Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-12-30

rated, where the windings Of the river had led
TO circui'ous route There was an intrinsic
difficulty 10 bringing this matter TO ma,hema
tical precision. He agreed with his coll. ague
that, when gentlemen took the me.nderpg
course Of the river, the effect nigh, be to dou-
BILE the dis snce, and emile If The distance
were calculated on that basis, TO double COM
prnsa,ion. He expressed his doubt whether
the Committee on Re,renchmen, had not gone
little 100 far, when they proposed 10 subject
Numbers Of Congress, and in using hat ex-
preston he did not mean to assert that being
Member OF Congress conferred any claim TO
special respect, except in reference 10 the poo.
pie represented, 10 the obligation which the bill
stipulated He had doubts il his respect for
his constituents would permit him TO go to he
Posmas,er General, or 10 send to him any OH
Ger Of this House, to obtain check upon any
Member Of Congress, lest he nigh, receive a
few dollars more than was his due. lie did
not neon to make any charge agalns, The mo-
lives OF The COMMITTEE. He was sure the
Committee were governed by pure MOVIES,
aud probably by more wisdom than he possess
ed. Although he might differ from them in
opinion, they nigh, be in The right and h. in
the wrong But as the only complain WAS
founded on the circumstance Of one member
having taken the water route as the basis OF his
calc ulalion, he did no, think there was any me-
cessity for going TO the Postmaster General for
remedy The usual practice, he said, had
been TO ascertain the amount of mileage from
the statement Of members themselves. IL
Clerk OF the House were in doubt, he had a
right 10 call on any other person Tor informa-
iioa. But he would ask his colleague, II In
thirty or forty years experience, there had &C.
Cured some errors, and where is there any ex-
perirnce OF hat ex ent free from error? whence
The necessity of this compile r. volu,Ion Of the
old practice! IL we deposi, this power in The
hands Of the Postmaster General, il Is not TO
be expected but that in thirty or forty wears
there will De exhibited some evil. He thought
the necessity for determining the difference be,
tween the land and water route, did not require
this new arrangement. He thought also that
much additional labor and cost would be the
result OF is adoption, as il would be necessary
TO make new computation tor every new
member who should be elected. With these
views and in expressing mis- own opinions, be
did not wish 10 bring himself in confc with
any gentlemap; he was disposed to yo Elm favor
Of he amen 'm"n, and against any reftreace 10
the Postmaster Genes al.
Mr.. BUReEs SAID he had ne wish nor inen-
ton 10 make any reflection On The members II
he Committee ON Rrtrenc hment, nor TO in
crease their llbofs But he thought that IL
might be desirable to lay before the Hosse the
grounds upon which The bill had been report
cd, lfnmhing more than mere mistakes had
occurred, i, would be no dragging OF members
before the House, to show where thy had oc'
CURED There could be no doubt that every
gentleman considered himself entitled what
ne receiud: and no one would be unwilling
~ t,k. HI,
therefore sill thought tina, II would lead 10
beneficial result il The committee were ealird
OH 10 make report. As 10 the whole range
Of the land conveyance Of the United States, IL
did no. appear ,ha' any mi-takes had been
commiled In III, steamboat Darigalion tte'c
Nigh, b. differences in the Compu alton, but
these diff rences would be uncomfortable -
Every gentleman takes The rou'e which is mos,
usually travelled. Those who live in The vici-
ni'y of rivers will travel by Fam boa,s. The
error may have arisen II om The fact that gen
iemau travelling by water Considers himself
cnriilcd % pay for the whole distance which Is
hus rraversed. ]" provide remedy AGAINST
this, we might make provision, hat the route
snail be by he ] nd, aud not by the river That
would remedy The evil. II would then be fo
he offcers Of the House 10 determine the dis
ance and compensation. He did nos believe
any gentleman would sake more money for
mileage than In was entitled TO.
Mr. COULTER stated that this subject had
be en- before the committee raised III session
preceding The last, and that they had found all
the facts which constituted The basis 81 the
present bill. II no bill was then reported, il
wa. because there had not been time The
bill now reported was ca the facts which were
then found. If those facts were true and that
they were rue, was TO be inferred from their
no, having bren called in quesiion-,hen was
some remedy necessary. II appeared either
that the provisions If this old law were dsfte-
tive. or that anusc had erept into the pr"ceed-
ings under il. he believed he subordinate
officers had d,ne their duty. The bill had oc-
cupicd the attention OF a former House, & i is
as easy to pass the bill, if remedy be required,
as 10 reject it. He adm ted the possibility OF
this law being abused; but he ASKED what hu-
man law there is which may nor be ahused?-
Ii is impossible 10 cree, barrier agaius, hu
man INGENUITY ~ hich shall be imDasslJie The