New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-01-13
The Mileage Debate.
reported for The Tribua,.


HovsE OF REpRrsySrArIvEs Thursday. Jan IL.
Mr.. VESABLE Of N. Z. having concluded,
Mr. GArKLKY Of n. Y who had been three days
struggling for the floor obtained H. aud proceeded to
say;
Mr.. CBAIRMAs-The gentleman from North
Carolina Mr.. Y. submits a proposition looking
to q very thorough and sweeping Mileage he
form, yet makes "A speech against such Reform,
and more particularly against his own propOs
Ii applies with far greater force TO that than the
proposition Of the gentleman from Indiana, Mr.
EMBREy The latter would still leave 70 the
Members from distant States a decided advantage
Ia the matter of Mileage, which the gentleman
from North Carolina argues that they should have,
while his own proposition would take II entirely
away. ] am at loss whether 20 support the
views embodied in the gentlemans speech and
oppose his amendment. or support his amend
ment in opposition 70 his speech. | am not
sure that ! shall not vote for his PROPOSE
ton, but then there is very much force in
the opposing considerations presented In ms
Speech. IL IL very true, Sir, that gentlemen from
distant States have to endure n protracted separa-
ton from their families Tor bring them here az
great expense) and 10 iorego all supervision OF
their personal interests and business, 70 a degree
not required of Members who live near this Met
ropois. And am not sure that the system OF
Mileage, amended as is proposed 10y the sentle-
man from Indiana, is not the sirost and most equal
system that could be devised. That would leave
10 the remoter Members 81 600 to : 800 each per
session more compensation than We from this
neighborhood receive-more than twice as much
ss we have at each Short Session like the present.
That would be generous 10 the Members from a
distance, and wish TO be | appreciate the
force OF the suggestions of the gentleman as 10 the
blessings OF this Mon and the importance Of
strengthening its bonds and will do whatever is
Just and lit to confirm the attachment OF the re
moi IN nj and IN III
ITS Metropolis
Bat, Mr.. Chairman, object to the present Mile
age system as grossly unfair and unjust. Ii gives
part Of the Members OF this House twice and
thrice as much compensation as others, over and
above the travelling expenses to which they are
severally subjected This cannot be denied but
1t is palliated--and how BY assertions that
Members of Congress are poorly paid. Sir do
not concur in this assumption but n Il be lust,
bring icrwa frank aud manly proposition for
an increase of our pay but don't make its alleged
insuficiency an excuse for giving some Members
only twenty dollars and others over two thousand
IN the shape of unnecessary Mileage.
But, Mr.. Chairman, | have been arraigned on
this floor, and asssiled with the grcssest ep,hets
and imputstions with regard % my publication OF
the Mileage Received by the Members of this
House, the Miles Travel for which they were
paid, and the excess of such payment respectively
beyond what would have been payable and paid,
had the law required the Mileage o. be charged
by the shortest Post Route from the residence Of
each Member respectively 10 this City, rs con
tend should be, aud the proposition before US
Judge kNRREE prescrlbes that 1t shall be hero
after. For this have been revived and detained
beyond measure on this floor. without chance q
defend myself; but have the floor at last. and
will now bring this matter to focus. This Hal
has resounded with vague charges OF numerou,
and gross mistakes in my Mileage exhibit-mort
than hundred the gentleman from Ohio Mr.
SAwyERl asserted-and Members have no
hesitsted 10 charge me with deliberate islsl
hcation. have already stated that | dl,
not transcribe these statements tnom the
various books in which they are given-l have
no time tor such labor as that-bUt directed Il
IL be DONE aud prescribed the manner OF dong II
OF course, | cannot hope that so many hsures have
been transcribed. and 50 many computations msd'
without some errors-but that ali have been hon
estly made know, and that they are generally &C
eurate I confidently believe. But let us come L
the tria Is there one gentleman on this Hoo
who will assert that he is charged IN The Tribune
expose with taking pay for more NI!es than he &C
sasly dad take pay Tor If there be any, let hln
speak now.
IA psass No ene sposs1
No one answers. Now demand If any gen
tleman Is charged in that publication with receiv
rag more Mileage than he actually did receive =
II any one Is 50 charged, let him speak now
Hon. w. 7. LAWRENCE of n. Y. observed tina
HE Mileage was overssstea sloo-whieh is the fact a
any one cka see-his aTes Travelled being correct,
stated ct 6l0 the legal Village for which is Of eours
Sass instead Of tsss, printed in The Tribune Hi
Exce or Circuitous Mileage as well as his distance b,
shorsess route 10 correctly given In The Tribune show
ing that the error In the table is purely typographical
Gen w. BARROW of Tenn. also stated that BIZ
Mileage Received was overststed In The Tribune ,.
soms $40 or SIS. which not 90, bis Mileage Re
ceived, Niles Travelled and Distance ~ Nesres, Post
Route being strictly correct but in the computation
his Exccss or Circuirous Mileage there 10 mistake
els the true smoani being $3.50 20 instead Of sos a.
a. gwen In The Tribune
Hon. THOMAS j. TURNER OF H. asked the hoo
for an explanation question and proceeded TO In
duiee In abuse asserting that the distance from Wash
ington to bis residence freeport Stephenson Co. III
10 nearly Loo miles In drec, line instead OF 81 D,
nearest Poet Route as set down In The Tribune The
controversy Is entirely between Mr. T. and 'ae oihe's
Table of Post Oces In the United States on the Ss
Of January 1872 from which The Tribune exhibit wa
made up a, first supposed there might be mistake
Of 100 miles in the bock-932 instead OF s2-out 90
reflection and comparison, conclude there is not
Waddan's Groce, In the same County 10 set down Al
s4s miles and Cedar Greek Ml's, (ssme Coz 40 sss
miles from Washington No. iAae IS no misisks 10 The
Tribune statement % far Ii Affects Mr. Trner-whst
ever mistake there about his account pertains 70 bis