An allowance per day, paid to the members of a legislative body.
1839. In that case, had he asked for his mileage and per diem all would have considered it an insult.—Mr. Giddings of Ohio, House of Repr., Jan. 5: Congressional Globe, p. 66, Appendix.
1839. We hesitate not to pay ourselves the moderate per diem of $11.33, in addition to the usual and statue [statute] per diem of $8.—Mr. Morris of Pa., the same, Feb.: id., p. 217, App.
1840. If the mileage was reduced, Mr. C. C. Clay of Ala., was in favor of an inquiry into the proprietary of reducing the per diem, and to compensate members only for their actual attendance to their duties. Mr. Calhoun of S. Carolina had been in favor of an act which had changed the per diem into an annual compensation.—(U.S. Senate.)
1842. Mr. Davis of N.Y. would reduce the per diem of members to $4, and abolish their franking privilege.—House of Repr., April 21: Cong. Globe, p. 437.
1843. There could be no question that the executors of the deceased member were entitled to his mileage, and to a portion of his per diem, as he was on his way to the seat of Government.—Mr. Mason of Maryland, the same, Jan. 4: id., p. 113.
1848. This resolution contemplated the payment of [Governor Yell’s] per diem up to the 7th of Feb., and his travel fees from Arkansas here.—Mr. Starkweather of N.Y., the same, June 29: id., p. 880.
[The phrase is constantly used in this debate.]
1849. No gentleman could support himself and his family here upon the per diem; or in other words, if he left his family at home, he could not support himself here and his family at home on the per diem. This mileage therefore was intended to make up, to some extent, &c.—Mr. Vinton of Ohio, the same, Jan. 4: id., p. 160.
1850. A common laborer’s wages [in California] are more than the per diem of a member of Congress.—Mr. Hall of Missouri, the same, March 5: id., p. 252, Appendix.
1850. [When members are absent] their per diem is not stopped in the mean time, but runs regularly on as if they were here in their seats.—Mr. Featherston of Mississippi, the same, Aug. 17: id., p. 1595.
1855. True, the members of the Utah legislature get their per diem, and some money has been appropriated to this Territory, but is it paid to the Territory?—Brigham Young, June 17: ‘Journal of Discourses,’ ii. 320.
