Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-02-19

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and important olfsrrngs of our second war for |
Thence, Eastward, to the very
chops of Cape Charles and Capo Henry, for |
good distance Northwardy, up tho Cheese
peak to Baltimore, having uuiinckily embarked
in tho steam boat bo'nd directly to that city
Thence, down, from Baltimore, (charyinp fol
up and down again. to tho mouth IF tic Poto.
mac. Thence, up tho Potomac, Westwardly,
to George Town And thence, last and least,
and it would seem, most reluctantly. Eastward
ly, 10 the City of Washington, there to receive,
during the session (wheiher they attend and
earn it or not, by making long speeches about
retrenchment and cconomy,) eight dollars n
day, having first received and pocketcd four
hundred dollars for performing amusing, profit
able, constructive journies instead of fifty dol
lars for one hundred miles, the real distance, by
the common stage road, from their homes to tho
City of Washington. Indeed, il is said to DO a
frequent practice for members, upon their arri.
val, at the commencement of session, to make
sure work, and draw Immediately their com
pensation for returning as well as coming; and
running tue risk of never returning, by dying,
and being buried there at the public expeucc,
leaving in their pockets some thousands of dol
lars which they had obtained in the manner we
have just attempted to describe.
And now gentle aud honorable reader, ic any
such had have tho patience to accompany us in
our CONSTRUCTING journey of mileage to Congress,
what think you OF our dependence, for reform,
retrenchment and economy, in the administra-
ton ofour concerns by the General Government.
upon those who claim and receive paw for tho
performance of such journies. What would
the good people of Orange, of Albemarle, &c,
say, if Mr.. Barbour, Genl Gordon, Genl. Smith.
NC. were to make such charges, upon honour,
against the Treasury of the United States
Being one of her native, but obscure and hum
BILE sons, it would not well become us. tn boast
OF the Antient Dominion, or Of any thinp that
Is hers. But being upon this subject, we can
not refrain from saying, that it is her happy for
tune, to feel just confidence, that her public
representatives are as far from being capable of
perpetrating such groveling frauds upon the
pubic as the trne and plain meaning of the law
Is rom Justity'ng them. And 10 refer TO IN ex-
ample OF the principles ard feelings of Virgini-
ans, upon subjects of this kind, we will suggest.
TO the recollection of our readers, the manner
In which some Of the most eminent members
who have ever been in her representation. with.
III Inc last thirty years, the political fathers of
The best of all constituents were received bv
their " chiidren,' upon their return to them.
not after constructive journey, but after hay
ing voted tor raising their own compensation,
by making it liked salary instead of daily wa.
ges. 1t may be within the recollection of our
readers, that some of our members were very
roughly handled by their constituents for their
conduct on this occasion, son accosss Of its sun
posed inda!icacy, though there was nothing in
1t but what IS expressly authorised by the Con-
stitution.
But we arc not set done with these construc-
i've Journics. Mr.. Wicklff, in defending the
bill on this subject, reported from the COM
mittee of retrenclmenl, stated in the house
mat there had been case, in which late mem
Der OF that House had not only charged mileage
lot more than four times the common distance
OF travelling from his residence to the seat of
government, but had actually gone back. and
altered his account for mileage, for two or three
past sessions, and had claimed and received
compensation for them by new bill for circui-
tous constructive journics. nc these thinrs are
permitted IN the " green tree" Messrs Editors.
what are we to expect in the dry ?" And &c it is
you, and /, and honest Casca," who have 10 nav
for these things. And we shall cont;nne n n,y
Tor them, notwithstanding all we hear of reform
.e"ench!neh', and economy, unless the people
interfere, and look into these abuses, and make
their representatives understand, that thew are
not only to keep their own hands pure from such
pollution, but invidious and odious as the In az
may be to members of honorable and delicate
i'e"ngs' sense OF duty to the public, 10 their
and to their own character. must
screw their courage to the point of cxposino
md denouncing to public Indignation and scorn
'uch conduct as tins even in their fellow men,
'ers' and OF making those who are guilty of it
|" fixed figures for the hand of scorn to point her
slowly moving finger at.
We are sensible that it would be iniud;sions
md unsuitable for our purpose, to make tb,se
Observations as long and tedious to your readers
is the circuitous journies which they are in |
ended to curtail. But we cannot conclude |
without noticing the manner in which Mr.
fickllh s Dill was received by other members. |
Vhen It was reported TO the House. Neither |
he manner nor the matter presented by their |
observations appear to us to be well suited 10 Che
uoJect and to the occasion. 1t is true that no |
nember had the hardihood and effrontery to |
Use IN his place and openly justify the abuse
'hich The bill was intended 10 correct. But
he tone and spirit Of their observations do not
eem to be adapted or intended to give aid and
Encouragement to the bin, OF to secure the oh
'ct OF the bill All agreed that the object was
ood' But, instead of open and indignant con-
emnation of disgraceful ffaud, and such suo.
estlons as are adapted to suppress it, by giving
t'IIty and efficiency to the bill, dsapprobation
the practice which had given rise to il was