The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-12-20
CULUMBIA., S. G.
Saturday Morning. December 20, 1878.
Defeat or Amendments In tho Senate to
Fay Pay Certificates md Biuo Ridge
SCrln. ~ r1sf

SCflps
The bill now under discussion in the
Senate. as it came from the House, has
ne section which provides for payment
OF pay certificates. It's provisions are
strictly in conformity TO isss taii;.s. 7. :s
bill to reduce the volume of the pub
lie debt, and to provide for it's payment.
The two Senators, ,Whittemore and Jer-
vey. who have introduced amendments,
run, substantially, the same schedule.
The formers amendment, to strike out
Section 3, and insert his substitute, pro-
viding for the payment OF certificates
issued by the General Assembly and by
the President OF the Senate and Speaker
ct the House. and all other valid out.
standing claims against the State, aris-
ing between July, 1868. and March,
1873, was indefinitely postponed, by q
vote Of twenty ayes to eleven nays. The
same matter osme up again. in slightly
different shape. at the night session of
Thnreday. in the amendment OF Jervey.
It was disposed OF in the .ame way,
being indefinitely postponed. by a vote
Otayes;twsnty.tWo nays ten. So ended
the Eight on the pay oer.idoates. Whit.
-tsnnofe and Jervey then trotted out the
Blue Ridge scrip, but it was so spavined
and blown that 1t could not run. and
was ruled of the track altogether. It
suffered double defeat. as the pay cer-
tificates had before it. Jervey Withdrew
mis- printed amendment. in order to
offer another freshly concocted. This
: authorizes the Treasurer to issue bonds
>eauaF to fifty per oent. of the face value
to holders Of the bond scrip. White
more moved the adoption OF Jervey's
amendment just withdrawn. He Of
:fered it 1as substitute to Section 4 OF
The bill. It is as follows:
"'That the State Treasurer be author.
ized and required to issue in lieu of the
SO, 100000 of Blue Ridge Railroad
bonde, ,lwhich have been surrendered,
and for swhieh 81,800,OOO of revenue
bond scrip have been issued, 'consolida-
tom bonds or certificates of stock equal
in amount to the full value of the scrip
so A1ffendered at the treasury Office by
the PARTIES holding the same"
Whittemore spread himself it it's
favor, going over the old arguments and
figures with his we'll known nnction.
Mr.. Duncan, of Spartanburg. reviewed
the history OF Legislative action in refer
esnce to the Blue Ridge scrip. He showed
that the whole consideration obtained
directly and indirectly, for the $780,
900, issued to parties who held it, was
not more than S450.O0O. The demand
that this scrip should be made good was
not just or equitable. The State is
under NO obligations in equity to do
more than take up what was advanced
to- the company. Every one who will
look at the matter spassionately, in
the light Ia which it now presents itself,
eau see that the legislation which passed
'the revenue bond scrip was unjust and
unauthorized, If not corrupt. Now is
the time to correct this great wrong. by
refusing to pass the amendments which
seekeo revive and perpetnate it. Mr..
Duncan's speech was the event of the
evening. It dealt in facts. figures and
arguments. delivered in spirit of can
dor and fairness, which commanded
very general attention aud warm ap.
proval.
Upon motion of Nash. the amend
anent Was Indefinitely postponed, by q
vote of ayes Is; nays IA. The same fate
befeli the other amendment of Jeryey.
Nash moved to reconsider the motion
by which the amendments had been in
definitely postponed. md to lay the
motion to reconsider on the table. After
"a long and tiresome debate. las ing till
after IL O'Clock, this motion prevailed.
The President, upon being called on for
dis ruling ms to the effect of this motion,
decided that it was to exclude the fur
ther consideration Of the Blue Ridge
scrip, In connection with this bill, for
this present session. There were many
parties dissatisfied with this result, and
some went out snashing :hc;r .eo.h.
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