New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-03-05

and loss OF time were Immensely Ioducoos nav
inc drawn attention to tho subject, TIE Com
pensation Act of 1856 aimed blow'at some
of its grosser features by providing that no
more than two .Meages should be drawn for
any ono CoDgress-that is, no Member shQald
charge fcr more than two Journeys to WASH
ippton and home agaiL-no matter how many
no might see fit to make. And this on the
perfectly simple and easily understood princi-
ple that, since Members are now paid by the
year. their taking Il recess OF some months
in the midst of their term ought not to impose
any additional burden on the country. Gin
truth. on the principle here indicated, each
Member should be paid one Mileage only for
each COngress-iOr journey from home to
Washington. at the opening of the first Session,
and from Washington home at the close of the
last Session. His going home intermedlatey
should be entirely hi, own afiair.)
VII. In order to fix this matter beyond con.
tingency, the act of 1856 expressly stipulated
that the first Mileage for each Congress should
be due aud payable at the opening of its "fra
regular session" and the second at the OPEN
ing of the " second regular session." This
would seem to be absolutely imperyious. But,
before a year had passed, a seemDgly uDlm-
portant resolve, which passed without COM
ment or observation, spoke of the first Mileage
rs due ut the opening Of the first session."
and tho second as payable at the opening Of
tho "second session." Nobody noted or sup
posed that this involved any variation from
the just and precise rule already established.
VIII. When the XXXvIIth Congress met in
extraordinary session on the 4th Of July,
1861 the Members helped themselves to one
Mileage; ut the opening Of the fret regular
session." in December following they took an
other. We demurred at the time, but were
answered--"O what odds whether they take
it now or next year 7" We explained that 1t
made great odds where Member, having
taken his second Mileage, happened to die, or
resign, OF be somehow superseded, before the
close of the Congress; for his successor would
justly claim one Mileage, though two had o.
ready been paid. We further suggested sus'
pcion that q grab would be made for third
Mileage at the close Of the term, but this was
repealed rs an imputation on Congressional H.
tegrity, and we shut up.
IX. And now the expiring Congress of THE
overbprjeped. fesriH..,lv imPeriled, almost bank
rupt country, have voted some $500, 900 into
the pockets Of its own Members aud Delegates
IN the shape Of n third Mileage, in clear def
ance of the laws under which it's Members
we're chosen, aud which they were in honor
bound to respect as between themselves and
the Nation. TINS makes nearly $50, 900 per
head paid TO some Of them as Mileage alone,
on the assumption that they lave made three
Journeys to aud from Washington 10 attend
the sittings OF this Congress, when in fact they
have made but one.
is there any hope that the public attention
can be so drawn TO this subject that gentlemen
who shall hereafter figure in Congress may
be brought to realizs that they cannot afford
thus TO vote the public money into their own
pockets We do not decide. Enough that
we shall hereafter as heretofore. do our duty
in the premises by placing tho essential facts
fully before the public There our responsible
ity ends, where that of the People begins.