The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1878-06-06

Singleton, School Commissioner of
this County, said in his speech at Da>
cusville on last Saturday, that the
Legislature had reduced the pay of
School Commis issioners, but their re-
form and economy gave out when
they reached their own pay. We are
satisfied that Mr.. Singleton would not
do the Legislature an intentional in>
justice; but in this particular ne is cer-
tainly at fault, as the record will
prove. We know that great many
people are ofthe opinion that the mem
bers of tho Legislature receive the
eame compensation now as they did
during the Radical regime, and to
correct this erroneous opinion, we will
here state that for the two years we
havo served in that BODY under
champion and homo rule" wo have
, received about eight hundred dollars
less than wo would havo received, un-
der similar circumstances, under Rad
ical rule.
1t is we'll known that at the regular
session of 1876-77, during tho. exis..,
tenco of the dual governments, no leg-
islation could be effected on account
of tho Radical majority'in the Senate,
who assumed u revolutionary attitude
towards tho legally elected govern
ment by the people. The Wallace
House, by tho assistance of the Dem
ocratic members of the Senate, did,
however, inaugurate Governor Hamp
ton, and elect Gen. Butler to tho
United States Senate. This action
subsequently proved to be legal, for
had it not we would not to-day have
Hampton for our Governor and But
Ter for our United States Senator
This, then, was q regular session, and
under the law as it then stood, which
could not be changed 80 as to affect
the pay of the mombers of that Lcgis>
. lature, (tho Constitution prohibits any
Legislature from fixing it's own pay,
it must be done by u preceding Leg
islatureO the members were eptitled
to $500 each. For the extra session
of 1877 they wore also entitled to 5000,
but for both sessions they received
only ~ 5000, or one half loss than the
law really allowed them. At the re>
gular session of 1877-78 the pay was
fixed ut five dollars per diem-this
gave the members for that session
something over four hundred dollars
making in all for the two years
about ono thousand dollars.
Had the Radicals been IN power, thoy
would havo received for the same
number of sessions, $1,000 dollars
This gives about $500 in favor of the
Democratic Legislature. And it
should be remembered that the Legis.
loture at its last session did, perhaps,
more work than any other Legislature
over convened in South Carolina. The
investigation of the public dobt, and
the frauds committed by the Radicals
was an herculean task, besides there
were q great number Of bills passed,
remodeling and repeating tho Radical
laws and cnacting such new laws as
the necessities of the people required.
All this was necessary, and we take
it for granted that the people of South
Carolina, who properly appreciate
the work done by the Legislature,
will not ,grumble at tho amount OF
pay its. members received. We do
not mako this statement in support OF
the pay received by the members OF
the Legislature, for be it RENE mbered
that the delegation from Piclxens
voted for three dollars o day, but
simply to correct the erroneous i'm
preston amongst some of our people.
Public speakers when they oriLrcise
the actions of the Legislature should
be posted upon what they are going
10 say. .s .....u.,. -. ..r
.PARDoNED "KU KLUx."--Jno. Wal.
lace, Pickney Caldwell and w. L..