Holly Springs gazette., 1845-05-17
PROFLIGACY AND EXTRAVA-
GANCE.

Among the grounds of objection. urged
by Fleming Bowysr Miller. Esq. the '.in.
Dependent Locosoco candidatefor Congress
in ,he Botetoui. district to the reelection
| of his competitor, Gea. A. A. Chapman. is
vote given by that gentleman. OF the last
session. for an appropriation OF $4,000 for
the purchase of books, for distribution a.
mong the members of Congress. And we
should certainly regard il very valid oo'
jection to any nah-Uuder the law of
Congress which authorizes each House to
supply itself with such stationary, books.
sc. as may be accessory for as ase. it was
surely never contemplated that the members
should supply their private Libraries at the
public expenses-or what is, if possible still
more Objectionable, they should give the
publisher six or seven dollars volume for
books, which they do not want, either for
use" in their official duties. or for their
Libraries, and which they afterw sell to
booksellers and others for less than half
the sum given for them to the publishers by
the government and put the proceeds in
ihei: pockets--as it is alleged was done by
many members at the last session Of Con-
gress The sum Of money appropriated
for ibe pur ehase of books al the late session,
as we above remarked;-and this was done
under the plausible but erroneous pretext
that books, CONSISTING of State Papers,
Register of Debates. Ezra Globe. Ameri-
can Archives. SC. are necessary to enable
members ntelligently to discharge their
duties Yet it is charged by the N. Y.
Journal of Commence that something like
seventy of the members afterwards sold
their allotted share ofthese books. for which
the government paid about $500. 10 a siu-
gle "speculator." who gave them $500 for
them "Thus (says the Jeurnal) 5000
were voted cut OF the national treasury for
the sake of putting $500 into the pockets of
these individuals. There can he no more
disgraceful breach OF trust than this"
The Journal adds-.If Congress held
its sessions in New York, such robbery
would be exposed and pu, down. But In
Washington all the newspapers are SO de-
pendent upon Congress for their profits,
and in fact their existence, that they dare
not speax out upon such topic. The
name of every man who voted for these ap
preparations ought to be held up 10 the pub
lie gaze and TO pubic indignation. Things
have come to such pass, that any member
of Congress who attemps to stop these un-
blushing proceedings is bur laughed at.and
unless something etfectual is done, the mis-
chief will GO on until the members just emp
ty the treasury into their own pockets"
Another of the fragrant abuses perpetra-
led last winter grew out of the very remar-
kable construction given to the Mileage
Law by the new Vice President, Mr.. Dal.
las--a construction by which Senators. who
did not leave Washington city. were de-
cidcd 10 have travelled to and from their
respective residences. between A. NJ. on
the 4th of March when Congress adjourned,
and IL o'clock next day, when the Senate
was Teconvened by the new President l.
A letter from Washington. says: These
constructive journeys, which Mr.. Vice
President Dallas authorized to be paid for,
aud decided should be paid out of the pub.
lie money, are an item in his account with
the people, for which he will be held to
stric, accountability. A more profligate
expenditure Of the public money has not
been made for long time. The following
Senators, acting under this construction.
have received the sums set against their
names respectively: