Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-09-08
Tuesday Morning, September s, lsos.
Democratic Address to the Negroes Of
South Carolina.

The leaders of the Democratic party in
South Carolina have issued an address to the
negro voters of tha, State, in which, after
stating the reasons why the blacks should
naturally ally themselves with the Southern
whites, denying that the Democratic party is
in favor Of the re-establshment of slavery
which has been presistently asserted by the
Radical party in that State, and stating briefly
the reasons for the rejection ofthe Fourteenth
amendment by the State Legislature, they
conclude as follows:
We have very grave complaint against you.
You have been placed in possession of supreme
political power in South Carolina; you are re-
spunsble for the manner in which that power
is administered. The population of the State
has two distinct general cIasSeS--your race,
the cOlorcd race, and our race, the white race.
There is also another and third class, or more
properly fungus of the white race, insignif-
ieant in numbers and degraded iu character.
| But small as it is this is again subdvided
into two very distinct parts. They are very
comprehcnsively described in the dialect of
| the Hastings as 'carpet-bag itinerapis and
resident scalawags." This subdivision with
It's two parts, governs you, and by your consent
! and folly, governs the State Your race
| greatly exceeds ours in numbers in this State
you have large majority of the votes
| With this power in your hands. you have
| scandalousy misused it, Although you are
for the most part uneducated and mex pcricnc
ed in public affairs yet there among you
men of ability and education. These men
you have set aside, and have committed the
| State administration and its representation in
| Cungrcss-its patronage and pOwcr-its char
| actcr and credit-to the carpet -baggers and
| scalawags. Not of course because your men
are. in any merit inferior to them. You are
| their superiors, and you have shown it
whenever there has been trial of merit
/ Superior in department, iu ability even, in
property, aud imneasurably so in respecta
Liltv and character. Yuu were placed in
supreme power by uSurpaton, aided by mill
tary violence aud force. We might have
looked on with some complacency, certainly
with curiosity, and seen you try the brief
experiment. OF governing us You would not
do that. but you elevated over US and over
yourselves false and wicked men. Did you
do this because they avowed themselves our
encmics or were you cheated yourselves
If the former, then it is the highest proof of
vour cnmity to us and your intention that we
shall be enemies to one another. 1fthe latter
then you now may show it by the choice you
make
We will show to you what sort of a govern
mcnt it is that you have set up over yourselves
and ourselves. 1t is now on exhibition at
Columbia, playing its mad pranks to be stared
at, the shame and ridicule of our whole country.
1t claims to exercise the power of taxation,
but it does not represent property. 1t would
borrow money on the credit of the State. 1t
destroys that credit by its lawlessness and
corruption. Whoever trusts his money to
your government will lose it, and he will
deserve his loss. You have a Governor,
Lieutenant G Governor, Secretary of State,
Treasurer, a Comptroller General an Attorney
General, Superintendent of Education, and
an Adjutant General.
These are the Executive or administrative
corps. You have Senate aud House of
Representatives. These are Que hundred and
fifty, 1--we in number, and constitute your Legis
ature which levies taxes, borrOws (if it can)
and spends money for Us. Now this whole
Legislature, all its members, and the Execu-
tive corps put together, are taxed six hundred
and fifty two dollars and twenty-five cents !!
The one hundred and fifty FIVE Legislators
(Housc aud Senatel are taxed six hundred
and thirty, five dollars and twenty-five cents
(S635 22) equal to four dollars and nine
cents (S49 lU0l each. But ninety one of
these legislators pay no tax at all They are
not on the tax rolls The twenty Senators
and Representatives from the old commercial
city of Charleston are taxed eighty four dollars
and thirty-five cents (SS4 35 1909 All of
this sum save one dollar is paid by one mem
ber-a respectable colored man. He pays the
largest tax of any one ip the Legislature or
Executive Department Of your gOyernpent.
That after one dollar is assessed-may be he
pays it-upon your Adiutant General, Moses,
who is a member for. but never a resident of
Charleston, also the Speaker of the House,
and the son of the chosen elected but never
sheless aprocryphal, Chief Justice of your
Supreme Court-a bench promising to be as
wonderful as your Legislature.
The executive corps aggregated is taxed
sixteen dollars and ninety nine cents G69
1909 This large sum, except the Adjutant-
Generals one dollar already named. is paid
by the Lieutenant G Governor. The Governor
and all the remaining debris pay nothing
We refer to the taxes of 1S67.-They cannot
vet be ascertained for 1868. 1t is hoped that
a sense of shame will induce your represen-
tatives to contribute some portion of their
salaries, or of their lobby contingents, this
year to the public necessities. Now, we ask
YOU squarely and plainly, do you suppose such
a state of things can endure Can govern
ment he carried on by such persons? Will
thew find fools who will trust them or lend
them money? If they do find such. does
one single man in South Carolina believe that
the property holders will be such fools as ever
to pay one dollar of the debts they may con-
tract? You know they will not. Do you
suppose the taxes they levy will be paid
fey weeks will determine that because 1t
will determine whether we shall again be put
under military rule. One thing is sure and
inevitable-if you persist in maintaining such
government we cannot and will not maintain
you. 1t will not be hostility to you-not a