Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-03-07
VIII eOmmittees OF Congress are en.

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gagged in hunting up corrupt contracts,
military mistakes, secession oGice-holders,
and various other evils in the executive
department., it is devoutly to DO wished
that some department had power to bring
Congress to reckoning, No. to speak of
the iuexeusable delay of the tax-bills and
the quibbling over treasury note system,
the mileage law demands immediate revis-
ion. 1t was passed in the earliest DAYS Of
the republic, when twenty miles was a good
days journey; so the sum of S., or one
days pay, was established as the rate for
every twenty miles travel between the cap
itAl and each members home, going AID
returning. At that primitive bat honest
period, it required about two weeks time
to reach New York OF Philadelphia from
Boston, and even subsequent 60 1901, when
the seat of government was located at
Washington, Henry Clay aud other western
members were month in performing the
journey. There was some reason in the
old mileage rule. But our railroad and
steamboat communications have changed
all this. Long Journeys are made with
speed and cheapness which no member of
the first Congress dreamed OF as possible.
Yet the mileage law remains the same.
Only one member of Congress has ever
tried in earnest to correct this swiudle,
and that was Horace Greeley, at his single
session in ls+s. He published in the Tn
bTHe copy of the entire mileage schedule
OF the previous session, showing the gross
inequalities which it occasioned, and the
Transform" routes upon which many mem
bess cOutriVed to have their mileage reck.
Oued and paid. The difference, uniustly
sPonged fEom the treasury, amounted to
nearly $4,000. Mr.. Greeley reaped a ire
meadows harvest Of curses AMI nothing
else from his fellow members. The South.
erners, in particular, whose free-aud-easy
methods of appropriation were exhibited
on a large scale at the outbreak of the
present rebellion, hated Greeley with ne
euliar bitterness for the mileage expose, as
it implicated them in some extravavan,ly
roundabout journeys.
Constructive mileage, or pay for jour
neys never performed-sueh as those by
the Senate On,the 9Th of March, when a
new president comes in-bas also obtained
foOthold since the john Tyler admiutstra-
tiOn, and has cost Uncle Sam large
amount, An Oregon. member, under III e
present law, obtained more than $1,000
mileage for each regular session, whether
ne goes home in vacation or not. In other
words, his annual pay is doubled. Aud
ifs Law has been passed, as reported, pro-
Viding for the payment of mileage for the
special session held last summer, the ore
EOn members will obtain upwards of $1,000
apiece for the year. The members from
Maryland, on the other hand. receive bp, a
triaiug sum of mileage, and those nom \.
England comparatively little. The fact
that this abuse has prevailed so nanv
years furnishes all the stronger reason for
reforming it, now that the country suffers
from ssraitsued finances, and the peopl.
are looking to their legislators for exam
pies of patriotism and integrity. If Con-
gresSmen have any shame; any spirit of
economy, or any desire to be reelected
they win not leave Washington until this
mileage "bOuinatiOn is set right.