New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-07

The great difficulty in arranging the Mileage
question at Washington does not grow out Of any
difference Of opinion among either members of
Congress or the public, to the inequality and
absurdty Of tbe present system. The difficulty is
that even with their salaries of three thousand
dollars year, The members still cOnslder them
selves insufficiantly paid. The large additional
sums dis srbuted among them in the name of travel,
they regard as in the aggregate no more than their
Just due. Whatever objections they may have to
the il equality Ct the distribution they have still
greater objection to any change by which their own
share, however moderate in comparison, may be
dimini,hed.
Any change, therefore however reasonable it may
appear to outsiders, which looks TO diminu.iOn Of
the total amount paid, is not likely we apprehend,
especially in our present state Of nsnc a prosperity,
to find much favor with either House II the
country we're reduced to financial distress, if the
Treasury, instead Of having twenty millions over
wtIe twenty millions short, some curtailment Of
their own pay might be reasonably expected from
the members. Such an act would then rise to the
dignity Of pa rotism. The pain of disagreement
might be more than compensated by the seltaP-
proving sent ment of sacrifice made to the necessi
ties of the public. In the present plethora of the
treasury the members feel no csll to make
ally such sacrifice On the other hsnd
the depletion of the Treasury seems 10 be
regarded at Washington, both in and out of Con.
gress, as essential to the public welfare. Uncle
Sam presents himself to the Washington imagina-
ton in tie light of rich old gentleman, with more
money than he knows what to do with; and since
the money is to BE- spent somehow, the members
naturally enough appear to themselves among the
most deserving objects of The public munifcence
The absUrdity and the inequality Of the present
sy stem Ct mileage is great, and the abuses Of it
BY greedy and INSCRIPTIONS members are so glar
il 2 aGd so scandslous, that we have doubt some
char &c " ill be mt De, though at the same time
quite pair of any saving thereby to accrue to the
Treasury. The probability is, on the other hand,
that advantage VIII be aiken Of the change 70 i'll
crease the charge upon the Treasury rather than to
diminish it.
If such is 70 be the result i. is highly desirable
that, if the public gains nothing pecuniarily, it
shOu at least gain ss much as possible in some
other direction If the Members Of Congress are
determined still to distribute among them the
amount now psid in the name Of t-ssel, aud per-
haps TO increase it, let them make appropria. on
of the money most likely al once 10 beneh. aud
to tatsiy tie pubic. Ii an appropriation can
BE- hit upon which while il benefits aud gratifes
the public being likely 10 increase the respeeta-
bilty and efficiency Of the Members OF Congress,
will at the same time operate to shield them per-
e a. ,c,rts al
gers of Washington life, go much the better.
Suppose that the money now paid out for trav-
cling fees were distributed among all the Members
equally, not in the name of travel but in that Of
family expenses, Only to be payable on condition
thst the Member receiving il brought with him to
Washington St least a wife or grown.up dsugh-
teri 1t strikes us that if 80 much money in add
ton 10 the annual salary now goes out of the
Treasury on the absurd pretext Of travelling e1-
penses, is TO be distributed among the Members,
il would be jtic0lt to hi. on more beneficial or
satisfactory appropriation of 1t than that above pro-
posed The separation of the Members from
their families is well known to expose them
10 may very perlous temptations. Domestic life
and female society are among the greatest defcien
Ctawn thtber under the present arrangements
Afford for the better part OF the sex but very
iuade auate representation. As 70 the bachelors
and widowers, to avoid any objection on their part
they might be allowed TO comprOmise-the bache-
lcrs BY bring ng a grandmother mother, an suat
or sister, for whom the wi3owers might be a..
lowed to substitute a b.ece or a dalgh.tr-in-'aw.
The a1aDg eulent which we suggest would, beside
It's other recon mendatiOns, have the additional ad.
vantage of holding out the promise OF satisfactory
solution of the WOmsns Rights question. The most
sturdy opponents Of the claim which has tesa put
forth of the right Of women 70 vote do not deny
that female influence may be eeitimately exercised
to certain extent public affairs; while, or the
other bsLf We ale Inclined 70 believe tina. the most
sturdy al,ocstes The rights Of women - a direct
aid personal participation il politics and legislation
would he content to comp romise fcr the quasi rep
" seutaticD OF their sex at Washington, in accord
auce With the scheme above e: forth
Let US rot, however, be Understood 8, being ab-
so'uity ccrimi led 10 his plan. We throw il out
fer public discussion. Possibly there may exist
.,me serious objection to i! WI eh has not Oc-
chirtd 10 US. We should Ike especially to hear
hat the women have 10 Soy 10 it, .ince al the ad
vsI,sees , hich might be anticipated fiom i Togd