The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-12-07
REFORMING TIE SALARY OF IIEUTENA ANT
p GOVERNOR.

REFORMING TIE SALARY OF LIEUTENANT
> GOVERNOR.
Th" first bill on the list was ono to
abolish the salary Of the office of Lieu
tenant Governor The bill provides
that that officer shall receive only $40
per diem and mileage during the ses-
sion Of the General Assembly. A motion
was made to reduce the per diem to $5
but this was voted down and the bill
passed in its original shape. Under the
present law the Lieutenant Governor
gets $1,000 per annum in addition to his
per diem during the session of the
Legislature. Lieutenant Governors will
receive only about $500 per annum all
told. They have been reformed before
being elected.
THE FIRST DISCUSSION OF THE SESSION..
The next bill on the calendar evoked
the first forensic battle of the session
battle that was long and at times ex-
cecdingly wearisome and which resulted
in defeat for the House judiciary COM
mittee. The bill was introduced by Mr..
Aldrich, Of Aiken, O veteran legislator
and skilled debater. 1t proposes to
amend section 2,629 OF the General
Statutes, relating to the drawing and
terms of service of jurors. in effect it
makes thorough change in the Jury
aystem so far as it relates to grand iuries.
AS explained by Mr.. Aldrich it proposes
to make the grand jury perpetual body
constituted on the same plan al the State
Senator is constituted. The officers of
Court venires to draw on December,
1883, two venires of each. thus making
ID grand jurors. Nine of these are to
serve for one year and 9 for two years.
After tho expiration Of year only 9 will
be drawn every year, so that there will be
8 old Jurors and new jurors on every
grand jury. The judiciary committee had
reported the bill unfavorably, and desig-
natod Mr.. 8. P. Hamilton to conduct the
case as it were. Mr.. Hamilton therefore
moved to strike ont the enacting clause,
''''S" oAoNS VII NhC lOISuSlC HRALS
This was opened by Mr.. Aldrich, who
argued that the new system would create
an effective check upon the county
officers and render the grand jury the
guardians to the public funds. The idea
advanced WAS that by pcrpctuating the
grand jury there would always be nine
jurors perfectly familiar with the affairs
of the county, and this he argued would
do moro to keep down heavy county ex-
penditures, of which there was 80 much
complaint, than the passage of half
dozen laws.
The bill was opposed by Mr.. Hamil-
ton, Judge Maher, Mr.. T. P. Miller, Of
Beaufort, and Mr.. Hutson Of Hampton.
Judge Mahcr doubted the wisdom or
policy Of the proposed radical change.
His own observation had not convinced
him Of the first change which extended
the term Of service of the grand jury to
one year, and he thought if any change
was to be made it wonld be better, to re-
turn to the old system Of drawing grand
jurors for each term Of Court The OBJ
iect sought to be obtained by the bill,
he tn ought, could be best obtained if the
grand juries wero brought nearer to the
people.
Mr.. Rankin, of Chesterfield, favored
the bill. Speaking for his county he said,
even longer tenure Of office was desired.
In chat county they wanted the grand
jurors to serve for FIVE years.
The discussion was participated in by
number Of other members, including
Gen. McKissick and DR.. Thomas, Of
Union. and finally vote being reached,
the motion to strike out was lost-ayes,
48; nays, 63-and the bill passed over
the heads Of the committee.
Before the final disposition, however,
Mr.. Brawley, Of Charleston. moved to
reconsider the vote, which motion re-
opened the discussion. Mr.. Parker, Of
Abbevlle, spoke against the bill and
Mr.. Ansel and others for it. The motion
to reconsider was carried, with consent
Of Mr.. Aldrich, for amendment which.
however. only perfected the bill.
A motion to recommit the bill was
lost-ayes. 45: mays, Sand it was
finally ordered to be engrossed.
Snbscrif.e to THE MEssrNcrp