Mr. BENJAMIN. I agree with both the Gentlemen from Illinois that this is a bad time for the Congress of the U.S. to commence a system of raising salaries. But, sir, there may be, and I think there are, exceptions to this rule. The present salary of the ComrPension, $3,000, was fixed in 1848. 18 years ago; and it was fixed in accordance with the rule adopted at that time that the head of a bureau should receive half the salary of a Cabinet Officer. The salary of the Secretaries at the time was $6,000; and hence the solar of the ComrPension was fire at $3,000. In 1843 the Pension Bureau, as we all know, was a small institution. There were compar atively few persons upon the pensionroll. Now, that bureau has grown to an enormous extent; and the business of that bureau, I will venture to say, is more extended and important, and involves a larger amount of money, than the business of any other bureau of the Government. But the salary of the Commissioner, instead of being increased with the increase of business, has actually been dimin ished. How? We have provided in our tax laws that $2, 400 of his salary of $3,000 shall be taxed at the rate of 5%.; and to that extent the salary has been reduced below the amount at. which it was fixed in 1848. As was remarked yesterday by the chairman of the committee, [Mr. Pannsn, a vast amount of money is involved in the transactions of the Pension Bureau; and the very best order of talent is required for the discharge of the duties of Commissioner. It is admitted by the Gentlemun from Illinois [Mr. wasunums] that we have that kind of talent at the head of the bureau atthis time. We wish to retain that order of talent. We wish that the duties of that position shall hereafter be administered with the same ability with which they are nowperformed. Hence the committee believe that the solar of the Commissioner should be increased from $3.000 to $4,000. The latter amount is $500 less than the present salary of the ComrPatents; yet no gentleman acquainted with the facts will deny that the amount of labor required of the ComrPension equals, and I believe that it largel exceeds, the amount of labor required of the ComrPatents.