The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-11
TIE STATE TAXATION.
An Appeal to Governor Scott.
HIS EtceRencu r. Z. Scott:

HIS ErceRency r. K. Scott:
GovERNoR-AftAr reading your letter call
ing upon all law-sbiding citizens to yield to
laws passed by the Legislature, and aid you In
restoring the State to it's former prosperity, I,
with many who are proud Of having, for foul
years, struggled to protect our rights, deter
mired to do all in our power to allay the bad
feeling engendered by unjust legislation. So
monstrous is the injustice being practiced, that
we are charitable enough to suppose that your
Ex,ellency is iHerant Of our grievances. l,
therefore, lay before You facts.
When the assessor notified the planters o1
this river to meet his assistant for the purpose
OF valuing property, the land-holders, anxious
to do what was right, proposed that those
planters familiar with the valuation OF their
lands should, with the assessor, appraise the
landed property. This was agreed to- and
lands in cultivation were valued at the pnce OF
gsrded as pasture lands, and valued at i've dol
lars per acre. Although these valuations far e1-
ceeded the present market price, We were satis.
8ed, believing the Justice of our couse would
prove our anxiety to comply with the require.
meuts of law. But to our surprise, when called
upon 10 pay Cd1eS. We uuu ouI lesutho eh1ioy
changed. Lands valued at five dollars are as.
sessed at figures ranging from twenty to TWEEN.
ty-two dollars per acre, and cultivated lands
have an addition Of from ten TO thirteen dollars
per acre.
Upon this valuation twenty-five per cent. ia
added for county purposes, and upon the
whole, fifty per cent. additional for State pur-
poses.
Ifit be law that seventy.ave per cent. should
ho odd dod RI ualn II have
nothing to complain OF, as We know that 80
long 90 the State is controlled by party OF
non-property- holders. who create useless offices
to maintain power. and who do not feel the
burthen OF taxation, which is equal to conis-
cation, we have nothing to hoDa for or ex-
pect but heavy taxation; but what do com.
plain OF is the arbitrary. unjust and tyrannlcal
power vested IN your assessor or Board OF
County Commissioners, who, without ever
visiting our property. and in direct violation OF
this law, has changed Hhe valuation OF the as
sistsnt assessors, who we're sent upon the pro-
perty, anl whom We aided IN rendering justice
to the State as weu as tie proprietor. Now, I
respectfully ask il this injustice meets your
approval2
Again. we were requested to notify our la
borers that the assessor was ready to take
their returns. and day was appointed for the
purpose. Only o few colored citizens appear
ed. Upon inqu:ring the cause, We we're told
that members OF Union Leagues bad to pay no
taxes. Time has passed-ws have been oblig.
ed to pay our taxes.-and no efforts are being
made to collect the taxes from those in our
employ, or the may colored farmers around
us. Our people cannot be satisfied with an
administration that, to every appearance. does
not intend making State officers collect taxes
from colored ren Laws are passed and mani
festoes issued purporting that justica shsll be
done the white citizen as well as the colored
Are these laws and manifestoes intended sim
ply for the public eye? Are We to infer that
the non-propertv-holders OF the State who con-
troll the government have given this unlimited
power to assessors and county co conpissioners,
for the purpose of 30 changing the valuation
of property, that the amount required for State
purposes can be raised, without calling on the
colored people for even poll tax
It Lot be disputed that, had State officers
compelled the colored citizens to make returns,
our taxes would not be such burthep. Does
it meet your Excellepcy's approval that our Ia
borers should be exempt from paying taxes
upon their dogs, hogs. COWS, and from the poll
or educational taI. while We have been COM
PEELED to pay these taxes? land the education.
al tax to be used for the education Of colored
cbildren.)
II your E1cellency will but give us justice,
and prove to US that the white man ehall be as
fairly dealt with as the col rel man, the law
abiding citizen will recognize you as practicing
what you call upon US to do; and to man
tbev will rally to the support OF laws. when
impartially executed. SANTEE.