Mr. FESSENDEN. Exactly; some few old claims reported upon adversely. The idea is ridiculous to establish permanent committee clerkships at $1, 850, when they are mere sine cures now, except to the extent that the clerks do the nccessnry work of dispatching docu ments for the chairmen of the committees and, erha 3, others. That is substantially all the duty that agreat many of them have to perform. The pay now is ample, and you can get any number of men that are perfectly compe tent to discharge the duties for the present pay. Now, sir, from the way gentlemen seem to be going on with regard to salaries at the present time, I think it would be much more simple to try another plan; and that is, to decide (for that seems to be the principle) that if there is any surplus left in the Treasury, after paying the expenses absolutely necessary for carrying on the Government, it shall be divided up among themembers of Congress and the clerks at the Capitol, clerks of committees, (to. That would be a much more simple way of disposing of it, and there would be just about as much principle in it as there is in the manner in which we seem to be going on in voting the public money. Sir, I cannot prevent it; I can only enter my protest against it and vote against it. I have no doubt I do not want to be unrea sonable about it that some of these salaries ought to be raised. I have no doubt, as I said the other day, that the salaries of some officers of the Senate ought to be increased. I think the simplest and best way is to have a system, fix it from beginning to end, and let it rest there. I never will consent, so far as I am individually concerned, to the style of mana ging these matters adopted by the House that is, in the face of the law of the land to vote a% age and then try to legalize it by put ting the amount on an appropriation bill, and telling us, “Take that or not take the bill.” I do not like that mode of legislation. I think, therefore, these things ought to be directed in the mode that my honorable friendfrom Ohio suggests I do not say I agree with the bill, but in the mode' he su eats and by having a proper provision mac e. I understand the ComContingent Expenses have with great caredprepared a bill, which they think to e just an right, to be moved upon this. perhaps that would be the best way of settling it. If that is the case, we can see what the whole is. As to the idea of the honorable Senfrom Massachusetts, of putting up all the clerks of committees who do not remain here except during the session of Congress, a.great many of whom have nothing in the world, or very little to do, except to wait upon the chairmen, the more ijust wuy, really, as the matter has one, won (1 be to say that every member of the Senate should have a clerk, to be paid out of the public Treasu, to dispatch his docu ments, go. That would equalize itmnch better than it is equhlized now. Now, sir, if we are goin to do this, let us do it with some understanding and with a due and proper discrimination; understand what duties are to be performed, and pay a reason able sum according to the performance of those duties and the nature oft em. My honorable friendfrom Massachusetts could not certainly have understood exactly what he was about in making so sweeping a provision ashe has made in this case. I cannot agree with him that the quality of the man ought to make any difference in the amount of salary. We cannot afford to legislate in that way. Otherwise, my honorable friend would have a salary of $100,000, while I should only have $5,000. [Laughter] The Government cannot afford to make those discriminations; and I should not like it either. [Laughter]