"That the President of the United States shall not allow to any Minister Plenipotentiary to France, Great Britain, or Spain, more than $9,000 per annum, nor to any other Minister Plenipotentiary more than $6,000."
This amendment was negatived, there being only 48 votes in its favor.
The blanks in the bill were next to be filled; the first, which was the permanent allowance, was filled with $40,000; the next, which was an extraordinary appropriation for this year, with $28,650. Before the latter sum was agreed upon,
Mr. Livingston inquired whether the sum of between two and three thousand dollars, which he thought had been lavished away, said to be expended on persons taking leave from this country, was included in the incidental expenses which were contained under this head? He thought such an expenditure of money forbidden by the constitution.
Mr. Harper believed the incidental expenses mentioned in the estimate were expenses of our Ministers abroad.
Mr. Nicholas understood that three Secretaries were allowed the mission at present in France. He thought this was as novel as it was unnecessary; as he believed one Secretary was sufficient for the whole. The United States had employed a number of missions at different times, but never allowed more than one Secretary to each. He had thought the law would not have warranted the practice; but on examining it, he supposed it did.
Mr. Harper said every Minister employed was entitled to a Secretary; the President had accordingly appointed one to each, and he could not see upon what ground the House could object to appropriating for their salaries.
Mr. Nicholas answered, that as the law admitted of it, he should not object to the appropriation but he should move an amendment to prevent more than one secretary to a mission in future.
The committee then rose and reported the bill with the amendments; which being taken up in the House and agreed to, Mr. Nicholas renewed his amendment to limit the salaries of Ministers Plenipotentiary to London, Paris, and Madrid, to nine thousand dollars a year, and all others to four thousand five hundred dollars, and called the yeas and nays upon it, which were taken and resulted, yeas 48, nays 52.
Mr. S. Smith then renewed his motion for limiting the salaries of Ministers to London, Paris, and Madrid, to nine thousand dollars, and others to six thousand dollars, and called the yeas and nays upon it, which were taken, and were exactly the same as upon the former question.