Sentence of condemnation is promptly p ss ml upon me, without ex mi nation, And with out a knowledge of the facts sod ireutn- Btances, win h were indispens blc to a eor ireet decision ; white Ion*? and faithful §er vteesia times of national- difficulty and ad versity—while a life of tinsulud integrity, &nd disinterested devotion to the public ureal, which ran not be denied me, and whfoh ought to have shielded me frdSh vasrue nod unfounded suspfofon, are totally forgotten, But, f ellowlcit iz *n, the object of this ad dress is not to complain. It is to furtiiuii a. fall and frank developement of those pro ceeding*, which have produced so much. ei ftiteraent among you. Congress assembled at their last session Onder the most auspicious circumstances.-—a The storm of war had passed a way—ill® o llle exertions of our country had becoftfo the theme of eulogy, throughout the civilised tedrld—our revenues were unexampled, ,nd She people pro; perous eud happy. At such ft time., not to profit by past events —not to provide for the future, against the recur yeace of evils which experience had ci: closed, would have betrayed a want of po litical sagacity and fore, ast, unworthy the fiepreseatatiVes of the American people. To devise and perfect a general systetp of poli cy, calculated to perpetuate the blessings of ur free constitution, and to prepare for those vicissitudes in human affairs, which are the lot cf nations, became our obvious duty. Fhp task was one of no ordinary character, nor was it to be performed without great delib eration and active diligence N *ver did the national legislature labor more incessantly and probably never during any session, was more important business transacted. A suoog the va 1 ictus subjects whi h attracted mr attention, w is the compensation of the Sttpoebers. When the present constitution commenced its existence, it had been fixed St sis dollars a day, during the attendance f members, and the same sum was allowed for every 20 miles, in going to, and return ing fVom the seat of government. At that period the necessary expenses of a repre sentarive were equal to about due half of those wuiefc are now incurred. This IV - is susceptib'e of unquestionable proof.——-- Indeed, i appeal to yuur owu candor and recollect;© ! to say how much more uione* sr&s worth, or in other words, bow much more an equal quenti-y cf money would pur chaee in the year l7By, than at the prcse.i time. The vale* of money, ! iV.e the vain i ; f every other article, is increased or dim 1 Ssled by v riouo circumstances. It I;/** .been gradually dkpreejatin - for year? pas* ; And it i*- as unreasonable to imagine, ti.a . be-ause dollars a ifoy were formerly r euftiehm compensation, the same arftouni still adequate, as it would be to scy, tbv’ six dollars will purchase rs mu;h cotto; now, rs they would have dene four y eor* iigo. I know, that even since I first be. came your representative, fhc expenses o ut£ city of have in LOUISVILLE, THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 1815. - I \ . . . • - . <■ creased fifty per coat. For board, I then paid ten dollars a and now I pay fif teen. The price of keeping a horse was then three dollars a week, and bow it is from four apd a half to five—gaaeraliy the i.Xttcf. Was it ever supposed, that the fi rat law passed oy Con.-iess, for com peas-ting -i* i.emb ;rs, was of a charecter so sac rod, that ‘ no oebasion could justify the alter.ition cf ‘ its provisions r The law teas passed as oth- i er laws, and subject, like them, to so h mod - fi atior.e, as time and ‘circumstances icight ’ suggest. T here is nothing more hovel in cTangiog ;h- compcnS'Tidn of th-’ pabßs fua Uio larics-i than in amending slot sites in t g aerul. Have not tW State icgisl ttercs I found it n&'Hruy to in reaso the Vompe-p- j sttiau cf their monikers, since the p*y of j Oongrcss was origtually fixe*!? H s not Ooagrfas long sure, ana from time to ..ime, • - reused the salaries of i/.ot . i’ th-- p’.-bd-tj ifisers, whi .h had oaehcpssidered ud q ;aie j it the time the offices ware created * All I os® tnings h.ve bee ad e, while t,e Na- | ioarT H ;:ree:itat:ve have alsul’ ed fra> j ;a •’reasiug thir own cooioensation, until i found poi *y imperiously d* m *.aded it, and I the siiua i> of the country permitted U,| without in oaveuieaco to the people. It iidls been justly said, that a good gov-1 ernment br.diy ailiaiabiered, m-ybe worse I than a bad g vernment well administered; J and as well might youexpe Tto find mao ea j pa’-.lc of tnanaging a ship judi iously, who j are e -acqu inted with her ui.v biaery, to in giae that the diversified and t*oq>plica- ‘ tml coucerns of the govefumeht of ‘he U. s*ntes can ho tdfcfy ecm.'nitu and to the hand* o|?gnqrue ;• id iftexpeiioo*!®. T eitnpor tance of experi a**® and a thorough know-j ifdge of the aatucc; and history of govern- j meat in general, and of our own in p irti iu- j I fur—of the proi-rcss from time to time of l our rclatios,wilh other countries, anp cl ‘| the polbj, both foreign and domestic, .best i calculated 10 advance.t'-e uationai prefipari ! ty, is too manifest to need illustration- And 1 nny add, that if> lcgi*l&licn as .in a Her purauils, be ft mau ? s talents wb - t they ih?,y at .he eojnmeneecicfct of hi? po.liikul *. .r ;*r, practise and observation arc iKdispeufibh ! to m-ikebiai an able and useful a- a'.C'm.in. If these petitions are true, (n'i 5 mi per juiad-d they w ( ill not b® denied) Isu mit Lj your candor, whether at the moment w hep congres? were engaged in establishing tficj gre:. principles, of public poll- y, upori which might depnd the ifftur. j | destiny of the only freegoverumtui on earth, j they could, without a dereliction cf doty,, hay® overlooked so great an evil an th pro-; fii bte ex* iusioju of experience and uh.T.tq,; I from ’h® eou/icil’ of V. e nation, or so far as I depended on.them, have.neglected to * pply , a rt medy ~ln times sos war and great t. -.- tioulva} ciityi it is expet ted of eye. y pat riot, timf regardless of personal considera tion*,ffin; n services will be devoted to tne pub lic welfare. But, little does he know of hu man nature, who, believes, ifiti while the oatio** is iu prof und peace, and the people reaping nnext;rnpUd w* afih from personal atteiii on to their private affairs, any eiiiz'-'n, vtho io uot a in ra*bcs, ot “ho is not without comforts at home, will for a series of years bo tVof so get his duty to hipiself and family, as to sacrifii e to the piit-hc his do mestic happiness, and negket the improve ment of Siis private fortune without due com pensation. J.t would be unreason file to ei- I peetjt ; in j iSt to ask it. That the love of fiine aodo'fior honorable incentive?, might, under the former rate of compensation, in duce many men cf intelligence and patriot win to enter the councils of the nation. 33 ad miiled ; lutit is not less true, that a few years’ service (and too, study and ex * The author of the presentment is igao rant of thin f>t. or cares not wbftt means he employs to delude the people. Y* ithont ci ting the numerous instances during almost every session, in which the p* y of differed * k public fuailionaries” has be n inereased, ♦he foiiov’. iug cases will he sufficient to shew that rr,ugre*s have bestowed “on tfcessv ersl officers of the seneral government au dditionai salary also, ’ and long before they ‘■aised their own cotripensatiou. The sala y of the Secretary <f .State, nd of the Pr.-.-sury, i. * been fixed at 553,500 each— f the l e rttary of War n<i N vy, at 33 0( 0— of the Comptroller of the Treasu y, at g 2 100, and of the Attorney-General, j * $1 500. An ret Mas passed at least J w he years ago, iocreesing tl o salary of : e Pei rotary of State & of the Treasury io g. 3.000, of \Vor and >->;vy, to 551,503 ; of he Ccrrptioiler to ?3 : £00, and of ihe At ;ney-Gi,neri Ito £3 tCG. The la'*v wai iiratted in its duration, and has been regu ar!y re-enacted fiom lime to time until the ! ast session; when it muds ’p ‘iiorce have qualified them to be most useful to their constituent*) are sufficient tu convince ib*ui that poverty at borne, or re liremeut from the pe dis concerns, are their only alternatives. This fact is substantia ted* by- the history of congress. Most of those wae were members when I was first honored with a seat in that body, are utw i*i common vvi Ja the rest of you, devot?u. i their time and talents to thje udvanta e of i themselves and families. .With thepn--’ect unprw*edente.'a prospect of gain, au?l the ’ (‘orrespondiog loss whirb v us* b*-* •*. ioed by the afismeo of m*n iron) their homes, a : consider able portion ci the year, vith the , fift owing to b yond our ccn i trout, the veal imount of compensation h.i<d diminished fiDtwithsfftuuing the ‘nominal | rate was the same; juat: e and the putili- I w*e>T’ re appeared to unite io calling for le gislative provision. Locking at the,change iu the comlitiott- of the country, it could not * escape the observation of men. toking tu I it?, and vit-ws of -national policy, that the sperihci‘3 to be incurred by n m*.inner, would d?sv pifxd"* of .r >dera’e fort dues from th* ipuld.-:: cauoeiis. In ihat event the compe- I trd'ep w'onld be .Um utd to .the’ wealthy, ! (so h as Mr.. Uu.,ar of Sonth-CirotiDa) j srd another description of men,’ who hove I nothing to n*k hcane de iraHc, &as !jt- I tie to recommend theaa to the publie eonfi * deuce, .Is it possible, feUote-Tti ceus, that j you-con Believe such a >iat; .of ihiogs w<*ufil I pronutte your interest, o id- n: e ’.he su J cess of republican prin-np’- s ? According 1 o my out prion of. the. subject, tfie .bat is ’ of those prfii ijiles 0 • equal rights and pri bvilegc” ; and whatever bos a ten dan y .to : the direeHortiof the government exclusively j into the h *.odsof tiie ri-h, gv of iinj patitcis-- [lsr clesAof society, it aati-repubiii cri uud I o-.irht to fee roiided, *.Tbe n;at.*smen wlo • in the public eouoeils h vr so sad so ably, in&iutfiined their country’s caitse. and who have so often re?,caved from the people the encenraging pi .<idit Ki well done thou gpod and faithful servant,” are for, the most {;art, sa moderate pecuniary eircuui stances ‘ “ v \ ■; ■ ... T6.cri*;s.*le the people of the United Stales ia.ov.tS tlieutsclves of tL*- servirt'a of use ful m, n whoever rank* they saigkf't-e found ('ihieh is.he true repuMi au dodrine) vUihtmi subjecting them to unnecessary and I changing the inode of eoinpens&tiug the. j members. *> * | li provides that iebtevd of si:; d-ollarj a j day. during the each member shell jbe allowed fiKeen hundred dollars ayer, 1 wid travelling expenses us For | oegleet of duty . proportionable deduction : s to bo nu.de. The Speaker of {fie House of Represeatolives e;id Fresidtut of thn Senate are rctitied ss fprmerlj, to dofibie {he pay of a member. Upon tfie justice of increasing the < ompeosaticu, and ai least to the provided by tbe ;.et, lliere was very little diversity of opinion iu Confess : The details of the bill— tae period when it nhou’d take efieet.r.nd whether the increase should be by the day or in the mode pro posed, were the principal subjects of eou troveisy. Some /gentlemen voted :gainst the measure in consequence of its operation pot having been postponed aniil the 4, 1s of March next, soa*fc from their objections to the mode 5 and others frotn the tpprehen eiosi, that although the thing was right in it self, the view sos eotigress would be mis represented, to they arharU ge of the cun ning, and to the injury if the meritorious. The few who oeeuxded e different groin L have never been disiinguisl efi for supeiioi in formatibn: or extra ordinary phtiiott.-m ; i.or is it more difficult for the iid* hi ritubt© to impufe to them univortl y motives, then to others. Th< ir opinions, there lore, are en titled io 10 more respeti then the opinions of on equal number of n embers in general. Is the eCßipet sstioii just in its amount, with referem e bolb to the people and iheii representatives? In the dett imnation of this question, a variety of consider tons ere to be calmly end so>’ ily consider®* . T o he represented at the expense of the re presentative; can tui her be just nor eoafor nuble to bur republican losiiintions; be cause, tbortby, H would be excluded Ircm the representative ol the people, tx>< pt yr.eu of large fortunes. Such a st..te ot ihim.si niight b- o etcptable to tbet enss oi socie ty,tut, I apprehend it will not le doiied by an ewlightered 1 nirmunity.’ 1 esteem that toinpeimT;on just and wise, wlieh while it avoids extmvugaiice, will enable 1 any man whom th* people way el to elect. to serve them without great siurifi es. Id. it uo SHi itfiae on the jpe.it of die repivssn- * talive to do violence to the beet lympiithus 1 of our nature, lobe nUeiil at u ueti and t, * tance. and great portion of the yeti fun ] Lis fttsiiijt a&d domestic tcstticils ? xUo hioi- family su>*jected tuo sacrifices ? Is it nc sacrifice that his personal attention i cd ex ertions towards the 1 dvance meat of hi* pu* vate estate are lost ? S*. the devotian of . man’s time am! talents to the public woith no’hing r I put J b:■ e qat s-.iona to every di(.passionate, loan in the country, ami I .. k tvbetbei it is reftson.’T'ie <0 espei t ih • t <.< mA netent man will incur anchnnenne s for any great length of time, without do; eomj . :i sstion r While there fore l would no? da si it necessary to fix Re wufes o Itig.. u t{ eittke them a source of wealth 5 I do thiiifc that every consideration of juati* e a ■ H s. und policy requires ifiat they il ould be ade quate to.ffiri socnetl iog likefi-demnii'.y for the sacrifices imurred. faelf-ex* mir* (iocs *loe, fellow-CitlZ ‘iwill lOPViBe.H VGI3 thus although the love <-? disTnetion, - cf honor, and other si nihr ituiuicmnUs, r- y>, tempt intelligent :tn<! worthy rr.cn ‘3 emhnrki in the public councils, they vili be vr oily insufficient to keep them there if sepumted from their, fi mi‘ u* x * ontiiderahle part of the year, by a pittauve nf cm per.sai*i> # out equal to the losses im urred by (hei> seijpe from home. As to the fifteen bur.* dred dollars Icm persuaded it would not be.. thought extr<-.vagA*t it you knew tl e ex*. puditures.to which a tnen hei is -ui-je -~- To wftgit extent is no - inches &*- in ‘lu- a. ns cunt ct* the ferrorr foniyc I.3l*Ton, m y fe- ascer tained with suffi*lent cecumy, tv *efor ence tn (he number cf. ; t iu et ch year s dnring which Ci-ngrershav ;• on.in t on nfi evan ga since the eten'sneneemeat of the presist goyernmt-uf • *J kit ti e. eu ibe rule, the increase is risen, fifty p t r cent.Am! tpi.sidcring ihe great aeeesstois ofmrtnh*rsy ttnouinirg at present in tl.t* House of ißcpresebtfitives io on* bundledl nd’ eighty -two, end ‘he probaUe si ditioa •f many more in a few yeai>.~ <l;e enlarge* ment of oaf ten fiery cud stUhrm m—-;he exteii'ion of our cemmcieial reia'ions, it is rrt omst that the duration of ti e scions for the future, v asset l ; key to be si or en cd. The snvm.se * f ccu <i |'t'wtjc:n, sore s re, so for from being enoioutrs as Las been fofocly ssstred. is not equal to ’he in ere: in the price of boarding and other* .pevrere es -■ etpn#e incident to 1 son in congress IVm v tla fit in g thi presen* com— ! peiiStt'on to he paid by a tax on the peo t pie, wosdd they pay as a.u?h so real value * j es in former y* nrs, t' ineet the six and liars a, day. Vi.reuiug the itJe 5 l;uve laid ckwn & and supposica the ec u pc nation to be paid tv direct tax ts;e ioi>6win views eie dis timed : Congress fitve hero ib scssior on r-t> sveri . age, in catb vcur. one hundred rrd fifty ii'sa.e d;y?. 0? upwards of five montl > , The ai hnal eonipeEsutkn to eat I in* inter t &t fix dollars a day during tfie se•-Biots, hats therefere bjrounted to r ive itt.di.d sad ■ fifty-four dollars; nad the ggrgate for tfc© , presejit number of senetois sub itprrsiutav lives of the United State* would fee vs 0 L .2- dred and seven thousand nine haadted and seventy wo dollars. Th? p'opct tioa wfcicln Georgia woi.Ui jfoy is six thousand eight hundred and fifty six dollars and c . The whole poy of congress a? fifteen hun dred dollars a year for cash member, <& three hundred and twenty-seven thc usmid > dollars, end the prcpor.ion of the state would be ten ihousatid seven hundrad end . eighty doilnrs Kind s frae tiem. It will fee* per,* ived ihat the differenee is thiee thou sand nine hundred, ami twen'y four dollars, which if divided among the people & fording to the constimtioniiil rule of apportioning dj reel taxes niicrrg the states, would 1 mount to the enormous m and akirmbg turn of lets than two cents a head !I! Tbe who ,<u m j ensation at su tlniiars a d* y dating ,U sessions, if apportioned in th * sttr.e way, would be tlvee cents tr and about e quarter of & cent, a bend. A like apportio* jn ut c,f the present campon*? lion, wood be fiv© e enisand t bout the eighth part of u oont, a head. I ask you io candor 10 say. whether it is not mofe convenient io p*y five e;n 6 and an eighth bew, than it w.-.s to j> * three cents und a quarter hi the .year, 1789, and duting niarsy subsequent years? \v t;r? uot three cents tod a quarter worth more th u, than five tents and iii etg th t the present; time ; or in fa r vote#, would tkal i-tau not l ave pureh-std in,*re useful property ; au! therefore are not. five cens unci t,a eighth worth less now, lfi\o three coots and j a quarter formerly ? I-m persuttd. and ,h ,m question* v. iii be answered in the uffiram- Hve by every impartial in u, who is ac* quminted with the history id*this eour.try.- Uompare tna present pi-y, the nudes, ex-* pensea and e^crlli-e* of a member of Coo grese, with the puy of your state officers* (wbjehi i certuialy low enough) und their •mliCB, eipeuß? w ', and A judge receives fourteen humljed uuSlar* a yeac.— Are Hi Oijea*ea R-Jy tliiiig like those v.hfoh I.