New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-31
Comments bg Tie Tribune.

Comments by Tie Tribune.
The above is all the light vouchsa.ed by our
dispatches on matter that seems to Ne TO re-
quire further calculation II it were possible
TO make Washington correspondents and re-
porters comprehend that fuller and more lu-
minous record Of daily trasspiring facts womb
be acceptable, even though they should Involve
less LIBERAL development OF their opinions
on every reconcile topic, we might have been
spared the necessity of guessing what the
above means. We gather from the above curt
aud enismatica oracles, however, that the
House has passed an appropriation for Mileage,
and that somebody supposes 1t is for " Mile.
age noto due by Iaw." If such were the
case, we marvel that the fact of only fire
Members rising to second call for the Yeas
and NAYS thereon had not excited general and
wondering comment. A Member asked for the
Yeas and Nays. Why were they not ordered
IL is not courteous to refuse call Of the
Yea. and Nays when there is no urgency OF
business, no pretense that they are asked
merely TO waste time and stave off a decisive
vote. How is il that Members should shrink
from recording their votes on matter so SIM
pie, so obviously just, as that of appropriating
for the payment OF mileage now due by law p"
The naked truth is, that there Is no Mileage
now due by law; and this appropriation is in
tended to cover payment in defiance Of law.
Look at the provision of law (the Act of Aug,
10th, 1860 covering the case. Ii was the
act whereby the pay Of Members was raised
from s. per day OF actual service TO $4,000
per annum, and reads thus:
Tn. compensation Of each Senator Representative and
DELEGATE Congress shall be 81 90" Tor each Goa and
ursT. "a nov provided by law for sessions only be
paid m manner following to wit; the first day 81 each
regular ssi1n each Senator Representative ana Delegate
shall receive his mileage Tor session aud on tie fsi day
OF sch month thereafter during such session compensation
a, tn rac oI $500 per annum during the continuance Of
such session sud the end 81 such session he shall receive
aforesaid unpaid sud the beginning Of thc
,sgua, ,c Of tie Congrcs' orch Senator Representative
and Doeraio shall a mileage Tor ,uca second
sn' u, ''nl, un al ~ a., an -, of Nh ,,iin h.
Congress and that day each Senator Repe.,utaye and
Delegate s be- entitled 90 receive any balance OF the t60
Heretofore paid IN the SAID monthly insaen's above
directed"
Now, every Member Of Congress received
his first Mileage at the called or extra session
last Summer in express coniraycntion OF the
law, which prescribes that Mileage shall be
paid only at the opening OF each regular $685.
sion. Having thus secured one Mileage, the
Members are now helping themselves to an.
other, though the law expressly prescribes that
no more mileage is due them until the opening
of "the second regular session" in December
next. But the Hon. c. l.. Vallandigham OF
Ohio has devised dodge whereby the law is 10
be circumvented, and the majority, proud to
follow such leader. are keen on the scent OF
tho booty.
We pray the Senate to stop this shameful
hunt. Tho Treasury is empty; the Government
is in utmost need; and the House is even now
considering measures which are scarcely dis