New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-01-25
Congressional Reform illustrated.
COrrespondence Of The Tribune.


Washington Tuesday, Jan. q.
The House in Committee Of the Whole having
about o'clock gone through the General APP
preparation bill as reported, with the amend
ments offered 70 It's various sections and items
Mr. GREELEY OF n. Y. proposed the following ad.
ditonal section
SIC 4 Ind Be II farther ENACTED That from the
(c2OOO per annum compensation Of each Senator and
Representative In Congress- fixed by the first section
Of this act there shall be deducted settlement sn
amount proportional, az compared with the whole
number Of days during which toe House of which BE-
Member shsl have been actually IN session. to the
number Of days Of said session during which he
shall have been absent from his seat except for
such portion OF said absence as shall have been
caused by his own sickness by his devotion 10 off,
csl duties elsewhere under the written order Of the
presiding officer Of said House and each Senator
Member, In presenting bis account for payment, shal
IN writing the full number of oavs during which
he shall have been absent from bis said Session
and what portion Of said absence rendered neces
sary BY bis own sickness by the order Of the pre-
hlec and printed with the accounts OF Congress.
In support Of this amendment, Mr.. G. spoke
substantially as follows
Mr. Chairman, the Committee has decided that
the pay of Members Of Congress shall hereafter be
$4,000 per annum, pectve Of the length OF the
Session. Nearly every Member who spoke in OPP
position 20 my course on the Mileage Reform has
Characterized the absence Of Members from their
seats as one of the gr ssest evils affecting the
action of Congress. The gentleman from North
Carolina Mr.. NENABLEl and the gentleman from
Mississippi Gov. Blows were especially urgent
on this head. And they were night in this, We
ali know. At this very Session Members have
been absent for weeks together attending to their
private business while this Committee is almost
daily broken up for want Of a quorum in attend
ance. This ~ a gross wrong 10 their constituents,
hare hg ma
in their serts, and endeavOr 10 urge forward the
public business.
Now / greatly fear that this evil is destined to
increase under the operation OF the $4,000 amend
ment adopted by this Committee. While the pay
remains so much per day, there IL at least per-
petual admOnition that d0Ry attendance IS ex-
pected The absent Members must feel that they
are not earning what they take. But make the
conn ensation $4,000 per GHnUH and tins monitor
is silenced. Members will be absent by the month,
and will only remember that their pay is so much
for the year or the Session. How will you induce
the great majority TO remain here at theirown cost
and loss month longer than they otherwise need
and p month is little enough tme-to investi-
gate private claims and pass upon private Dlus -
They will not d. it. ! trust the Committee wall
adept this amendment.
lvp. III take. him q rose and moved tie foIi6%fhg
.al;.io, 30 .ha proposed new section
And there shall also be deducted for such TINE from
the compensation of Members who shall attend the
sittings Of hs House they snail be employed in writ
Ing for newspapers
No objection being made, the House with that
exquisite sense of dignity and propriety which
has characterized its conduct throughout adopted
this amendment
And then the whole section was voted down
Mr.. q. next, with a view OF arresting the
prodigsl habit which has grown up here OF voting
a bonus Of $3.50 TO each Of the sab Clerks, Messen
gers, Pages sc. &c their name is Legion Of both
Houses, moved the following new section
Sec 8. Ind be Il farther ,nacfsd Thst It shall not
henceforth be lawful for either House Of Congress to
appropriate and pay from its Contingent Fund any ers
tuity Compensation to any person whatever
but every appropriation Of Public Money for grstutes
shall be lawful only when expressly approved and
passed by both Houses Of Congress.
This was voted down of course and on the last
night or last but one OF the Session motion will
doubtless be sprung in each House for the usual
grstuity to these already enormously overpaid at
tendants, and it will probably pass, though am
informed that 1t is already contrary TO law Bot
xVb of that1