The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-12-10

considered unreliable aud incompetent to do
the work. Suppose. too, it had been said that
Dr. Gihbcs was competent nnd f*i1v prepared
10 do all the work. None Of these would have
; had any Influence upon the Committee. There
We're. however. facts broruht before the Com.
mitten and those fncts still exist. which are
that t. H. Bri't"n d Co. whom Mr.. Pelham
succeeded, hal received 81. 900 more for the
Ituhlic printing than DR.. Gihbes. In appoint
ing DR.. Gihhcs now, the Committee had only
done an act of justice md had made nn effort to
bring about an equality. Gent le,nen who know
me- will nc1uit me of the charge of partialitv
t" DR.. Gihh"s' paper. It. is we'll known that
when had the honor to he Chairman of this
Committee, that all my power was thrown the
other way. In supporting the report Of the
Committee now, am only doing duty The
House has surrendered its trust. and cannot
now reverse it. 1t has been said that it has
been the custom tn divide the permanent work.
Such is not the case. The work was divided to
bring about m equality; but we have overrun
that equality, and it wns hing but dutv 10
restore it. The House would stultifv itself,
should 1t reverse the decision of the Commit.
tee.
Mr. Inc'is inferred from all the information
in the possession of the House, that both Offices
were fully competent to do the work. There
we're tw" papers IN this city, each of which he.
supposed had, with view To this appointment,
gone to some considerable expense in pureha.
sing the materials requisite to complete it. in
case they were appointed. What of the
other side ask, is nothing but fair division.
1t is no opposition to Dr. Gibbes that causes Us
to oppose the action of the Committee. 1t s
true that the House is not in possession of II
tho Information necessary to enable them to
coincide with the Committee. Tho Commit.
tee no doubt had sufficient reasons for making
the appointment they did. but he submitted
that the Judgement ofihe House upon this cues
ton mght'be very different from that Of the
Committee. He had great respect for The
Committe, nnG also for its members bnt the
aues, ion was, would the House act in the dark,
or maintain an independent judgement The
House had been told that ore office had recrv-
cd much larger nmonnt than the other lie
would not dispute that statement, for it was
not in his power to i" So lie imagined. how
ever, that five went back AMI examined we
would find that Dr. Gibbcs had received q
much larger amount thar the other office. We
Il, not ask the House to take the work from
Dr. Gil,l,cs: weDnlv ask Il fair div vision. The
onlv difficulty. in his mind. wns the wording
Of the resolution: but he had no doubt but that
the Speaker would enliyhten the House upon
this matter The language in the resolution
was very stringent, but he could not conceive
that the Honse ever intended that n comm irlee
should be allowed to take the balance Of now
er out Of its haads.
The Speaker. without making my remarks
upon the subject. read the resolution Of 1855,
and also the report of the joint Committee ap
rointin. DR.. Gihbcs. He expressed willing.
ness TO put the question on tn" proposed amend.
mrnt made by Mr.. Mullins whenever that gem
tleman sicnificl in what form he wished it put.
Mr. Mullins nnd Mr.. Richardson then both
spoke briefly hnt earnestly upon the subject
matter before the House.
Mr.. McGowan said the discussion had brough,
ont point Of principle. whcl, to him
was of more Importance than the e!ectic Of
81. 1,
cd bv some, that the Legislature. in appoint
ing this Committee, had conferred upon it an
absolute right. and had delegated TO j, all pow
or, then ttc Eousc hai uiEing to DO with
their .etion. This lie did not consider the
proper Interpretation ofthe resolution. The
Committee had no authority to "appoint'
printer to do the permanent work, but were
only to nominate or indicate some one MS pro-
per person. This being d"nc, :heirnction was
inchoate aud impefect until confirmed by the
House. The House had appointed Joint
Committee to make arrangements for attending
the Animal Commencement OF the South Caro-
lima College. No one would say, that that Com.
mit,ce had power TO act independent Of the
House. All they did must be inchoate and i'm
perfect until confirmed by the House. At the
time that Resolution was passed the House di
vided the permanent work. giving 1t one scssion
10 DR.. Gibbes and to +. II. Britton d Co.. the
next. The House never intended that this
Joint Committee should he above the House !;
all the analogics Of the House are against it
If however the ether view should prevail,
then the House must submit; but if the vicw
he took a proper Que. then the House
would confirm or reverse the decision of the
Committee. No one objects to DR.. g ibbes-
lie did not. but he took the ground that equal
ty is equity. The permanent work, be under
stood. was the most profitable part ofthe pub
lie printing. and therefore most desired by the
printers. The Committee had given it to Dr.
Gibhes for this reason. The question now to
be decided is. who shall have it Mt the next
session7 lie trusted the amendment would
be adopted.
Iomitted to state, at the proper lime, that
Mr.. j. Johnson, Jr., Chairman. read the resolu
tion Of 1855, and submitted the action Of the
Commit &c to the House without .comneDt.
The House divided open the qnestion.-Will
the House receive the amendment The vote
stood II in favor and 81 against so the amend.
ment WAS received. Is:
PAYMENT OF JURORS.
The report Of the Committee on bill to in.
crease the compensation to Grand and Petit
Jurors. reported unfavorably, and recommend.
| ed that the bill DO not pass.
Mr.. Inglis ed that the bill do lie on the
table.
| The rule Of the House having baen complied
with preparatory to any discussion on the bill
Mr.. Inglis said he W ished to state h is reason!
for having made his present motion. Hebad
he said, during the past summer, been compel
led to consider with some care. this subject O
the compensation of jurors, and the result O.
his reflections had been a modification to some
extent Of opinions previously entertained. On
q former occasion in this House, he voted
against proposition to allow in addition to
tue daily pay provided by the present law
mileage of ten cents. going and returning. Ny
views [contnued Mr.. Inglis] of the principl,
which lies at the bottom Of this whole legisla
ton have undergone entire change since
| then. have come to think that was wrong
in the application Of that principle. / suppose
] it was never designed by the legislature tha
the citizen. rendering in his turn this pubic
service. should thereout make any pecuniary
gain to himself. but ut the same time it was in
tended to protect him against any pecua inry
loss. He is taken for several consecutive day!
from his home and his business, for the pur
pose Of serving the public. and this is sufficien
llsaacri6ce.to be exacted ofhim for the public
good. Whatever actual pecuniary expense h,
isspls 70 in dischargipg his duty ought to be
! and is designed to be met by the public. ant
. tor tlfis purpose the daily pay is allowed. Th
u 3Iimembers Of the various boards of commission