The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-06-09
CHI A r L e S TON
SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 0, 1866.
JAMES REDPfTH.

We have not the pleasure OF the acduainta ance
Of Mr.. REDpATH but We have heard OF him. we
are sorry to say, however, that we have not heard
much good Of him, cave and alone what he kindly
and considerably condescends to tell us about
himself from week to week in the columns of the
New York Evening Post. He writes OF his past
lsbors. Not uufrequently Charleston in his
theme, and we havo read many Of his commu MICA
tions relating to the colored people OF this city
He writes from Boston, not having b cen in this
city in many months. He doubtless took co pious
| notes when he WAS in our midst, and now on
lightens tho Northern public by drawing upon
this thesaurus. Whether he limits his draughts
to his diary is doubtful, however. We are often
tempted to think that his fancy or his prejudices
are called into requisition for proper embeIisb-
ment of his facts.
There one very striking feature in all his let
ters and it is one we do not like to speak about.
We have long observed it, but have forborne any
mention ofit. He shows an intimate knowledge of
the private and domestic affairs of our colored
folks 30 minute and crcumstantiai Is he in his
narratives that he merits no little credit for hia
perseverance, in prying into other peoples busi-
ness. But we are not sure that he is tho only one
entitled to this praise. Other Northern writer's
also have done much in tn line. Mr.. REDPATH
is specially fond OF speaking OF the mulattoes,-
those OF "mixed blood" His prurient imagina-
tion reVes in this theme. He describea tho choco-
late and molasses cofored beauties with great
gusto, speaks Of the connection with distinguished
Carolina families, etc. Every letter is brimful of
this, his favorite topic. And yet, while thus con-
stantly ringing the changes on our srcolored aris-
tocracy," rs he styles them, he likes them not.
They are too white. His taste ia faelanotio The
Simon Pure is the only object yearned for by his
phiIanihropic bosom. 'I'.g-2.
Why Mr.. REDPATH thus libels our most respect
able oolored society we are at loss to know. Tho
only reason that suggests itself to us is that the
said oolored people did not take to Mr. r. They
probably considered that they knew moro about
South Carolina and her people, both white aud
black, than did MIR. r. They were not ready to
yield blind obedience to all his behests; in fact,
they gave him to understand that they did not
thank him for his efforts In their behalf Hence,
these lampoona. He is particularly hard on
what he calls the "disloyaI coIored citizens"
We copy what he says about the ''colored tax
payers" in Oharleston:
In Charleston, in 1859, there were 355 colored
taxpayers. AZ
Among, these there were 1O9 shareholders. IL
-. me value OF Their & real estate, as assessed by
taxes show $500 credited to them.
Estimating their slaves at $500 each, their value
amounted to S12a.nnn. Tt may be Thought that
this is a high estimate, but beneve IL 10 'lo1er
than they would average, for the reason that 80
large proportion OF them were single slaves
house.servants and adults. On plantations the
estimate would be too high; but, as we will see,
that rnle does not obtain here.
They owned $1,000 worth Of horses and sseoods"
for sale-estimated at $4OO. - -
This gives us q grand total OF $685. in gold
as the yalue of the real estate slaves and horses
owned by the coiored taxpayers In Charleston
when the war broke out.
Their taxes reached sl2,67s in gold, and was
levied as below: =. .i...o: = -
~. AMOUNT OF THEIR TAXES.
amount OF real estate taxes Mt 81 Co., SA0.77
aIbuHs ol ihcoine ana coLnntssfoa at 81 68. 81 so
Amount of taxes on slaves S3............ s34 90
Amount OF taxes on horses at SO. 10 90
alnount VI taxes on Boods at III o8........... go
Aihount Oh Pou ta1..... 966 90
NUMBER OF sI.AvEs-How HELD.
Ihe slaves OF the colored slaveholders were held
In this proportion: =, 2. y.:.s
"a pera hall So.