Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-11-20
Mileage Again.

johnson.
Mileage Again.
Milton Gregg now charges distinctly that wei as a
member Of Congress, at the last session, received over
eight hundred dollars mileage, when we we're only en-
titled to four hundred and lightweight, because in the
second section Of the act in relation to the compensation
Of members, it is
RESOLVED. "'That no Representative or Delegate shall
be allowed a sum exceeding the rate of eight dollars a
day, from the end Of one session to the time Of his taking
his seat IN another"
This provision has long since been decided TO have no
application to the mileage Of members at regular ses-
siOns. 1t is an old law which is now regarded as obso-
lete, its original design being TO apply to the special and
peculiar circumstances attending the session at which
it was passed. Congress passes the appropriation bills.
The compensation fund is charged to the Speaker. The
mileage Of members is fixed by a committee, who ascer-
tain the residence of the members. and allow the mile
age ny the usual road, according to law. This amount
the Speaker draws his check for, and the report Of the
committee is the Speakers voucher. If he over-pays he
is liable to the Treasury. The Comptroller passes upon
and allows his account before he obtains his quietes.
The question which Mr.. Gregg thinks he has discovered
was submitted to Mr.. Cobb. the Speaker, who took the
opinion Of Attorney General Crittenden before he paid
the mileage 1t was, under that advice, paid to all we
among the rest. Mr.. Gregg, with all his legal acu-
men, decides that we were not entitled to it. Now
whenever Mr.. Gregg can obtain the legal opinion Of the
Wing law officers, Of the Wing administration, that this
mileage was illegally paid, we pledge our word to refund
the last cent Of it.
What could have induced Mr.. Gregg to travel out Of
his way. thus personally to assail ms with dishonesty, we
cannot for a moment imagine. We are not aware that
we have given any cause for this Nanton attack upon
our personal and political character. If Mr. Gregg had
chosen 10 assail the whole Congress, we would at least
have given him credit for some degree of fairness But
he does not do so. He says, I'VE now say to Mr.. Brown,
and we charge il home distinctly that if he has no other
law to fall back upon, he received at the last session OF
Congress, some three hundred dollars more than he was
entitled to by law" By this charge he intends to con.
vey the idea that of the two hundred and ninety-three
members Of the Senate and House Of Representatives.
William j. Brown alone was guilty Of the crime OF
'taking money from the public Treasury, to which he
was not entitled" He does not tell his readers that
every member of the Senate and of the House. Wing
and Democrat. was paid by the same rule. If we have
taken money to which we were not entitled, so has Clay,
Underwood, Bell. Marshall, Moorehead, Schenck, Me.
Gaughey and a host of Others = Wings good and true. But
in The eyes Of Mr.. Gregg they were perfectly justified. 1t
would be sacrilege for any Democrat to intimate that
Oidl ~ NAdiSudiI ndu taken mnHey ron the Treasury
without the authority of law. In such a case Milton
Gregg, with all his legal lore, would rush to their de-
fence. There is an old maxim which applies to Gregg's
notions Of honesty. which runs thus: ''One man NAV
steal a horse whilst another dare not look over the
hedge" What would be a virtue in Henry Clay or
Humphrey Marshall. would be a crime in us or any 9th.
err Democrat. We regret the necessity of being drag
ged INTO these personal controversies. As a public officer
IN the vo,iouS danarfmanfe Of the Govarnnant Ctato
and National, we have scrupulously avoided taking fees
or compensation to which we were not clearly entitled
We commenced political life poor, and thank God we
have held our own well up to this time; whilst others
with no better opportunities have become r ch. Hence
we feel a little sensitive on this question, especially
when Mr.. Gregg, instead of including the whole Of
Congress in his charge, makes it alone against US. for
the express purpose of conveying the idea that we only
are guilty. This We consider ungenerous and Liberal
IN the extreme, especially when coming from one we
have always treated with kindness and respect.
So strange was his conduct in assailing us with such
vindiciiveness, that we ~enquired o a friend of his, who
had known him for years, as to the cause Of his hostility
to us. The gentleman replied, "Gregg can't live with
sut being in a quarrel with some body. and he has got
tired Of CARRIER and the Madison Editors, and he has
now chosen you as a foeman worthy Of his steel" II
that is his object. we invite him to 90 on. If he would
I'LL his Tribune with the personal and political history o
William J. Brown for the next six months, he would
make il, no doubt, an exceedingly interesting paper
For our part we can ill our columns with more interest.
ing matter than Milton Gregg and his fine spun legal
distinctions. II he is determine to quarrel with us we
will let him jaw and scold on to his hearts content
We shall pursue the even tenor of our way, always ad
visin- him to remember what he has said on editorial
courtesy.