New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-04
CONGREGATIONAL MILEAGE.

The mileage Of Members of Congress is nota
be instance how difficult it is to get rid OF even
the most gross and fagrant abuses. when those
sbu,es involve the pecuniay interest Of those
whose duty it is to apply the remedy. The state
of things upon which was based the original alo r.
snce of eight dollars for every twenty miles travel
has utterly passed away. When the members
we're obliged to travel on hor,eback, twetty miles
a day was fair average journey. and it seemed
reasonable to pay the members the same rate for
every day spent in the public service, whether that
time was consumed in travelling or in legislatlng.
But the whole basis upon which this rate OF pay
ment Was originally established has since been re-
moved. By steamboat and railroad, two hundred
miles are a very moderate days journey; while by
the new arrangement BY which the Members Of
Congress are paid salary the old idea Of eight
dollars day has been entirely exploded. Mean
WHILE toe operation of the mileage system is to in
troduce q gross inequality into the sums paid to
members, of whom those residing at long distances
from the Capital receive sum which, if attempted
to be made general, would be universally secuted
at as absurdly e1traysgant. And yet, the members
who derive personally but one two, three or
four hundred dollars from al abuse which
puts Thousands into the pockets of others
are prevented from doing anything toward remedy
ing that abuse lest in the operation they too, might
lose their psltry one or two hundred dollars. SO
powerful is pecuniary interest that, until recently,
it was thought to be so much more than match
for honor, truth and the dread of punishment,
temporal and eternal, that Courts would not even
listen TO witness " no had dollar to lose gam
By his testimony. 1t may be taken as proof, not
less of general improvement in morality than Of
an increase Of confidence on the yart of Judges OF
their capacity to discern the truth through all
disguises that this rule Of evidence has lately bee
changed But however it may be in the matter Of
testimony, in the matter Of legislation peclniary
interest, even to small amounts, would still seem
t, be more than match for all other considers
tom. II would appear, however, that at last the
time had come for change. Retrenchnent and
reform, that battle-cry against John Quincy Adams,
upon the strength Of which the Jackson party came
into power, after silence Of thirty years, again
resourd through the hall Of Congress. But econ
omy, Ike charity, is one Of those things that best
begins at bone. Under the present system Of pay
ing TIE members salary all their time, beyond all
question, belongs to the public. Being paid three
thousand dollars BY the year, there is no pretense
why they should be paid for any part Of that year
by the day. If the travelling is to be taken into
account at all, the most to which any member
could set up any claim would be the regular steam
boat, railroad and stage fare which any one would
be obliged to psy in traveing from their respective
homes to WashIngton-an amount as to which It
would not be necessary to put the consclences OF
the members TO any pressure, since it might easily
be ascertsned from independent sources.
II the members will st insist upon mileage, let
i. be calculated and paid upon this scals-in which
case, however, it nigh: reasonably be expected OF
the members that they would give an example OF
selfdena in the reduction Of their annual salary,
say one third