Mr. EDMUNDS. My friendfrom Oregon is undoubtedly right, at least in my opinion, when he says that the salary has been either too high before or is too low now; but it ap ears to me that it has been too high hitherto. n the very last year and this will show the Senate how much time is necessar to be employed to earn this $700 the tota number of steamboats inspected and licensed at the ort of Portland, in Oregon, was only 2 re; and a competent man, or 2 comet entmen, because there are 2 in each district, can perform the work in 3 days, and can make their reports and answer all the questions, and do everything that is necessary, in 3 days more. Of course $700 is a very high compensation for a week’s work; but it is true that that is not the whole question, because you cannot employ for that time, having a responsibility over the whole year, men who are fit to perform such work without paying them a salary which has some relation in amount to the dig nity and responsibility of the officc. So far as the absolute labor goes, the time employed to ins ect these 25 steamers and their boi ers, &c., $700 is an excessive compensation ifyou look at it merely in that point of view; but, as I said, the salary is made higher on account of the dignity and responsibility of the office. The cost to the Government at the port of Portland for each steamer inspected is tift 6 dollars, while the cost at Galena, where eigity nine are inspected, is only $15 62, and so on. The real truth is, and it is impossible to disguise it or misunderstand it, that in places like Portland, and many other places in the country, the Government cannot afford to pay the amount necessary to compensate a man for all his time for a whole year, but it is expected that he will engage in other occupations. He may be a builder of steam vesse s; be may be a master mechanic in some other dept of industry; he may be one thing or another whatever he pleases, so that he possesses the requisite knowledge and skill to ring to bear upon the question he has in charge whenever he is called upon. Now, looking at it in this point of view, it appears to me that we are ayin for the present a sum large enough. Wfien the business increases, let the salary be increased. The amendment to the amendment was rejected.