American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-03-23

Nllnk LndL, III Justice IL OuSul W De Iudue'
THE DIFFERENCE. IF poor man or hi,
widow comes before Congress, asking for
pension for services rendered TO his country
his claims are examined with the utmost mi
nuteness, his vouchers must be exact, and, il
he be unable to demonstrate beyond the sha.
dow ofdoubt, that the pension should be gran
ted it is refIsed-and thus the aged petitioner
is sent away to beg or to starve, that the public
treasury may be saved the annual expense of a
few dollars. But let the opportunity occur of
voting to partizan editor, in the shape of ex-
ira printing, some twenty or thirty thousand
dollars per annum-or be it a vote of books for
Abe private use of members-and there is no
hestancy; no scruples of conscience; no regard
FOR the public treasury. Private claims against
Government are postponed from year to year,
until the effort to obtain Justice costs more
lhan the claim is worth; whilst the per diem
of members is voted without remark or a mo-
nent's delay; and they receive their eight dol
lars per day whether present or absent
whether they attend to their private concerns
OF those of the public. Such is the justice a.
Warded under our republican system of gov
ernment. The poor are spurned from the
halls of legislation, whilst the insolent and
worthless member of Congress, who spends his
nights in carousing and his days in bed, pock-
sts his eight dollars per day, and eGtras, and
has ''no compunctious visitings of conscience"
because he is insensible to the finer feelings of
human nature, and callous to the demands of
Justice. And such men claim to be ranked
land perhaps JUSTIFY amongst modern patriots,
who shout for national honor and the dear
people, without comprehending the one, or re.
yarding the interests of the other. We have
beautiful theory Of Government, but its ben.
efcial influence is destroyed by sending men
10 Congress on mere party grounds, without
reference to their moral or intellectual qualfi-
cations. Dissipated men, in particular, should
be excluded from the halls of legislation, as
they disgrace both themselves and their con,
slituents; retard public business, and bring the
representative character into utter contempt.
The following propositions have been sub.
nitted to the consideration of the House OF
Representatives, by Mr.. Bowlin, as amend
ments to the mileage BILL but we do not enter
lain the slightest expectation that they will be
adopted on the contrary, we think it probable
that they will be rejected with an unanimity
pnexampled excepting upon the bill to pay the
e INa cbnnIi IIo
were possible, to have the yeas and nays called
upon their passage, that it might be seen who
are for, and who against, plundcring the peo-
pie.
SEC. - That no member be allowed pay for
any dav that he does not actually attend the
sitting of the House if in session that day, I'M
less absent by its order on the business of the
House. or prevented from attending by sick
ness: and the failure of any member to answer
10 his name on the call of the House, or on the
call of the ayes and noes, shall constitute him
an absentee for the day, unless it appears from
the Journals of the House that he was absent
by its order, or be excused for sickness on the
certificate of a physician; and no member alb
sent from the House for his own business or
pleasure, and with or without the leave of the
House, shall receive any pay for the time he Is
so absent.
SEC. - That ii shall be the duty of the CLERK
of the House, at least once every day, to fu.-
nish the Sergeant-at-Arms with list of those
members who, on the preceding day, failed al
any one time to answer to their names, either
upon call of the House, or on the ayes md
noes; and the Sergeant-at-Arms, upon receiy-
ING sucli list, shall charge the members so alb.
sent. and shall take from his gross nav in the
settlement of his account, the amount of one
days pay for every day so absent.
SPECIE. 1t is supposed that the specie in
Europe and America is at least $4,000 900, and
chat the United States is entitled to S257 900,
ano -ha;no ahont ia nor head for every inha