Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-23

in this city from the place in which reside without any
mileage than TO attend session Of Congress in this city
in St. Louis Louisville, Cincinnati or Texas from
my present home with three times the mileage that is
paid to my honorable friend from Texas.
There IS IN my opinion an entire MISREPRESENTATION in
the public mind with regard to the purpose for which
Congress- in 1878, settled this question Of mileage
was not with the view wholly chiefly Of furnishing to
members sum ofmoney to their travelling
IL was no such thing The attempt had Just been made
70 give what was thought to be more adequate com
pensation. in the form Of salary members Of Con-
The public reprobation Of that had COM
PEELED Its repeal. But, in adjusting new method of
compensation, what did Congress do When all the
conveniences and all the facilities Of travelling had in
and when all the expenses Of travelling had been
diminished, they increased the allowance for what is
called mileage. Why, sir; why?
Mr. President on looking at the subject it is mposs.
Bile to resist the conclusion that they adopted it as
method by which some equality Of compensation in the
true sense OF equality might be made gentlemen who
were called in the service of their country to attend
either House Of Congress It thought and thought
reasonably and thought justly that the sacrifice to
gentleman who left his home distance of twenty
five hundred three thousand miles to attend session
OF Congress vastly greater the Inconvenience to him
was vastly greater the loss OF his business the disorder
OF his private affairs vastly greater than in attend
ing session of Congress to the place Of his abode
and the compensation was adjusted upon the mileage
with view to make far possible real equivalent
for the supposed and real difference which existed in the
loss and the sacrifice necessarily involved in such an at
tendance by persons the seat of
have, therefore, always been opposed to interfering
with the subject Of mileage. opposed to it now II
were possible to equaze the subject Of mileage by
bringing those up who get too ttle it might commend
itself wse and at the time inconsistent with
judicious economy But in my opinion, it would be
both unwise and unjust to interfere in the pro-
ing it system is founded upon sound principles and
accompshes, in the MAN. the purposes Of Justice which
the trainers Of the system intended to accomplish.
But sir, with regard to per diem. All Of us feel
w wis we oh fnh
sir the fact known you, is it known the country
that at this session Of Congress every gentleman who
lives within reasonable distance Of the capital will re-
ceiye less compensation for his attendance and services
here than nearly every Of the officers Of the Senate
greatly less than any Of the clerks in the Secretarys
office by inconsderable sum, compared to the whole
amount less than the pay Of the messengers in the SER
vice Of the Senate Can that be right or reasonable or
just? Do not bring here equal claims upon our coun
try with the messengers who employed our service!
not our time as valuable to us and when devoted to
the public as valuable to the public? Can it be
BILE and just and respectable, and honorable that the
members Of either House Of Congress should receive dur
the session less money for their attendance than is
paid to the messengers who attend upon the committees
and who attend at doors and tho other u
ties Of their stations and thus promote the convenience
Of members in their private well as in their public
lations?
you 60 into the Executive Department the dispro
portion is still greater Even clerk Of the lowest grade
receives yearly compensation greater than at short
session Of Congress- the members Of each House receive
than five hundred miles from the capital and the
addition which those who do live beyond that distance
receive in the shape Of mileage but fair effort
pensate them for the greater sacrifices which they make
and the greater Inconvenience which they endure than
their brother members.
Sir think the provisions Of this bill founded in
reason and Justice 1t is free from the objections which
stated two years to the moved by my friend
then in this body from the State Of Kentucky, r I'm
1t leaves all the principles Of the present law
untouched, and simply makes what deem reasonable
addition to the judges Of the Supreme
Court and Of the members Of both Houses Of Congress
have no doubt that the measure will commend itself
to the approval of the whole American people; and
hope that it will receive the sanction of the Senate and
Of the other House of Congress.
will not, Mr. President, at this time unless Sc
nator desires it, any reference of the BILL but with
the appreciation Of the Senate viii let it take its place
upon the calendar and be printed that the Senate
may hereafter take up and make any disposition of it
they think proper therefore ask that that may
pursued Let the bill take its place upon the calen-
dar, and let it be printed.