New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-21

Aobi OhO 1lioI lOOSLuCub noNlS bhNS
been effected, claim was for the first set
up in lS45 that old Senator'S holding over
from the regular to the Extra or Executive
Session which usually follows the inaugur-
alton Of new President, were entitled to
fresh allowance of Mileage, as if they had
been home after the Session which closed
with March Sd, and returned to attend that
which opened with the following day.
This claim was allowed by Vice-President
Dallas and paid by Secretary Dickens.
But so outrageous did it appear to many
Senators that they utterly refused to take
the money thus awarded them, contending
that they had no right to it, and Mr.. Col
quit of Ga. to whom the money was sent
after he had gone home, returned receipt
for it clearly implying his own belief that
he had no right to it. We grieve to say
that some Senators who at first refused to
soil their hands with this ill-getten gain,
afterward-seeing that the matter attracted
no general Northumberland to the charge
and pocketed the booty. The last of this
clase were Messrs. Benton and Mangum.
4. In 184e, the question Of course recur-
red but Mr.. Fillmore, who had now be-
come Vice President, was another sort OF
man from Mr.. Dallas. We do know that
he was decidedly opposed to this claim of
Double Mileage, and would not hare allow-
ed 1t. That was ascertained; whereupon
the accounts were held back till he had
vacated the chair at the close of the Ses-
sion, to enable the Senate las usuaD to
choose President pro tenn. when Mr.. Atch-
eson was so chosen, and he Immediately
passed the accounts as presented to him,
thereby constituting more than two thousand
dollars into his own personal pocket. This
Constructive Mileage was rejected by
Controller Whittlesey as without war
rant of law; but his decision was overruled
by an official Opinion from Attorney-Gen.
Reverdy Johnson, and the accounts there
upon passed.
To these facts we add the following:
5. The Senate has repeatedly rejected
and defeated propositions from the House
strengthening crooked, reducing exorbitant,
and forbidding Constructive Mileage
Last year we understood that the House
clause forbidding Constructive Mileage
was agreed to by the Senate, while the
others were rejected. This year Mr..
Pearce submitted bill to the Senate for
bidding Constructive Mileage hereafter;
a most effective appeal from
Mr.. Clay to the Senate to purge itself from
a scandal which was discrediting it with
the Country-was passed, and Immediately
concurred in by the House. We think its
consideration did not absorb more than
thirty seconds time of the House- And
yet we hear that the Senate has again out
ragged decency and secuted honesty by
gorgiDg itself with Constructive Mileage
Can it be true? Who will tell us what
Senators have taken this plumber, and on
what pretext they have taken it!
6. Unjusti6able and scandalous as this
Double Mileage always was, it is far worse
this time than heretofore, not only for the
reasons already given but because the ne
cessity for this Extra Session 'cDs created
By the shameful Incidence Of The Senate
ITSELF Had the Senate been decently dill
gent, there need have been no Extra Ses-
sion. President Fillmore had no business
to lay before this body that which would not
have been submitted before the old Ses-
sion closed if the Senate had been ready
to transact it. But, during the first month
Of the Session, the Senate was not in ses-
sion to exceed one hour per day, while
Cheap Postage, lots of Executive business,
&c. &c. was pressing for its action. To
meet and adjourn-to adjourn over from
Thursday to MOnday-to sheer down any
Senator who was such demagogue as to
resist or demur to this atrociOus waste of
was the course of things through |
the first half of the Session, when all the or
1inarv business should have been disposed |
of, especially that of an Executive charac-
ter. At last, the Senate worked for few
days; but then the River and Harbor bill,
Tor rather, the attempts to stife it,) APP
prouriation bills, &c. absorbed all the time,
and Executive business had to go over
Thus the President was forced to call an
Extra Session purely by the Senate's own
gross neglect of duty; and for the eight or
ten DAYS of this Session it seems that, be-