The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-05-19
Admission of Southern States.

So nth Cdrolina's Case-Ectrdct from
Speech Of Hon. James B. Beck, OF
Kentucky-IAe South Carolina Re
monstrdnce.
Take the case of South Carolina,
for example, and 1 can only state a
few prominent points. OF the men
composing that Constitutional Con-
vention, 70 were negroes and about
so white men. OF the men COM
posing the present Legislature of that
State, seventy-one are colored, and
fifty-four white. One item of taxa
tion alone in that State-the taxation
for the support of free schools
amounts to $1,O00,000. 1t is pro-
vided that the white race shall never
have any public school exclusively
for themselves; that the white and
the black children, male and female,
shall be playmates and school-mates
together; that if the white citizens
do not send their boys and their girls
to the schools attended by the ne
groes, they shall suffer such penalties
rs negro Legislature may see fit to
impose. Who are the men thus i'm
posing these conditions upon the
people of that State? AS I have al
ready said, they have no interest in
the affairs of the State, no interest in
its property, no interest in its taxa
tion, and compose no part of its in
telligence, wealth, or responsibility.
While they are spending millions of
the property of other people, they
do not themselves bear one dollar of
the burden. 1 hold in my hand and
propose to read an abstract, to which,
I trust, members will give their at
tention, and then let them say whether
these are men fit to make Consti-
tutions for or impose laws upon
people.
The following statement exhibits
an analysis of the taxes paid by the
members of the Convention and of
the Legislature recently elected in
South Carolina, according to the tax
returns in the Comptroller's office:
The total amount paid by members
of the Legislature, $500. .63; of this
amount, six members pay 1891. 62;
leaving balance paid by all other
members, 309.01. Executions were
issued for $140.76 of this balance;
whether or not paid, is not ascer-
tanned. The total amount paid by
the members of the Constitutional
Convention, 1879. 81; Of this amount,
one membar "a conse lwative Demo
crat) pays S50S.S5; and three mem
bers pay $21O50-$719.35; balance
paid by all other members, $16O.19
Executions for S77.75 of this balance;
whether or not paid, not ascertained.
]. have the full lists of the members
of both these bodies, giving their
names, the Districts they represent,
their color, and the taxes assessed to
each, which I intended to publish
with my remarks, but they would
occupy too much space. will re-
tain them at my desk, where they
can be examined by any member who
desires to do so. Fifty-six of the
negro delegates to the Convention are
not even on the assessors books.
With three or four exceptions, the
others only pay poll tax, and in few
instances tax on dog-very likely
sheep killer-and the white delegates
are in the same condition. Twenty
three of their number were unknown
even to the assessor. Poll tax is not
charged against them, and most of
the others pay mere nominal tax;
and the same may be said in regard
to the State Senators and members of
the Legislature, rs the detailed list
III my possession shows. These lists
are at tho service of members, so that
the accuracy of the statements I make
may be tested.
What is here shown in reference to
South Carolina is but sample of all.
L am informed, by the best men in
Alabama, that all the white men in
that State who voted for the Consti-
tuition have notproperty enough in it
to enable them to execute the bond
required by law from the State Trea-
Surer.
These South Carolina papers were
prepared for the purpose of laying
them before this House, and to show
what manner of men they were who
made this Constitution for that peo-
pie, and to show how impossible it is
for this House or any member of it,
republican or Democrat, to go be-
fore his own constituency and justify
the imposing upou the people of
South Carolina such q Constitution
as that, tnus forced upon them NV