Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-10-09
..Ths .rileage aus.lIonn Agaln.

.The mileage 9pestion" Again.
Editors LntsIligeReer
In your issue of this morning, under the
caption of ''The Mileage Question" you
have by Misrepresentation, partly in fact
and partly in effect, done very gross In
Justice to the Legislature and it is due to
that body, even if you should not deem it
due to yourselves, to repair the injury
through the same medium by which you
have done it. You have, in terms none the
most courteous, characterized the Legisla-
ture as the receivers of i'll gotten gains
from the public treasury. This is very
strong statement, and ordinary prudence
would have dictated that you should have
had facts quite as strong to support it, be-
fore venturing to make it. People are very
sensitive on this question of legislative
corruption, and the least iutimatiou of it
is eagerly sought by the enemies of the
men against whom the chargeis laid as the
most potent means of damaging them ip
be supposed that you are animated by any
such disposition, but the subject is such a
very delicate one that you ought to have
been quite sure of your correctness before
you sent broadcast such imputAtions upon
Che 7dignity aud honor of all the members
of both Houses of the Legislature.
AS one who happens TO know something
ofthis matter as existing in the Legislature,
Ihave asked this space to state briefly
what it is due to the Legislature and to
the public that the public should know,
and in correction, if the facts bear me out,
of the erroneous impressions your state
ments are calculated to make.
At the time the resolution for the recess
was adopted, it was understood believe
by all the members that it related solely
| to per diem during the recess. Nothing was
said about mileage, and il appears not to
have been thought of at all. The resolu-
ton was passed over the protest of some
members, who opposed the recess, and be-
sides denied the power of the House to
deprive any member of his per diem during
the recess.
You were IN error in saying "the repeal
movement had been successful in both
Houses" Nothing has been done in the
Senate respecting it. .lt
Some time after the legislature had re
assembled, q number of the members in
the House having according to usage from
time immemorial drawn their mileage, and
| the fact coming to the attention of those
who had opposed the recess, resolution
was introduced by one OF them, to instruct
the. Sergeant. at-arms to pay members their
| per diem for the recess, aud declaring the
same to be their constitutional right. The
resolution was objected to and laid on the
table, and when it was called up a few days
afterwards, another member on that side OF
the question offered substitute, propos-
ing to rescind that portion Of the resolu-
ton of adjournment providing for no pay
during the recess, and resolving that mem
bers were not entitled to mileage-in effect
withdrawing the claim to mileage and SUBJ
stitutiag per diem. This brought the
question before the House, and the subject
was thoroughly discussed, and the House
by large majority decided, waving The
Constitutional question, that the House
having resolved to take no per diem could
not consistently with lite honor or dignity
do so but 1t was the statement of every
experienced member in the House, believe,
that not only the law but all usage and
precedent, both in the Virginia Legislature
aud in Congress, gave them mileage for the
ADJOURNMENT. Indeed it had not been sup
posed before that there was any question
/ about it.
The Sergeant alarms, however, declin-
ed to issue any more warrants for mileage
till the House should give some expression
of its sense that il was bis duty to do so.
A resolution was accordingly introduced
/ for the purpose and adopted without seri-
Gus opposition. fs,.-s...
Immediately on the heels of this resolu-
t'tion another was introduced by q member
on the other side of the question, declar-
ing the resolution depriving the members
of per diem unconstitutional and an in
fringement of rights.
The resolution was promptly voted down
| and there the matter ended.
This matter has been greatly magnified
in Importance. The obscure sheet from
which You appear to have taken your cue
stated The amount of mileage drawn at
seven Thousand dollars. wonder YOU did
not adopt their figures as wen as impliea.
tiuns. 1t would have rendered your com
ments still stronger in the rural districts
where there is but . limited knowledge of
the facts.
The Sergeant-at. Arms of the House in
forms me that the precise amount of the
mileage Of the whole House is 81 ,66l. 80
(instead of ST, OOO). Ofthis sum, 1886 have
not been drawn-so that the exact sum
loVer which all this yirtuOus howl OF lndig-
nation is raised about Legislative corrup-
ton, 4, s., l66.S0-less than the expenses
OF the Legislature for i've days. The per
diem for the recess amounts TO 81, 200; and
when Sop state that the receiving Of this
mileage Is sin eject, although not in
terms q repeal of the resolution Of August
1st, yop are just s., 5Ss 20 from the truth.
Your statement that the recess was for
the private eonyenienee and pleasure of the |
members Is l. thipk at variance with the !