Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-07-15
rAXES AND TAXATION.

No duty is ever devo.vet upon the icg'sa-
tor involving such delicate ara ;anitird in-
le-csts Is at which looks To the creati Of
Just and equitable system OF taxation, 1t
is an acc.rted truth in political economy,
that in evyi"g taxes upon the people, it
saould be doEe in q manner which will ena-
bie theiii'to ;ay the same with the greatest
facility, and without unnecessary oppression
Tie sudden change in the system ol labor
which hiss prevailed in South Carolina for so
many YEAR; the destruction uf' Ei:rc-t than,
one-ha!f of tla estimated wealth Of the State
by the abolition cf slavery the devastation
Of cities, towns, villages, farms and hnrne
stcads, by the ravages Of war. and by inva-
ding and retreating armies the disastrous
drought which existed throughout the State
in 1866, cuttirg off almcst entirely the cot.
ton and greatly reducing the provision crop,
thereby rendering it necessary 10 purchase
large supplies from abroad for the subsistence
of the population; the great reduction, III
many sections Of the State, Of the cotton
crop of 1867, by the spoliation Of the cater
pillar and boil worm; aud the pressure OF
debts contracted anterior 10 the war. when
the basis CT wealth and credit was so essen
TALLY different from that which exists at the
present time, admoniSh us that the people OF
South Carolina are unable to bear q burden
of taxation which, prior to the accumulation
of thcss misiortunes, would have been deem
ed moderate and inconsiderablc. Whether
therefore, YOU look to the contentmcnt OF the
population, or the materia! prosperity OF the
State, il is the dictate of wisdom that yo"
should exercise the most rigid economy aud
reduce expenses by curtaillng salaries and
dispensing with all appropriations not abso-
lutely necessary 10 the administration OF the
State government.
The taxation of the present Alb! preceding
year has been subject matter of great conl-
plaint. The large number Of tracts of land,
as we'll as other property, levied upon BY
Sheriifs in the various Districts, for the non-
payment of taxes, unmistakably evinces the
extreme difficulty encountered 6y citizens in
raising money to meet this deraand of the
State. Whenever taxation becomes thus op
pressive upon a population, its influence can
not but prove disastrous, because in tends
first to Generalization, to dishonesty, to the
making OF false returns; aud secondly, 1t is
calculated to drive from the State valuable
portion Of the community, to seek other To-
calitics where the remuneration Uf labor and
capital is not puralyz d by such heavy bur
dcns.
Tie expenses of the Convention, and of
the present session of your Legislature
whose labors cauuot, in justice to the various
charges proposed in the new Constitution
be terminated short of four montLs-gill, oI
themselves, add to the expenses Of the State
not less than Two hurdred and fifty thorsaad
dollars. The judiciary system, which you
are required, under the Constitution. to put
into operation, will prove much more expen-
sive ,Lan that which now exists, and add tc
these burdens.
To illustrate: the expenses OF grand jurors
for the city Of Charleston, and for the coun'
try, assuming that they are occupied but
three days ut each term, will BE- Sl3,o2+
For petit Jurors for the Court OF Sessions
three ,crms for the city and country, assu
ming an average Of five days per term, sol
slS. For p@,it jurors for Courts of Com
Pleas, city and country, two terms, tive
per term, $34 5G0 making total txpeuHl-
ture for jurnrs alone, under the ne% Consil
tuition, vi 500 224
The w!.ole expense for Jurors and con>ta
bles for the y,al enAihg Isl October, 1861
(and this includes them for the District
Courts amounted to only s42, ,292 IS; show
ing necessary increase Of expense for this
service alone Of S5G 93ll2.
This evil may be cbvia,cd to some extent
by modifying he law so as to provide lol
panclS not exceeding eighteen in number fol
grand juroys, and twenty-fuur petit jurors
with authority to supply the deficiency at the
term If the Court, should there be any, by
drawing tales jurors
The ex#ense Of dieting prisoners will moi
be less than S50OOO; f1r continuing the con
struction of the Penitentiary and for guard
ing and subsistiug convicts, not less thar
$4,000; for salaries, according to estimates
SSO,C00;' for contingent accounts 100000
for public printing, $4,000; for contingent
fund of the Executive Department, 100000
for the Lunatc Asylum, S20, 600; for the
University, $4,000; for claims against the
State, $lO. 600; for other expenses, ordinary
and extraordinary, $4,000; making sun
total Of $47G,: 2f: to which add for expea
i ses of the Legislature, Sl50,O0O for delici
the present year under Genera Canby's tas
order, ending October ], 1868, 100000 dol