An attitude of extravagance and corruption was already becoming apparent in the State administration. The Senate at the close of its session in 1868 authorized twelve committees to sit between sessions. Practically every Senator sat on some committee and each member drew pay for twenty-six days, amounting to $34,620.40 besides $15,000 for clerks.[57] One committee alone drew between $16,000 and $17,000. Money was doubly squandered by one committee, which drew pay for its time and pay for witnesses who were never examined.[58] And one clerk is quoted as having had time to serve on three committees and drawing warrants for four.[59] But this corruption did not come to light until the Assembly had entered upon its labors of 1869. FOOTNOTES: [1] Richardson, _Messages and Papers of the Presidents_, VI., 214. [2] Ficklen’s _History of Reconstruction in Louisiana_, states that the highest number on the roll at any time was ninety-eight, 68. [3] By a vote of 72:13. Ficklen, 70. [4] Lincoln’s plan. See letter of March 13, 1864, to Hahn, Nicolay-Hay, VIII., 434. [5] Rhodes and Ficklen differ slightly in their numbers. Rhodes depends upon Sen. Exe. Doc., 38 Cong., 2 Sess., No. 91, 4. [6] Within the Union lines was about one-third the area of the State, according to the census of 1860, and two-thirds of the population. [7] Already Thaddeus Stevens had devised and won followers for his territorial scheme of reconstruction. For a full statement see Rhodes, United States, V., 551. [8] Ficklen regards this story as well-substantiated (113), though Warmoth himself stated that he received the money to defray his expenses from the Executive Committee. House Misc. Doc., 42 Cong., 2 Sess., No. 211, 350. The writer has not regarded this as within her investigation. [9] Debates of the Convention, 1864, 623. Illegal also was the effort of the mayor to suppress the convention. See Cox, _Three Decades_, 430-2. [10] Blaine regarded this as the “original mistake” of the South. Suffrage would have then followed as a necessity and boon to the South. Blaine, _Twenty Years_, II., 474-5. [11] The Congressional Committee reported the plan as early as April 30, 1866. _Globe_, 39 Cong., 1 Sess., 2286. [12] Statutes at Large, XIV., 428. The essential sections, 3 and 4, were later held unconstitutional. Cases of U. S. _vs._ Reese, 92 U. S., 214, and U. S. _vs._ Cruikshank, 92 U. S., 554. [13] United States Statutes at Large, XV., 2. [14] _Ibid._, 14. This act was drafted by Stanton. Gorham, _Stanton_, II., 373. [15] _Globe_, 40 Cong., 2 Sess., 4216.