The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-02

GLIDING the illegal mileage and per diem of Mr..
Giddings, which he took for the second session Of
the thirteth Congress, was finally settled before
was appointed Comptroller; and that during the
first session of the next Congress declaratiye law
was passed which deprived the accounting officers
of the power to make deductions from illegal pay
ments.
II Mr. Giddings raised his voice against that
law he can prove it He said nothing; and he did
not want me to have the power to examine and
decide on the legality Of his accounts He knew
full vel! what would be the consequence.
The lO2d rule of the House of Representatives is
US follows:
~, shall be the duty Of the Committee on Mile
age to ASCERTAIN and report the distance to the
Sergeant alarms for which each member shall
receive pay"
This rule was adopted on the 18th of September,
1887. The universal practice, believe, has been
for that committee to request each member to state
the distance he is entitled to pay for mileage. This
is the law regulating the pay for mileage and at
tendance the House.
Act approved January %. 1918:
THAT at every session Of Congress, after the
said Sd day of March, 1871 each Representative and
Delegate shall be entitled to receive eight dollars for
every day he has attended, or snail attend, the
House OF Representatives, and shall also be allowed
eight dollars for every twenty miles OF the estimat
ed distance by the most usual road from his place
Of residence to the seat Of Congress, at the com
mcncemcnt aud end OF every such session and
meeting. And in case any Representative or Del
egate has been, is shall be detained by sickness
on his journey to from the session OF Cons ress,
after his arrival, has been, is or shall be unable
attend the House OF Representatives, he shall be
entitled to the same daily allowance"
If the power to fix the distance for which Mr..
Giddings has been entitled to pay for coming to
Washington, previous to the last session Of Con
gress, had been confded to me, it would not have
exceeded four hundred miles.
The Central Railroad in Pennsy lvania, which is
now the usual travelling road, increases the dis
lance from Mr.. Giddingss residence to Washing
ton. When came here in 1923, at the lst session
of the 18th Congress, received pay for 36S miles
Fur several years Il travelled to Steubenville,
Wheeling, Cumberland, and Baltimore. After
wards went to Pittsburgh; from thence to Wash
ington, in Pennsylvania, to Cumberland. The
turnpike from Pittsburgh to the mountain being
completed, | travelled by the way of Bedford,
Cumberland. and Baltimore For ten years was
paid for 363 miles and for six sessions for 34l miles,
as my mileage 10 Washington, and thu same for
returning at each session, within the period men
Sioned.
MIR. Gddngs came to Washington at the Sd ses
sion Of the 25th Congress- and took pay for having
travelled 4sO miles. which exceeded the distance
| led road which the only legal road, by nearly
100 miles. think hazard nothing in saying that
If it had been known at the next election that he
had taken pay for this excess Of mileage, he would
not have obtained five hun1red votes in his dis
trict.
At the next session-the lst session of the 26th
Cong ress-he elong ted the lndia-rubber road to
527 miles.
1t remained stationary until the close Of the I'd
ssion Of the 2Sth Congress-, when it stretched
,gain to the distance OF $50 miles, and remained
that milestone for ten years, or to the close OF
| the ID session Of the 3lst Congress. At the last
session. the LIST session OF the 32d Congress- the
road contracted, and was reduced in MIR. Gddings's
account to 5Oi miles; when Senator Wade, from the
same village where Mr.. Gddngs resides, is ena
bled to pass over the same road by travelling 504
| lniies.
| AZ I mentioned before, the distance ia increased
by the Central Railroad in Pennsylvania. or the
| mileage Of Senator Wade would be less than il
now is.
Mr. Giddings has not been entitled to pay wher
absent for any other cause than sickness, or on bu
siness Of the House, and under its order; and II
his accounts had been before me for revision. in
vescd with the power to settle public accounts gene
or for day if it appeared he absent and not fol
one or the other cause mentioned.
If the people send Representatives here who dc
not regard the laws to restrain them in the use oil
the public money, they have no right to complain
if their business is neglected and their interests
| sacrificed. Representative who takes money tc
which he lie not entitled il not safe guardian fol
| the treasury. He will no: complain of others II
| they do not complain Of him, unless the motive il
to maintain semblance OF honesty; and if he car
hoodwink bis constituents in the matter Of his OWE
pay by the same magic be can blind them in all
other matters.
Members admit Congress Is corrupt-alarn
ingly corrupt. Mr. Westcott, a Senator from
Florida. openly and boldly some years since made
| the charge in the Senate. Mr.. Venable, membe,
| Of the House of Representatives from North Caro-
lima, publicly bears testimony to the fact at Rieh
| mond on bis way home from the late session.
Members have admitted the charge to be true tc
me repeatedly-as they verify believe. The origin
OF this corruption may be traced to an iuordinate
desire to obtain money. In prosecuting that deere
| moral rectitude is violated, and the treasury is
deemed to be a common object of plumber for pa ~
| ing unlawful mileage, per diem compensation for
expenditures under the sanction of law; for con-
tracts for various projects to benefit friends, as
principals or agents, or in which the members q re
or have been directly indirectly interested, or
|
| filing political partisan.
| The people have the power to purify Congress
to send here honest, industrious, intelligent, and
| faithful Representatives who will not receive pay
for travel they never performed, and for attend
ance in Congress when they were at home attend
ing to their own private or
for pending Congress; who will legislate " for
the country, and the whole country" regardless OF
geographical lines; who will cultivate harmony
and good will in all sectons who will allay as far az
practicable, the aspery of parties and divisions;
who will make this great people united and happy.
and will aid in carrying on, and forward, the des.
tiny OF this nation; instead Of aboring to blast the
last hopes Of men in free Government. by pro-
noting excitement and sectional jealousies.
Mr. Giddings was pleased to refer to Inc to Justify
him. IL am worthy to be referred to on an coca
sion OF this kind, and il am worthy of the con
hdence Of the people 30 long represented, I am
sorry my character and example have had no con.
| trolling influence over him.
Most respectfully and sincerely yours,
ELISHA WHITTLEsEY.