Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-06-14
Card from Col. Livingston.

EpIroRs KEowEE COURIER: In order that the
people may form correct judgment as to tho
| action of tho Senate in reference to tho pay of
tho members of tho General Assembly, allow
mo to make o brief and plain statement.
According TO the constitution and tho law the
members were entitled to receive $500, with
mileage, for the regular session Of Inst Dccem-
bcr, and $25 Per day for their services during
| the special session.
The Senate met in secret session to discuss
tho matter and see if some compromise, provil-
hing for q reasonable compensation, could not be
made with tho Republicans, who at that time
had o majority in that body. The various pro-
positions made by Democratic members to re.
ceiye o less sum than $500 were rejected, az,
We accepted that compromise as being the best
we could make. Tho members had already been
paid that amount in certificates, signed by the
Presidents. They had, therefore, vested rights
which VIC could not divcst them of without re.
sorting to es post facto legislation or species
of lttlo reputation which we understood The
administration did not favor, and which we did
not think would be crcditablc to our party or
sanctioned by public opinion in or out of the
State. IL was reported then, and has not since
been denied, that this matter Of pny had been
referred to Governor Hampton General Conner,
the President of the Senate and the Speaker of
tho House by sub committee of the Ways and
Means Comn.;::es, and that these gentlemen did
not favor the proposition to 60 back upon the pay
of tho regular session in December It has
since been made public, and therefore Violate
no rule or obligation in repeating that tho Senate
compromise ut $500, with one mileage, was
supported not only by five but by eight Dcmo-
cratic members Of that body.
But aside from tho law and the constitution
1t was made to appear that such compromise
would be an actual saving to the treasury of our
State. The bill which came from the House
provided "That the President of the Senate and
Speaker of tho House Of Representatives re-
spectively shall furnish pay certificates for the
amount of salary and mileage due to each nom.
Der of the Senateand House of Represent atives:
Provided, Tho same shall not exceed 5000 each
for both sessions" Your readers will readily
SEQ that this provision was indefinite and without
restrictions. It made no distinction between
tho members Of The legal (wallacc) house and
tho illegal or AIackey house, and if it had been
accepted by the Senate tho latter would have
">SA e"'ie'eo W Slutl Will, inc lOrmer.
Speaker Wallace would have been bound, as he
afterwards declared by ruling in the house, to
Issue the sane pay TO tho members of both
| houses. l was opposed, as will appear by ref
crence to my remarks, reported in the News and
Courier and journal Of Commerce, 10 paying
Tho Mackoy rovolutionists anything. Now tho
| mileage Of one session of tho General Assembly
has mover bacn less than $4,000 at 20 cents Der
milo. The Senate proposition was to ake only
one mileage at 10 cents per mile. According to
the house bill, without amendment, tho pay
would have been as follows: 1873 members of this
senate and house at 5000 would be Se2, 800,
mileage at 20 ccnts per mile, $l8, 900, aggrogat-
| Ing tho sum Of $500,
l By tho compromise made in secret session of
The senate ~ would have been as follows: SO So
nators at 5000 for regular session, ST. 8, 800; 90
senator's at $500 for special session, Sc, GOO: n
members Of legal house, at 5000 for regular
session, $4,000; 1Oi members ut 5000 for
special session, SIC, 300, making in tho nepro.
gate $4,000 or 81 900 less than tho bill which
camo from tho house provided. Now as to the
statement Tint tho appropriation was raised in
tho senate to meet their amendment, will only
say that fS75, 900 would not have boen sufIicien,
If other proposition had been adopted. The
pay an finally agreed upon was 5000 and one
mileage ut 20 conisSper mile, and 10 meet This
the appropriation was raised 5000 Z.
In conclusion let me add that by no copstruo;