Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-02-19
FOR rHE vIRers1a ADVOCATE.
REFORM, INFRINGEMENT, AND ECONOMY.

| REFORM, INFRINGEMENT, AND ECONOMY
.Iessrs. Edtors-We have an old proyerb
which says, that 8" the fartl,est way around, is
sometimes the nearest way home" From the
late report Of bill, by The committee of re-
t.enchment, in the House of Representatives in
Congress, to regulate the manner of estimating
the distances travelled by the members, in going
| to, and returning from, their seats in Congress
or what is called their mileage, it appears that
| some Of the members have felt very sensibly
| The truth contained in. our homely proverb
AMI have practised it very pro6abIy, at least for
the mselvcs as individuals
70: the performance of the travelling par. OF
their duty, the law has heretofore very Justly
and literally allowed them eight dollars, or one
days pay, for every twenty miles they have to
travel in going 10, and returning from, their
seats in Congress. | have not the compensation
law now before me, and do not recolIect the
precise terms made use of upon this point But
consider the precise phraseology of little inn
portance, in case like this, or even in the case
OF tra' OF one of these honorable members, in
court OF justice for perjury and swindiing, in
hichng more money from the public treasury.
struction of the law would allow them to 70.
celve No man of common sense and candour
can hesitate for moment, in percciving, that
the true and manifest meaning of the law is.
that the members of Congress shall receive com.
Pensation for mileage computed by tho common
ana direct road for travelling, from the neigh
bourhood OF their residence, to and from the
seat Of government
But, it seems, that these ingenious and high
taten.cd membors, in deysing the ways and
means to fitch, from the public treasury, ten or
twenty ta,onts, instead of five, or none, have
found out more convenient, or at least, a more
profitable route than the direct road to the place
OF the most interesting and important transac-
tons OF this great Union; place, the very
name of which ought to awaken and inspire the
Purest and most exalted feelings and practice of
honour, fidelity and patriotism. These pentIe |
men have found out, that, for them, in perform.
ing tbor congressional journies, the farthest
way around, is the nearest way home When
about to set ONT they do not regard The no;nt of
The compass towards which the City of Wash.
ngton pay happen to lie from their homes-l
They look carefully and calculatinplv all \.
round them. If their homes were in ORANGE
Or Albemarle, in Virginia, as Mr.. Barbour's and
General GordoDs, are, they would not com.
ncnce their journey by travelling towards the
North East, the true course 10 the Civ oil
Washington. They would take the public
fage, and travel South West, twenty or thirty
niles to Charlottesville. Thence, twenty or
hirty miles South West, to Scottsville, or War.
cn, on James River. Thence, by the mean |
Ierlngs of the River, s. f., one hundred instead
# eighty miles, to Richmond, and remain there |
or some days, to hear the able, interesting, and |
important, debates of the late Virginia ConVen.
ION composed Of talents in argument and elo
inence well qualified 10 susteiit the established
onown OF The Old Dominion" Thence. bv
team boat, down James River, by its meonder
rs, and UP Eizabot., River, TO NorGIk