NEW-YORK, SEPTEMBER. 9, 1789. LETTER front a gentleman in a neighbouring, town to his friend in this city. DEAR SIR, THE newspapers you fentme containing two *letters, wrote by some members of the House of Representatives to their conftituenu in Pennsylvania, ujion the fubjett of compensations, andinjuftifi cation of the fame, as agreed to by t.ie House, have come fafe tc hand. I have read these letters with attention and surprise ; and it is difficult for me to suppress my wonder, that gentlemen can adopt such exceeding weak and inconsistent arguments in juftifica tion of a measure which they declare themfelvcs to be convinced of the propriety of. There is scarce any one thing that gives one a more unfavorable opinion of public measures, and leads more to a doubt of their utility, than to find weak and flimfy arguments of fered in support thereof,by their warmest advocates. But these letter writers do not stop here; for their arguments and reasoning, weak as they appear to be,are yet fouonded upon misrepresentation, and a reference to fads which have no real existence. What can be more distant from truth than to fay, as one of them does, that fix dpllars a day is less than was given under the articles of con federation by the States, except New-Jersey ? Thefaft is, New- Hamplhire, MalTachufetts, Conne&icut, and some others, for years, gave their delegates no more than five dollars a day ; and this fuin under circumstances very disadvantageous to the receiver. He fays further " that Massachusetts gave her delegates a guinea a day and paid all their expences of board&c. befidesThis is totally falfe. In r.o period, if I have been rightly informed, did the Common wealth of Massachusetts allow her delegates, under the old con federation, a guinea a day, and pay their expences besides; but on the contrary, for two or three years, that Commonwealth paid their only dollars a day, out of which they paid their expences. Surely this writer must have been ignorant of the fa£ta, or he was difpoled to lead his correspondents, and through them as a medium ot communication, his constituents, into an error. Gentlemen who mean to reason, and draw conclusions from fatts, ought to be careful that their facts are true : But in the present cafe, it seems not to have been advantageous to the let ter-writer's object, which was to jujlify to his constituents, the com penfalions allowed themselves and under officers, to fuffer the truth of fact to be known ; for had he done this, they would have drawn conclusions, and justly too, the reverse of what he wished to put into their mouths. MalTachufetts never gave more than fix dollars a day ; and but a very tew years, when money was scarce half so valuable as at this time, did they come up to that sum.—The fame is fa£t with many other States. He is equally mistaken when he advances that had a medium been struck from the guides left by the States, the wages of the members would have been nearer seven than fix dollars: For if an accurate enquiry be made, I doubt not but it will appear, that a majority of the States, for half the time under the confederation or more, have given a sum under fix dollars, taking into con sideration the value of money during that and the present piods : and in general have verged father towards a sum under than over fix dollars. But these letter-writers drive on with one misrepre sentation upon the back of another, as though they were deter mined to confound the understandings of their constituents with falfehoods, or run themselves out of all credit upon this fubjeft; and I am suspicious that the latter would be the cafe were the whole truth to be known. In the rage of juftifyingtheir condu& to their constituents, one of them hesitates not to declare, " that " the sums granted by the States to their delegates were paid dur " whole year; whereas, the sum voted for us (that is the " present Members of Congress) will be paid only two or three " months in a year." Is the author of this aflertion an honest man J If you answer in the affirmative, I must reply, he has undertaken to write upon a fubjeft of which he is most consummately igno rant : or so prejudiced in favour of his fix dollars a day, that every thing entering his mind is immediately converted into an argu ment to juftify the measure, I think I may fay with truth, that not more than two States have uniformly allowed their delegates a salary by the year. Indeed I doubt whether any State has done this, but South-Carolina. But how does this wonderful logician know that Congress will set only two or three months in a year? Admiting, however, that in some future years two or three months a year will be fufficient for Congress to discharge the duties required ot them by the citizens of the United States ; artd that fix dollars a day will be a moderate compensation for their service' and time then rendered their constituents : I fay admitting this tc be true, how does it juftify, or even look like a allow ing that sum to the Members of Congress at this time, since the} will be employed more than eight months a year during the pre sent ele&ion. This writer evidently admits, that the pay of the Members ought to be in some inverse ratio of the sum to the time they fliall be employed at Congress : That is if they are employ, ed two or three months in a year fix dollars is a moderatate com penfation.—lf a longer time a smaller sum will be just. But here he has forgot the force of his own argument, and fixed a sum, which would be reafonablc when the members are engaged onl) two or three months in a year, v for their pay now they are a&ual. ly employed fix months, and perhaps more in a year. But the real truth of the matter, I believe is this, those who advocate hjgh pay want the money.—They are sensible the sums the House has agreed upon are high,compared with the general sense of theii constituents, or to the grounds on which compensation is usually founded, and they are now drove to mifrepiefentation and sophis try to juftify their conduct. " Our constituents," continues one of these letters, " in complain *' 2n gi f or g ct - the facrifice we make of domestic happiness, time, and even " health to their ferviceTo this I cannot help observing, I am not acquainted with any scale, by which diuinal pay or compen sation can be adjusted, as an equivolent, for the facrifice of do mestic bapppineis; therefore*, till he or some body else shall sup ply me with one, I am unable to fay that fix dollars a day is ei ther too much or too little, on this account: I am of opinion, however, that domestic happiness is a very uncertain rule to ad just pecuniary compensations by ; and were we to judge from the apparent willingness that some tarry at the feat of government, it would be doubtful whether their 'being from home ought to operate to the increase or diminution of their compensation on the score of domestic happiness. As to the facrifice of health, I don't know that a gentleman riiques his health in attending Congress, where they set not more than three or four hours in a day, and frequently not more than five days in a week : That is twenty-five or thirty hours in seven days ! Very tender and delicate indeed , our Members of Congress are grown all at once. If I did not apprehend the ladies would look upon it an usurpation of their department, I would propose that these extreme delicate temier gentlemen should be recalled from the laborious, fatiguing employment of walking to the Fe der.il Hall and setting there three or four hours in a day for five days in a week, and put to knitting; or if that be too hard for them to handling the cambric needle. . Not many days since I fell in company with one of the Members of Congress, whole countenance was plenary evidence that roast beef and generous wine were his favorites; and yet he complained most bitterly of ili health and want of exercise.—l aiked him if he took the air every morning—for Congress not meeting till eleven,the members had abundant of time to walk or ride both for health and amufc ment. Oh dear, replied the ruqdy picture of health andftrcngth, I cannot rife early enough in the morning for that; my health wont admit my rising before eight or nine ; and then I have barely time to dress before breakfaft, which brings eleven o'clock. Poor fee ble son of Mars, quoth I, I pity you; sleep and delicacy will hurt you more than the duties of your office. So we parted. * The letters here refer edto, werefrftpublif.cu in the Ncv-YoYk Daily Gazette t on the i\lh and %\ft of A u gift. Canthefe letter writers be serious when they offer such reasons as are contained in their letters, to their constituents tojuftify their cbnduft to them in advocating grants of money which they eftecm prof life ? If these arguments fatisfy their constituents, I am grieved tor their want of information, and confefs to you that I have mis taken their charatter. Many circumstances have led me to believe the great body of the people in Pennfylvama to be a well inform ed, judicious people ; whence I conclude they will relent, with just indignation, the attempt these letter writers have made to fatts, and impose error, instead of truth, upon their undei (landings. I would here close my letter, for I fear it is already too long, but there is one argument made use of in these letters, which I wish to remark upon; also because it is a favorite topic with those who advocate high compensations : Indeed it has so o fieri been employed, as appears by the news-papers and the debates of Congress, that it actually (lips out on all occasions; it seems to be used like the quack's noflrum, as a remedy for all difcafes. The argument is couched in the following sentence : 44 If that policy " (hould govern which you speak of in your letter, you can never " expett men offmall fortune to accept feats in Congrefs,and many " such possess eminent talents for public life. On the contrary " your government will be administered only by a few arifto •c cratic nabobs, who can afford to live without wages upon the " income of large estates." I really wish this letter had pointed out, or laid down some other clue than he has, by which these rich men, or nabobs might be found, who, he fays, will be willing to serve in Congress without wages. I declare to you, Sir, I have found none of this deficription in the course of my acquaintance ; and I have good evidence to believe there are none in America. For many years I have been attentive to the conduftof man—l have watched the rich, or as he expresses the fame character, thenabobs\ and the poor, or men of small fortunes ; and the uniform tenor of conduct exhibited to the world by these two descriptions of men has convinced me that the position contained in the quotation not true : Because I find that mtnoifmallfortvnes, among whom, tis confefled there are gentlemen of eminent abilities for pub blie service, arc generally fatisfied with less sums, by way. of com - penfation for services rendered the public, than those nabobs, into whose hands he is fearful the administration of government will fall. Therefore, to avoid what this lettcrfo much fears, and what all friends to their country miift deprecate as the greatest calamity that can befall the people, that ij the adminiflretion of our federai government by nabobs, the fabrics and compensations for public services mull be moderate. If the just sum could be known, it would be better for the public that the salaries and compensations mould fall short than exeeed that sum. Pray look round .you, my friend, and fee who they are that raise this cry against mode rate compensations. Are they the men of small fortunes ? No. They are either the ariflocratic nabobs themselves ; or such as wish to become nabobs, and will plunder the public rather than not gain their point. It is an uncontrovertable truth,that he who pofiefTes much wants more in proportion to what he has already obtained. So that to fatisfy these rich men or nabobs t by increasing their pay, is equally absurd, as it would be to attempt to conquer death by filling the grave with the carcasses of dead men. Theexpences of rich men and nabobs are great, consequently it is such only who cry out against small compensations in favor of great ones. These can not relide at the feat of government without expending large sums of money : They, from habits of luxury and diflipation, must keep up that deportment of the gentleman which peculiarly requires fix or seven dollars to discharge their daily expenditures. But nabobs will never fubjeft themselves to such anexpenfive situation, provided they must draw upon their own fortunes, instead of compensations from the public, for what they expend. On the other'hand, men of fmallfortunes, from which class of citizens we must look for men of eminent talents as well as integri ty and patriotism, have been educated in a mode of life that natu rally creates habits of frugality, economy, attention to business, and ufeful information. The expences of these are small; their views are regulated more by the rules of private convenience and public neceflity, than the van parade of a court, or the trifling, tlio' expensive round of etiquette. The expences of these two claffci of men are effcntially different, being regulated on differ ent principles : Those of the former are fubjeft to the whim and caprice of folly and fafhion—the latter to economy and prudence, Hence, if you contemplate the nature of man, with the views and pa (lions of those two classes, that is, the nabobs and men of small fortunes, you will not hesitate to fay, these letter-writers are mistaken in their reasonings and conclusions, as well as the facts they would found their arguments upon. When this fubjett is duly examined, it appears to me, that A merica has nothing to fear from Congress fixing the salaries and compensations small and moderate. This measure will always secure the attention of men of small fortunes, whom it is an objetl of importance to bring into the administration*. While high sa laries and profufe compensation will hold out allurements to fpendtjji ifts and nabohs, from whose sentiments and manners Americi has every evil to apprehend. One principle more is held up in these letters, most pernicious to a republican government, which I (hall barely mention and bid you adieu. It is that salaries and compensations (hould be so high as very few persons dare prefentthemfelves as'candidates. However thecitizens of Peiinfvlvania may swallow down such sentiments, because they come from their representatives ; I hope andtruft, they will be reprobated by every true republican whole heart beats for his country's good. Good God ! Are the Le gislators of America advised to affix such compensations as a re ward for public services, that none but the rich and the nabobs dare alpire toj —when these sentiments are adopted and pra&ifed upon in AmeFica—then certainly we may join these despotic letter wri ters, and fay, fareiuel to the liberties of our country." EUROPEAN ACCOUNTS, BY LATE ARRIVALS. CONSTANTINOPLE, APRIL 7. The second division of the fleet has left the arse nal, composed of four /hips of the line, from 50 to 60 guns, and fix frigates ; they are waiting for sailors from the Black-Sea, where orders have been fentto enlist them. All the maritime forces are, according to the orders of the late Sultan, to join at Bujukdere, and be ready to fail by the 22A inft. but the departure of the grand fleet depends upon the return of the firft division, and the designs of Selirn 111, which are not yet known. April 2J. Among the troops that are filing off from Constantinople, five companies of Janiflaries, of 1000 men each, quarrelling among themselves' on their arrival at Pontepiccoli, a dreadful maf l'acre took place, insomuch, that of the 5000 very few arrived at the camp. BERLIN, MAY 30. We learn from JafFy, that the defeat of Ibraliam Rafla, by the Ruffian general Dorfeld, has had such an effeel upon the Turks, that they have ab solutely abandoned the strong fortrels of Brahilow and the Ruffians are marching to take pofleflion of it. Galacz is strongly garrisoned by the Ruf iians, who have found a rich booty in that place the capture of which cuts off all communication between Wallachia and Siliftria, with Rufchuk and other places on the Danube. LONDON, MAT Ij. A question of pretty general confer* was deci<t ed on Saturday in the Court of King's Bench " Whether a person, at an audion, S had retnft a bidding, previous to the lot beWkno C k ed down ? It was contended that l, e had upon the grounds that the conditions ex-nJii Hated that the last bidder should be the W? and that a perfpn's firit bidding, .and being s liberty to retract, might prove injurious to oro percy , by conveying an idea to the company thai some defect had been discovered : but tl s J over-ruled by the court, who observed that tl make a contract binding the consent of both oar ties was neceflary ; whereas in this cafe, the bid" ding was a mere offer on one fide, which was not accepted by the other until the hammer wasac tually down ; and therefore the party had certain ly a right to retract while that was fufjpcnded. JUNE 20. ExtraCl of a letter front Paris, June i. - De ,a layette continues to ast a fteadv faithful part in favor of the rights of mankind " The Comte de Mirabeau, by a series of pro' ftitute, unprincipled conduct, has loft all the weight he might have had, and to which his talents and enlightened mind entitled him on this glorious occalion. " M. le Meunier, one of the deputies for Dan phiny, and mover of the glorious revolution, last year, in that province, is looked up to with hope and confidence by the nation. " The disputes between the Three Mates are far from being in a train of accommodation. The Noblefle, at leaftat Paris, liaverefumed that hau. teur which we imagined they had been inclined to lay aside. The Clergy began to repent ofthe concessions which they made to the Tiers Etat, who, oil their fide are determined to throw down every barrier between the people and the honors of the state, and to abolish every odious diftin&ion between the various clafTes of citizens.—A fracas happened last week on the Point Neuf, whichwas attended with the most serious consequence.—The Count de B lie, riding furioufly, and without giving notice, in a pha:ton and four, over the bridge, rail down several pedestrians. One un fortunate man loft his life, and several had their limbs desperately crushed. A general cry of " Arretez, arretcz le foutre," was vociferated from all fides. In a moment the carriage was flopped—the mob dragged from his feat the trem bling patrician, and regardless of his cries and piteous intreaties threw him headlong from the bridge, just by the equestrian statue of King Hen ry the Fourth, i his miserable martyr to intem perate infolence,wasin an instant dashed to pieces: in his fall. Not fatisfied with this vengeance, the populace proceeded to demolish the carriage, which they broke into a thousand fragments." Among other privileges now contending for by the French nation, is that of trial by jury, which if once established, will for ever secure their political and personal liberties 011 a basis so firm as can not be overturned, but by a power that mult convulse the whole kingdom, and tear up all remains of civil liberty by the very roots, July 2. The Romulus of America, General Wafliington, palled, 011 the 21ft of April last, un der the Triumphal Arch erecte4 on Trenton bridge. He was attended by a procession, part of which confiding of females, drefled in white, preceded him,ftrewing roses, andfinging an ode. Sir William Howe, when he left Philadelphia, carried a Triumphal Arch to be eredted, under which he walked with his brother, Lord Howe, both crowned with laurel. We never heard vihj! CONGRESS of the UNITED STATES. Begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine. An ACT for fettling the Accounts letinicn tht United States and individual States. BE it enaClcdby the Senate and House of Reprtftfr tatives of the United "States of America in Congrcji assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is impoweredto nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to appoint such person or persons as he may think proper, for supplying any vacancy that now is, or may hereafter take place in the Board of Com miflioners, eftabliflid by an ordinance of the late Congress, of the seventh of May, one thou fan seven hundred and eighty-seven, to carry lIItO effedl the said ordinance and resolutions of Con gress, for the settlement of accounts between the United States and individual States. , And be it further enaßed, That the said Boar of Connniffioners be, and they hereby are j®* powered to appoint a chief clerk, and such ot clerks as the duties of their office may require, and that the pay of the said chief clerk be i hundred dollars per annum, and ofeachot' er clerk four hundred dollars per annum. FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG- Speaker of the Ho.Je ofß,p"f<f' '' JOHN ADAMS, Vice-Prcfident of the Uvtled H"' ' and Pre/idevt of the SetM APPROV ID, AUGUST the sth, 1789. j C#*#/f GEORGE WASHINGTON, Prrfidcvt of the United 1 Publiflied by JOHN FENNO, No. 9, MaH> ek " Lani, ncarthe Ofwego-Market, Niw-York. —[3M/ r,al '
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