The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-01-15
[correspondeneeoft the Wheettul0 I'teiltgeneer-l
How TO Make the. Rich Richer, and the
Poor Poorer.
WAsHINaToN, Jan. Y, 1855.

tr1his1 WASHlNGroN, Jan. IL, 1866.
SO far Congress has done little or mo-
thing nlthe way of Legislation, or MAX
ing laws for the interests or govern
ment of the people. Several attempts
have been made TO rob the Treasury in
a sly way: to make the rich richer, and
the poor, poorer. An effort has been,
made to pass a resolution awarding to
Mrs, Lincoln, widow of the late excel
lentsPresident and man; 800 900, being
the amount that he would have received
had he lived 70 serve for the full period
for which he was elected, BUTT failed,
and was finally reduced to 5000, one
years services, q Another bill has been
offered by Mr.. Washburne, of Illinois,
said TO- Bea fothsr-in-law Of General
Grant, TO. increase the ranS, title and
pay OF the General; that Is to say, the
bin proposes 4s rndsrI5nnd ida S;,n 1t, M,itS 70
the title of General, with the pay and
iemoluments equal to double his present
nay: so If the bill passes his pay would
be euual to $32, 600 per annum, or 81, 900
moro than the President receives ! And
when we reflect that Mr.. w ashb bprne is
the man who had, Gen. Grant made
Brigadier, a Major General, and finally
a lieutenant General, with sole COM
imand of the armies of the United States
we must consider him 10 be thatfriend
spoken of in holy writ, tthat sticketh
closer than a brother,N or a brother=1n.
law either. q We. all admire General
Grant, and as Union men, We scopslder
him "some pumpkins, but we do think
that, with presentlof aSplendidly tur-
inished house in Philadelphia, another
euually well furnished in Washington,
presents of horses carriages, silver
mounted harness, saddles, riding ponies
for his sons1 libraries, a 'farm, &c, that
he might consent to exercise his mil
tary genius for SIG, 900 per annum. 1t
is 10 Be hoped the bill will not pass,
otherwise the people may think It IS
time to stop sending such men to Con-
gress. + l,n - ,z,.I5-S .Ii. ill7, Z.
/ AS for Mrs. Lincoln, affection for her
personally does not prompt the gtiti
but s sympathy for herself and family IN
their great bereavement but even
that may be overdone. Her husband
left an estate valued by the executor at
$50 600; add to this the $4,000 appro-
lprfated by Congress, and we haye
$IO5. 900 /; then the people of the North,
East and West raised nearly 100000
more, as a voluntary Offering; after all
this, 4the fact IS worth considering,t
Mrs. 4i herself had made considerable
during her stay in Washington, and
had many very costly and valuable
presents, in the way OF diamonds, jew
elry, Co. 80 llli5o tig h9lTh,., ll..,l
The latest attempt to genteelly rob the
Treasury, is a kind of Omnibus Bill
pushed through the House, on the pre-
vious q question, (but since recalled from
the Senate, which would have required
the Government tolose some $50, ,0OO, 600:
The Illinois Central Rhilrond would
have made g, 900, 900 by this bill,
and other roads in proportion You
must know that when Congress author-
ICES the building of a railroad in State
or Territories, it generally appropriates
large Quantities Of public land, on each
side of the road, TO help the company
along; the company sell these lands, at
large advances on the egoyernmentPrtce,
and pocket the money; for these lands
the railroads agree ito carry Hll.tEoQps
andJwar material for the Government
free of chaTge. II Now, the bill under
conside ton proposes (otfered by n Mr..
Washbhfne, to pay 4 o. these roads the
usual freighfage for such material car
ried by them, during the late war.
This was lo6k ed upon as n big Thing, =,
sbut some sharp Massach husetts editor,
saw through it, and exposed IL In his
paper; the result is, the bill has been
returned from the Senate by request OF
the House, and will probably be defeatr
ed :. So mOte it be. j. GYJ.i