The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-08-15
Mr.. Aidrich on the Mileage of Con gress.

From the New York Tribune. .I.AIi
Sir /: For the second time during this
Session, you have made me the subject o.
bitter and malignant attack on the Mileage
question; first, for asking for the Mileage
to which by the plainest provisions of law
l was entitled, and which every Senator
had drawn without word of protest from
the Tribune or any other source-and sec.
ond, for proposing and voting for the entire
abolition of the Mileage system.
In your issue of the 18th inst, not con.
tent with criticising my proposition and
vote, you assume the right OF sitting in iudg-
ment upon my motives, and denounce me
as " trickster and my course as " sneak
ing ii" and tricky" You say, also, that
twill not now gravely contend that no
Mileage should be paid" but that sob
viously did mean to defeat any Mileage Re-
form whatever" in which you are eyre,
giously mistaken. did mean and do
"gravely contend" that the present Mile
age system should be entirely abolished, be-
cause of its inequality and liability to abuse.
To reduce the Mileage as proposed by Mr..
Colfax, is not to reform" the evil COM.
planned of, but simply to diminish it one
half, while my substitute abolished it en-.
tirely.
The good faith in which my proposition
was made, is shown by its adoption in the
House; and if the Senate failed to concur
in it, the anatbemas and maledictions OF the
Tribune should, I respectfully submit, be
bestowed upon that body, and not upon the
House, which did its whole duty in the mat,
ter. The amendment of Judge Thomas, l
regretted, and voted against, but I do not
presume to define the motives by which be
was governed in offering it.
While am in favor of the entire aboi.
ton of the present Mileage system, 1 do not
think that Members of Congress, 1.-THE most
of them at least receive any too much
compensation. But l think definite
amount should be paid, which sum should
include all travelling expenses and other al
lowances outside the salary fixed by law.
Mr.. Greeley, since you are so free to criti.
else my course, allow me to make sugges.
tion-and do it with no feeling of un.
kindness-as to the effect of yours. Your
position as Editor-in- Chief of so widely cir.
culated journal as The Tribune gives you
great power for good or evil. And yeti
say it with regret-how often it is that all
your influence is exerted to break down and
defeat onr best and truest Republicans, Il
do not presume so class myself among them)
simply because they happen to differ with
you upon some comparatively trivial ques-
ton. And at this time when, more than
ever before, it is important to make sure
the election of Republican Congress;
when, more than ever before, the country
needs and demands the services of our tried
and experienced representatives, you launch
your heaviest thunderbolts against three
tourths of our Republican Members.
for they voted for my substitute-be-
cause they disagree with you as to the
best mode of accomplishing an object upon
which all were agreed, and assume, virtual-
~, to forbid their reelection. Not being
candidate for reelection myself, am not
at all annoyed by such edicts; but were l
one, l should have no hesitation in going
before my constituents upon my record, not
only on the Mileage, but all other questions
which have been before Congress during the
session just closed. The people, Mr.. Greeley,
have some little interest in other questions
than that Of" Mileage Reform" and will,
am sure, much prefer to co operate with
you in returning every true representative
to Congress, rather than in hunting them
down because they happen to differ with
you as to the proper method of securing a
Reform" 10 the Mileage system.
Washington, July 20, 1862.
CYRUS ALDRICH.