The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1868-05-20
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 20, 1868

their future come seriously to dis
turb their well-founded equanim-
ity. But the ex-slaveholder of
the South-though slavery be for
ever gone-is not disposed to dis
turb the harmony which should
exist between the races at the
South. Acknowledging the f.
deity and the services ofthe negro
in the past, he feels that he is the
colored mans best friend, his ma
tural guide and protector. In fine,
he desires and advocates policy
that will secure the black mans
enduring good, and make him a
valuable element in the land.
Nor are the whites inclined to re-
fuse to him anything of civil and
political status, that he in reason
may claim. We have said that we
are willing to concede to him all
! Of civil rights, and to give him, &C.
cording ito his fitness, the high
trust of suffrage. Letusd deal with
this question, as ofright;it is ours
SO to do, and We will throw around
the freedman-freed by South
Cardinals own law-thes protec-
ting power of all that remains of
the State. The eolored man is
taught by demagogues and false
teachers to look North for his
safety and his future; and yet, we
confidently affirm, that there exists
NORTH, a far greater prejudice
against his color than in the South.
Nor, as we believe, is the. day far
7 distant, when, on the'foor Of some
national body, the Southern man
| will be found pleading for the just
rights Of his former slave. Thus
much for the relations between
the two, classes Of the people at the
South. - -, -. =,
As it.regards, now, the powers
of taxation, conferred in the pro
Visions Of fhe CONSTITUTION under
review, we contend that they arc
unjust, dangerous, unreasonable,
nay, outrageous. !, y .,.~ .>~ < =. !,
: To this point, we would direct
the special attention of the Re
construction Committee, who are
to.pass upon these grave matters.
Under the workings Of the new
Constitution, it will result that
those who have no property are to
impose tares upon those a0ho hold
all the property. The legislator, in
laying taxes upon others, is usual
~ restrained blythe consideration
that the tax imposedwill fall alike
upon his own property, and that
Of bis neighbor; and this is pow,
erful element in keeping one from
arbitrary excuses. But here no
such restraining principle would.
operate no such conservative IN
fuence moderate the delicate pow
or Of taxation the non-tax-payer
may lay almost any burden upon
the tax-paying and property-hotd-
ing. The power exists, and. the
probability is. that the power will
be abused. The consequence is,
=
that we may have under the new
Constitution, taxationto the death
Of all: enterprise, Of all prosperity,
Of all the States materialinterests
taxation even to con6scation.
But further-the whites or prop
erty-holders being virtually un-
represented in the State Legisla-
ture, there will be, and that, too,.
in: it's ost.>oppressive form, ta1o-
tion .soithout, representations Upon
this point-upon this great wrong
our ferefathers went into the
Revolution Of 1776, and yet it Is
proposed to enthrone this odius
principle even in the Constitution
for South Carolina South Carroll
ma. one of the "Old Thirteen"
that fought the battle for human
rights IN the infancy of this Re-
public.
But your Chairman asks me
hoWit would answer to insert in
the new Constitution provision
to theeffect that the non-tax-pay-
ers be >debarred from voting on