Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-07-07
tcoMMuHIckTED.l
ECONOMY IN LEGIsLATION,

MR.. EDITOR: Allow me, through the medium
OF your paper, TO call the attention Of YOU
readers to the following suggestions:
The heat OF summer Ia upon US, and In oul
city we have thousands OF the gallant wounded
who have barred their breasts to the enemies o.
our country, who are now suffering from theli
wounds in our hospitals. A bill for an appro
prlation for furnishing water 10 the city was
a few days since, defeated In the House o.
Representatives subsequently passed under q
strong rally) on the ground OF economy. The
Jail was taken from the marshal and given tc
the warden on the ground OF economy. bill
was passed to reduce the fees OF the marshal
of the District Of Columbia 10 one half the
amount allowed to other United States mar.
shals on the ground Of economy. A bill for
the purpose Of giving to the widow Of the gal.
liant Gen. Baker, who fell In the service Of his
country, pension for life was defeated on the
ground of economy. And much mischieyous
legislation has been hurried through Congress
during the session Just closed in the name Of
economy, the object OF which was, msnifestly,
to crafty the petty malignity and envy Of In.
diyiduals.
Let us inquire who these guardians of the
public treasury are. Who defeated at one
time (and fought to the last hours Of the ses-
sion against it) the appropriation for furnish
sands Of our wounded soldiers lie swelterin z
in the heat Ipoint TO Ellihu B. Washburne.
| say TO him, " Thou art the manr' And what
is bis excuse for 6llibustering nearly two mortal
hours in the last night Of the session Agains,
this bill, repeatedly insulting Speaker Collar
by requesting him, In the division of the House,
mot to count any member more than twice ri
Was II economy, or was II because the mem.
bers would not vote for his amendment To the
Pacific railroad bill If he could have raised
a sufficient number of adherents to have called
| the yeas and nays he would have defeated the
water appropriation altogether.
Our wounded soldiers are doubtless greatly
obliged to the economical member for his legls
lstion Who fathered the warden bill, and
the one discriminating against the Marshal Of
the District of Columbiai Grimes aud Com
ton in the House. Was 1t economy that prompt
ed this Tor was 1t In furtherAnce OF Grimes's
threat in the early part OF this Administration,
when he approached the footstool Of his
| august throne" and "was not admitted to his
| imperial mnjesty's presence" when he intend
ed TO demand the instant dismissal OF the
foreign satrap" for having faithfully dis.
charged his duties as an officerl Who killed
the bill for the relief Of the widow Of the gal
liant Baker, Ellihu B. Washburne, who ira
| duced the fair fame Of Baker-who while aliv,
everybody loved, and who dead everybody
honors--by saying, he was not gentleman J
Go, Washburne, to the silent graveyard wher,
Lies the remains of that noble hero, perforated
| with the enemy's bullets, now smouldering II
the dust; there knoel down at the head Of tina
| sacred grave and pray for forgiveness to tina
God whom you have offended.
Perhaps the fact that Gen. Baker, In tn,
| pride Of his manhood, at one time beat tho ira
| ducer OF his honored name for Congress, In tn,
Galena district, had something TO do with thI
legislation In the name OF economy"
Let US now inquire little into the antece
dents Of this economical member OF Congress
This 10 his sixth term In Congress, and, lik,
| other members, he has been entitled TO mileage
| By the mail route from Galenh to Washington
the distance is l,0l4 miles; for which sail
member Is entitled, by law, to 40 cents pc
mile, going and returnlng-making 80 cent
per mile-amounting in all, for the session, I,
tSll.20. Now, reader, what amount do yol
think he has drawn from this Government
Why, up to the present Congress he drew 70
| t"o thousand miles, and for this Congress b
draws for 1855 milee.
1900 miles at 80 cents per mile for ten
Extra mileage lsGt Congress ss........... 600 o
,3SS miles for present Congress ~ 70 ots. lilo
Whole mileage teseiyed.........,.....a aIs,TIo 1
True statement OF what II ought TO have been
| LOLA miles-vreal diStAneo-At 80 oen;B for
ten years. ...........".............. ss,IIa o
Extta mileage last Congress............. 8I7
l,ol4 miles for present Consrsss......... si .
Whole mileage he should have received. sS,7I 1
Excess OF mileage received ............. ss,Gs Q
There Is now due to the Government, fror
Washburne, S,y76, which he has thus taken
and when he 10 required to repay II In kinda
the most of 1t was paid In gold-at the presen
price, would amount to nearly twenty thousan
laIN l. l.,. A