The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-11-04
VETO MESSAGE.
10 hc, Honorable, The Senate Of Me
State Of Oregon

10 hc. Honorable, The Senate Of Tie
State Of Oregon
After careful consideration of SEN
ate Bill No. SO, entitled s'An Act to
drescribe the times and places of hold
ing the Supreme Court OF this State
and to fix the salaries OF the Justices
thereof" Herewith return the same
to tho Senate without Executive ap-
proval and with my objections there
to.
: The Act provides in the Second
Section thereof, "That the Justices of
the Supreme Court shall receive an
annual salary of three thousand dol
lars, including compensation for Cir
cult Court duties"
In Article 18th of our State Consti-
tuition we have the following provis-
ion:
"SEc. 1. Tho Governor shall re-
ceive an annual salary of fifteen hun
dred dollars. The Secretary Of State
shall receive an annual salary of fif-
teen hundred dollars. The Treasurer
of State shall receive an annual salary
of eight hundred dollars. The Judges
of tho Supreme Court shall each
receive an annual salary Of two
thousand dollars. They shall receive
no fees or perquisites whatever for the
performance of any duties connected
with their respective Offices; and the
compensation of officers, il not fixed by
this Constitution shall be provided by
law"
The quotation. embraces the whole
of the Article of the Constitution up.
on the subject of salaries Of officers
and in considering its nature and oh.
jects. its scope and design, as appar.
cnt from the whole clause, / am unable
to arrive at any other conclusion than
that is fair intendment of this pro.
vision to place q Constitutional limit
to the salaries of all the officers there
in named-in other words, that these
salaries are !" fixed by this Constitu,
tion."
Nor does ii in any manner affect
this conclusion that the act under
consideration includes compensation
for Circuit Court duties of the Judges
of the Supreme Court; for these are
duties connected with their respect
i've offices" under the Constitution, foi
which perquisite cannot be allow.
ed.
As considerable discussion has been
Ind as TO the line of determination
between constitutional and unconsti
tutional Legislation in support OF the
several departments of the State gov,
ernment, / will say that in my view
legislation providing for complete
working organization of all the depart
ments, creating proper subordiDatei
and assistants sufficient for the cxecu.
ton OF the public labor devoiying up.
on said departments and providing
just compensation for the same. is not
only constitutional but imperative
while legislation affecting any change
In the personal compensation of tho
official heads of these departments fol
the performance of their Legitimate
duties would be unconstitutional.
1regret to place on record my objec'
tions to Bill of this nature out of the
high respect in which / hold the char
acter and learning of the Judges oi
the highest tribunal of this State
whose duties are becoming excessive
and whose compensation is inadequate
but / cannot hesitate to respond u
what regard to be the clear intent o
the Constitution.
The Bill is herewith most respest
ectfully submitted tor your reconsid
Grafton. L. T. GRovER,
Governor.