The true Democrat., 1856-09-02


 cal career, in Texas, Is run.
 A DEMOCRAT. Congressional Pay and Mileage.
 On seeing the announcement of an extra ses sion of Congress, to be held immediately afte the adjournment on Tuesday last we had some curiosity to know how far members might he inclined to favor it i'll consideration of the extra pay and double mileage which it would bring them under the law as 1t stood at the beginning of the present Congress. Under former prac ticeS each member would be entitled to receive mileage for going home and returning to Wash. lngton, although he may not have quilted the city. In the Senate some Senators used tC charge and receive double mileage for the spe- cial session always called to meet new Presi- deut and receive his nominations, after the 4sh of March, adjoumng on the Sd, at the close oi one Congress, to meet on the 4th, at the con- mencement of another A few of them steadi- ly refused to take the money. We know of a Senator who was eighteen months in Washing ton City without going home, and vet drew mileage for going and returning three times; and we have heard of one who had four milea- geS eacb way during two years service without | \ '40-42. He charged for the regular session ot l04O-41 for the special session after Gen. Har- risons inauguration, for the extra session con- vened in September, and the regular session which met again in December; and for each session the mileage both ways amounted to about S6OO. A nice job he made of construc- tive travelling There is story afoat, too, that one member charged for five trips to and fro . in vn and I. thus: He was re- elected without having gone home from the previous session; in December he took his seat as member of the House; but before the termination of the session was elect ed to fill vacancy in the Senate Here were two sets of mileage for the regular session a. | Representative and as Senator; then he had the special Senatorial session on executive business, the extra session of Congress in the fall, and the regular session beginning in De- cember that he drew S3,OOO for journey that he never made in fact.
 We have heard the name of this lucky gen. tleman, but we have notion that the story is a little apocryphal, and was made up to show how the construction would work in the case of person so conveniently placed as he was to profit by it. In that sense its very fail \ illustration of the working of defective rule under a vicious practise
 Blunt speaking people have been in the habit of calling this the mileage swinde, and not knowing what changes had been effected in tha law, by recent legislation of Congress, we were ungracous enough to begin figuring up tho profit which these Kansas obstructionists had been making for themselves, by compeliine the President 10 summon them together again Tn order to provide for the support of the army
 A ItboDtr, th,v them in general and judging of them by tho reCklessness of their conduct in other respects to De influenced by such motive, we are ola, to discover that the new law blocks out al such calculations, and leaves no margin of per soual profit to themselves in their obstnacv.- They can make no money bv staying 1T Washington, and from this, too, we concIud, that they will do all that they have to do a. speedily as possible, in order 90 get home
 We find the provision of the new pay anC mileage bill stated in the Congressional pro- ceedngs of the 18th inst, the day on which il passed the House. It was proposed by Mir Orr, of South Carolina, as an amendment fol the Senate bill on the same subject, and carried by small maority--lOO to 97. The small ness of the majority doubtless arose from tn, unwillingness of members to seem to vote them.
 
 nearly doubles the compensation received uude the old one.
 It provides that every member shall receive the gross sum of S6,OOO for his service in Con9ress--that Is, for both sessions of Congress or at the rate of 5000 per annum; mileage only to be allowed at the present rate, for tive sessions The law takes effect immediately ana applies to the present Congress, each mem Der being entitled to receive S6,0OO and his lnlleagedor two sessions, subject to deductiot for what he may have received for his per dien under the old law.
 The increase in the compensation of mem berS, effected by this, may be seen at a glance on computing the number of days for whici they receive pay under the late law at the Iate of eight dollars day. The long session ma, be estimated at about eight months, on an ave rage, say, ln round numbers, of 250 days. The total days of service in two years are. there. fore, about 34O for which the compensation. a eight dollars day, is S2,72O. The new bil gives S6,OOO for the same The positive in crease for every member over the money com pensaton which the old law allowed him l, therefore S320O There is a provision for tn forfeiture ot pay for absence not caused b. sickness, or other sufficient cause but tha makes no alteration in principle, as member aOSeht without leave are not now entitled t pay. and the practice of mutual indulgence not likely to be administered less obIiqingl under the new system than it was under tn old
 We do not know how this large distributio of public money among themselves, as increas ed compensation for service rendered, wi take among the people. We should think i very liable to cenSure, and open to attack Congress once before passed such a law fo paying members salary instead of per dier rate; but the people were dissatisfied with i although it allowed only $500 per annum and the succeeding Congress repealed the law There Is no doubt that the compensation c eight dollars a day is hardly-under the chang ed aspect of affairs, in the increased and increas ing cost of living and the altered value of mo ney-an adequate compensation for member of Congress, but there will, doubtless, be grea deal of grumbling at the largeness of the Tn crease, and the application by this Congress o the enlarged rate of payment to themselves who were chosen under different rate and ac knowledged rule.
 The general principle of compensatng mem bers ot Congress hy fixed salary, instead o a daily pay for presumed attendance, is wor thy of belng fairly tried. If it shall have tn effect of diminishing garrulity, expediting pub lie business, and reducing the length of tn sessions, 1t will be public good, for which tn country may Well be willing to pay somethiuo N o. Picayune
 Ne,o York, Aug. 12, 1856
 Mr. EDITOR A friend of mine, havn charge of the male department in the Stat lnnatlc asylum, has sent me the following re