The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-12-13
HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
ConuMD1A, 8. G., Dec. u, 1872.

MA. GDlT0a:- The EnKN0, OF this
morning. .says: ''Iu tho House Of Rep:}
fesentatiyes, yesterday. the ,oonsidera.
tlon 0f the clause OF the report OF the
Comtnittee OF, Ways and Means, levying
s'tax'ot five mills to cover deficiencies,
was resumed. Mr.. Crittenden, Of
Greenviile, favored the levy, with the
proyiso. that the per diem and mileage Of
members should be included in The defi-
oienciee, and ltquidated amongst the first
claims toIbe iproaonted." AS a. matter Of
justice to myself, I hope you will give
place to statement or the position J.
assumed, and the gist of the remarks l
made in the House on the occasion
alluded to. Sections l and having
passed. Section 3 Of the bill, authoriz.
ing md directing the COMPTROLLER Geno-
raj and County Commissioners to levy
This section provides tax Of five mills
to pay the deficiency for the year COM
mencing November l, 1871. AS IN
amendment to this section, moved that
the following proviso be added to it:
"Prouided, the deficiencies under the
General Appropriation Act OF March 13,
1872. as enumerated in Message No. of
lis Excellency Governor Moses. and pay
certificates of former members of the
Legislature for per- diem ana mileage. be
hrst paid from the proceeds of said tax.
and counting the free school deficiency
to be the amount duo for services
actually rendered" The levy OF five
mills will raise, it is estimated. about
$3.50, 600. The deficiencies under the
Act of March 13. 1872, amount to
$69l 1896. All Of them are of acknow-
lodged validity, and most OF them for
objects Of most sacred and pressing obi
CATION. The principle items are: For
salaries. S135. 900; Lunatic Asylum,
1857, 17O;. Penitentiary, $65. .4l6; Orphan
House, $11 800; Deaf, Dumb and Blind
Asylum, $4,000; expenses of general
election, $25, 600; free schools, $500, 900.
It. is understood, however, that proba-
bly, not more than 800. 600 is due to the
teachers OF free schools. as the schools
we're closed during most of the year. for
want of funds. Besides the above def
ciencies, and for which no appropriation
has yet been made, are the huge print
ing claims, 1925, 900, Treasurer's notes
or bills payable. e., pay certificates
$3.50, 600, and pay certificates. {supposed
to be Legitimate for per diem and mile
age. $40. 900. The scope and object of
my proviso is readily seen. While it
ieaScs tho pruning claims ana Irea-
snrers notes" for the future action Of the
House, it will prevent. should it be at
tempted, most of the proceeds of the
levy from being gobbled up by them It
provides for the first payment of valid
and sacred claims, and amongst them,
the item of $4,000 due members of the
list Legislature. This is known to be
mostly due to those members who voted
against what Treasurer Parker termed
measures to bring money into the
Treasury"-i. e., high taxation. TVuh
the provso, I was willing to vote for
Section 3, levyiDg five mills for de6cien-
cies, believing, from former experience,
that delay would result in an addition of
several mills to it. and that the bill
would then be passed Respectfully
yours, s. s. CRI IrTENDEN.