industrious artisan at present entitled to a vote will not come to the poll on account of the violence which—­if not of the mobular party—­he may be subject to; his family depend on his exertions for their daily bread—­a broken limb, or any such accident happening to him, may bring the whole family to deep distress, if not to the workhouse.  It appears by the Edinburgh Review of October, 1852, that at a previous general election, 40 per cent, of those possessing the privilege did not poll their votes.  A hasty lowering of the franchise would certainly increase that number, and thus while losing more votes of the peaceful and industrious citizens, we should be increasing those of the more turbulent, and of those who are excited by designing demagogues.

But to return to the United States.  In the former edition I omitted to explain that “a Congress” meant a Parliament for two years—­the term for which the representatives are elected.  One of the sessions is from the first Monday in December to about the end of August, and is called the long session; the other commences the same day, and sits till the 4th March, and is called the short session; but, besides these regular sittings, there may be extra sessions as often as the President thinks fit to assemble Congress.  At the time I was in the States, by a fiction very agreeable to the members, if Congress closed the session on Monday, and the President ordered its reassembling on Tuesday, the members were supposed to be at their respective homes, and received mileage payment accordingly.  This snug little bonus was called “constructive mileage.”

In the year 1856 an act was passed fixing the payment of members at 1260l. each for their services in each Congress of two years, and abolishing the constructive mileage job.  The only deduction from the above is that made for non-attendance of members.  The payment is thus arranged:—­Each member receives 1l. 13s. 6d. for every day he attends in Congress; the whole number of days a session lasts are calculated at the above rate, and the difference between that amount and 630l. (the half of 1260l.) is a bonus given, at the end of the first year’s session, and is in lieu of all further payments for any extra sessions which the President may think it advisable to call during the year.  It will thus be seen that each member receives the same sum, minus 1l. 13s. 6d. for every day’s non-attendance.

Mileage is allowed at the rate of 1l. 13s. 6d.. for every twenty miles distance to and fro, but only for one session each; year.  The advantage Texas and Californian members obtain from this liberal allowance is obvious, and its injustice is felt by those who live in the neighbouring States to Washington.