Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-02-14
Correspondence ofkte Keowee Courier
The General Assembly.
CoLuMBrA, February ll. 1875

40 Me heotoee Courier:
The arst matter Of importance which was
considered during the past week was bill to
reduce the per diem and mileage Of the
members Of the General Assembly. The bill
was considerably discussed, aId, though its
passage was earnestly urged, yet It was lost
by q very large vote, sixty against and only
thirty-two for the bill. The bill provided for
three dollars per day during this session and
mileage at ten cents mile coming and going.
Those Of us who advocated tho bill did so
upon the broad ground that three dollars per
day was sufficient to pay expenses here. and
that it was the duty Of members to show o
true sense Of reform by beginning with them
selves in the reduction Of salaries, especially
when they had shown such an eagerness to
cut down the salaries Of the Judges, Clerks of
Courts, Probate Judges and Sheriafs, and
thus compel these officers to work for reduced
pay. We oontended further that three dollars
now would really buy more and 90 further
than Eve would three years ago; that provl-
sions and living was cheaper now than they had
| ever been, and that the scarcity Of money
and the poverty Of the people, who havo been
! 30 tax ridden for the last oght years, de-
| manded that t,e should servo here for the
minimum amount. We went furthor, 10 the
debate, and showed the action of the General
Assembly upon the pay of members during
the extra session Of 1877, Though unavoidable
under the circumstances of tho case which
compelled the House to compromise with the
Sonate,) he'd created in the minds of our
people suspicion that members had
made use of their position for the sake of
money, and TINT we ought now, while un-
traumeled and free, to show that we appre-
ciate tho necessities of the people, aud show
to them BY tho passage Of tho bill that wo
realized their necessities fully Tho strongest
speeches against the bill were made by Mr.
Connor, Of Abbevlle, and Major Buist, of
Charleston. They took the position that five
dollars pea day was not too much, that the
change Of our society and the fortunes of our
people was euch that it was right for tho
State to pay mem bers we'll for their services,
and that the mechanics and farmers of the
Assembly were not like the lawyers and
merchants who, perhaps, could have partners
at homo, but in leaving their business and
families at homo. thoy come here at great
sacrifice, and that their pay ought to be sufi.
cient to allow them to- carry some compensa-
ton homo with them. The anlaysis of
the vote on the bill shows that half of the
farmers and about half of the lawyers wore
in favor Of the bill. If the Republican vote
had been taken out the vote would have boon
nearly equal. There MAS ninety two votes
recorded; thrty-two were 10 favor of the
bill and sixty against it. Of the sixty against
it about twenty-five wste Republican. Tho
Democrats Of the House were about equally
divided on tho bill, che Republicans holding
the balance Of power.
The Bond Commission made their report
on Thursday. The report was partially read
in the House, and afterwards ordered to be
printed and laid upon the desk of members.
The report is very voluminous document.
and as aoon ee i can be printed will be taken
up and considered. This is by fur the most
serious matter that we have yet had to deal
! with, and confess that wish the rcsposi-
bility of settling this matter wae to be borne
10 part by some one else than myself In
| 1873 the Republican Legislature passed an
act known rs the consolidation act. in which
they proposed to compromise the debt of the
State. This net absolutely repudiated
| 1906, 900 worth Of bonds, known as the
| conversion bonds. Includng these bonds tho
bonded debt of tho State was then about
Sl8,000,000. The absolute Reputation of
the Eve millions Of conversion bonds left
/ about twelve millions Of debt to be compro,
missed. The act of 1873 proposed to com
| promise this debt with Tho crcditors Of tho
State at fity cents on the dollar, that is 1t pro
posed to take @ bond worth bundled dollars
and give the creditor fifty dollar one instead
thereof, and at tho Same time guaranteed that
an ANIMAL levy Of two mills on the dollar of
tho taxable property Of the State should bo
| made to meet the interest on the bonds.
Under the terms Of this act the nnto war
| bonds and tho post war bonds. or q greater
part of them were compromised at fly conts
on the dollar. thus rcpudiating sc, 900. .00r
more Of bonds. The commission was an
pointed to examine the books and vouchers
filed in the Office of the State Treasurer and
| ascertain If the amount of bonds oonsolidated
under the ast we're those authorized by the
act. The commission has been at work since
last August and have had very laborious
job. They vent into the vaults Of troasury
and made clean and sweeping examination
of its whole contents. The result Of their
investigation is that they have discovered
that bonds to the amount Of So, 900. .l4G were
more or fcss tainted with fraud end irregu
larty in thoir issue. This would make about
81. .999,5 524 Of the consolidation bonds tainted
The great difficulty in the adjustment of the
debt, If the Legislature concludes to go