The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-19
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVE.

msiosATion o. Tns nor. &. n, oosHAb.
The SPEAKER laid before tho iIbusc letter
/ from y. M. CoEnAD, rendering his resignatiou "A
! representative from The eocond congressional die.
lrict o Louisiana.
| PRIVATE nils.
| Mr.. NELSON snid that yesterday was Private
bill day but. debate then 10 be terminated
on the Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill. the
| committee did not think proper 10 move 10 20 into
| committee on the private calendar lie now made
TINT motion.
The question was taken and decided in the mega.
tive .ayrs 10, npcs II
The fiousst then resolved ltaclf into II COMMITTEES
| of he Wholco the State Of the Union, (Mr BUnr
In the chair and resumed the consideration Of the
Civil mud Diplomatic Approprntionbl
| MILEAGE.
| The first paragraph Of the bin being alill under
consideration relating 10 the per diem and mileage
| Of members
Mr., MoGAUGHEY moved that the following
| proyiAo be stricken out, viz
| "1hat the mileage Of Senators, Representatives.
| and Delegates. shall hereafter DO computed ON the
| route by which the mails transported from the
Capitol 10 the residence Of such senator Rcprcscn
| tntiyc, or Delegate"
Mr.. McGAUGHEY said TINT he had moved 10
strike out THE proyiso because IL WINS INTRODUCING
such mn uncertain rule. ms TO render II utterly In
psssblr tsany member u tell the distance travelled
The mad routes In the West depend tho
season Of tho year, aud on the navigation Of the
! rivers. The true rule IL that which now obtains
"tho uaIslly travelled route" lie knew that the
rule hbuacd, but TINT Ia the fault Of fncmbcrs
not OF The Inv. lie was opposed 10 interfere with
The subject OF mileage IN an appropriation bill. II
there 10 TO bc a Hystcn. let The matter be re-
| icrred 10 tho Committee on Mileage and they cnn
mature proper systcm. Members cannot. Ia five
minute speeches. properly discusH the proprcty
OF making the law more equitable md Just.
Mr.. 1OOMBs replied. and said thnt tho question
Of mileage wun before the House seven months ngo
| aud VIVA fully debated. II the gentleman had bat
i've minutes 10 speak upon tho subject. II wps bis
fxtl ssatA. Her,
by the computation the route by which the rnnil
arc transported. If changes noccssary In con.
sequence, Of the obstructons mentioned
Mr.. FITCH moved 10 compute the mirage by
! tho noarot route. He was not disposed To quarrel
with the chairman Of tho Committee Of Ways and
Means fr the introduction Of the subject Ia thu
bill. IL was the appropriate place for H. The
clause cmbodieH ms great reform nH both branches
| Mt prrroat will be prepared Ia adopt.
| Mr.. MEADE offered m nmcndrn,n 10 the amend
| mcnt, e compute the mileage la direct line from
the acntuf government 60 the post Office the
rrsdrnt. Of the member II this amendment should
prevail he should move to strike out the Limitation
| ns ~ mileage.
This amendment, aud that of Mr. Flrcn. were
scvcruly rejected.
MIR NELSON offered an amendment that tho
milraR' shall bc computed on the route by which
the mals shall be transported from the capital h.
the residence nl such Senator, representative, or
delegate. At the time ot the commencement and
close 81 each session Of Congress ior which mileage
i paid.
The amendment wus rejected.
! Nc. STANTON. OF kontut Nv, offered ma amend
| ncut 10 strike out aud insert "ths usually trn
voled route T" This was Tie old nysicm, which hu,
| operated well.
| 'Thr amendment Wns rejected ayca ~. nocs ~
Mr cObB. Of Alabama, proposed 10 compute the
mileage ~ bce.lnc. Laughter The amend
mont was rejected.
Nc CHANDLER aaid that he was opposed to o
/ bee line. brnusr " whs n huapbug. laughter.
| Tho amendment Of Mr. MoGAuonEy was then
| rejected.
A.srSr1rs Asp rARiSs orr nrMrpy rno
F0rEu.
! Mr. FEAT1IERSTON proposed an amendment
! that no mcinbcr shall receive per dictn when al
sent from bis scat la the House. unlrss ouch nb.
Hcncr b. In consequence 81 riCknrra by leave 81
tho House lio said that his object was 10 correct
/ great evil. practice had grown up among
members 81 pairing oil. aud they ahucnt tlicmscl'ca
/ fpr days AMI weeks AT tune THIS should be- IT,
| RhlEcd or abolished by The House. During every
scsson much time IL spout in The III, uasiuu Of thr
subject 1T mileage, butitm principally conducted
/ by gentlemen Who do not reside remotely, and
who arc Ia The habit Of pairing oil and repairing 81
their hones for purpos"s II pleasure or private
/ business. This u The Ffcatoat abuse connected
wished a. abolished. II this be- done busiucf-i
would not bs ~ ofcn interrupted for want Of ~ quo
rum, and 90 much time would not b. wasted We
consequence ~ a neglect ~ attend A. 90 mileage,
BE- utterly indifferent &c was willing 30 take
direct line, or direct mail route, or any other
line.
MI. hOAlbN Anu ~ ffllys rntl that Nr Wa
for leaving the representative 10 their constituents
Grntlcmcn here have mo- right a. interfere. The
representative belongs a. bis constituents, let them
supervise biz conduct " they allow him "a ~
homo, have no right "a interfere. II b. not our
ioss 90 our gain n his constituents take him homo
aud keep him there. hc (Mf. W. would have no
right 90 complain. IL opposed the proposition iof
another reason The Law can never be executed
Grnticrncn. from their social relations will not -.
force a., because IL docs not Inconvenience them "
~" community wcro not Inconvenience by crime,
thry would not punish iof murder sud larceny.
NJ. CAHTEH moved m amendment that, for
nhscncr, tho per diem Of a mcubcr b. deducted.
| Laughter
Tho CHAIRMAN That Il the amendment pend
Mr CARTER. Then move 10 amend by r.y.
! ug ono half 6uf dollars.
MI FEATfIERSTON, by permission Of the gen.
ilomsn, modified his amendment ~ ~ 10 make the
principle apply to members ~ both Houses.
NJ CARTER ssid that gentlemen were elected
a. represent their sesta. The purposes for which
| representative assemble DO not contemplate m
absence ~ members during the Session IT The lcgis
iatufr, and they ought not to absent Themselves.
| The amendment uf the gentleman from Mississippi
| ~ calculated g. cure The evil 81 members leaving
Their Hcaisand going away on busncas 90 pleasure
and another abuac going into hcir district 70 pro
Nc yiNrON said that The rules already provide
fof tlic evil complained Of No member Il allowed
o ho absent unlcaa foe sickness Of by lcnvc 81 Tic
| House Tho subject 81 mileage hna been often lo
/ fore TIC House n ono form another. aud. after
/ occupying two uf three days 90 week, has
| amounted to nothing. And 90 u will hc now. llr
s,ought lint this sc.sion bad already extended lr
! yond any bot one of which he had any knowledge.
| Time enough has been spent and be appealed "a
] gentlemen Who have q regard ior the business Of
the country. 90 let there amendments gpby. because
| he know tom experience that nothing IN this 20
| -prct could hc accomplished
| The amendment ~ Nc. CARTER was rejected;
and then that 1t Mr. fshrHrneroS, by vote oi
/ aycs 80 noes 81.
| Tho compensation aud mileage clause Of tho bill,
after the various cilpris 90 amend. remains ~ iul
/ lows
"fur compensation and mileage oi senators,
members uf the louso ui Representative and del
/ ogatcs, four hundred and sixteen thousand three
| hundred and thirty eight dollars. PrOu,ded. That
the mileage OF scnatofs Representatives, and Del
/ rgntca shall hereafter be computed on the route by
which The mails transported rom the Capitol Ia
] tho rcadcncc " such senator, RcptcacutatiNe, az
/ Delegate Ind protidsd fsrrbu That no such mem
her ~ either branch ~ CongrcH- residing cast OF
! the Rocky mountains, shall receive moro than one
/ thuufhnd dollsu mileage for each scfainn, and no
/ suth member delegate residing west ~ The
/ Rocky mountains hhal receive more thnn two thou.
sand dollars mileage for each rcsson, shall any