The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-03-14
Embarrassed about Mileage.

Mileage is very troublesome question !;
especially your constructive mileage !"
Strange, too, that it should be, since the
question is always decided the same way
/. e., for constructive mileage" In a
country where men are paid for making
laws, since that is very important
business, we have always been in favor
of liberal compensation, and look upon the
fuss about mileage as very narrow and con-
tracted; but those who finally take the
mileage are chiefly to blame for making so
many wry faces, and assuming to be SO
virtuous, such strict constructionists,
when everybody knows what the ICON
struction" about mileage" must inevita-
bly, be. Our own House Of Delegates, the
other day, when the question was first up
between two reports, one for and the other
against mileage for the extra session, under
the pressure of the ayes and noes, voted de-
cidedly against the mileage! A shrewd
tactician contrived the reference to the
Committee of Courts of Justice, who re-
ported that mileage for the extra session
was legal. The report was read-nobody
said word-the Speaker put the question,
and it passed, like a rifle shell through a
screen of illusion! (The voice of the au-
thor of the minority report, Mr.. WADDELL,
alone being audibly given in the negative.)
In twenty minutes afterwards, possibly
forty gentlemen had their mileage
The most amusing case Of late,is that of
the embarrassment of the Speaker of the
House of Representatives The law pro-
vides that Congressman shall be paid mile
age at the beginning of each regular ses-
sion. But the law by which the present
session was called on the 4th March pro-
vided that no mileage should be paid to
members of this Congress uho acere also
members Of the last! No wonder the
Speaker is embarrassed. 1t is, indeed,
hard to get at this mileage
Many years ago, great tempest arose
on the subject of constructive mileage for
the United States Senate. One day the
Senate had taken a recess, and it was
nearly time to assemble again. A few
members were already in the Chamber.
Senator BADGER, of North Carolina, was
earnestly engaged in argument with some
of them near the aisle, and Mr.. WEBSTER
entered. AS he passed the group, he
loosely remarked: "Ah, BADGER, still
"talking-you are always talking, BADGER
"What are you talking about ?" Mr.. BAD
GER, who was man of great sincerity and
integrity, as we'll as ability, and had avery
high regard for Mr.. WEBSTER, replied ::
"Mr. WEBSTER, am endeavoring to con-
"vince these gentlemen that constructive
"mileage is legal" "Ah, BADGER, 1"
replied the great expounder, "you
"needn't trouble yourself; there is one
argument that will settle that question
without more words" "What is that,
Mr.. WEBSTER" inquired Mr.. B.. when the
great senator, with an air of humorous in
situation, in which he could not be ex-
celled, significantly patted his pocket
The North Carolina senator, a little
touched by this humorous treatment of
his very serious opinions, remarked with
much emphasis: "But, Mr.. WEBSTER, l
am in earnest, and believe my opinion of
the law is correct. Don't you intend to
draw your mileage?' "No, BADGER,
no l intend to do nothing Of the kind y;
and pausing moment, looking most quiz
zically at his North Carolina friend, he
added: 81 have already drawn it ~ A
spectator of the scene described it years
ago as having been the most incomparably
humorous he ever witnessed. 1t kept the
senator's in a good humor for at least a
day.
Mr.. WEBsTER's argument was one of the
strongest he ever made, and is as good now
as it was then. Mileage forever!