The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-10
CHI A r L E S T TON.
SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 10, 1863.
Governor Scott and the state Taxes

The letter Of Governor Scott, which we
printed yesterday, does not meet the one
great complaint made by the taxpaying
citizens Of the State. This is, shat while
the constitution and the tax law REQUIRE
that all property shall be taxed at its
value, the State Board Of Equalization have,
in whole counties, doubled and trebled the
taxable value Of the property. The returns
were made, in the hrst instance, on oath,
and tho assessments were "equalized" by
the County Boards. Then the State Board
stepped in and increased the assessment to
twice and thrice the original amount. It
is not pretended that the State Board had
any information to warrant their arbitrary
conduct. There was q difference in the
value OF land in the different counties; but
neither this nor what Governor Scott calls
'fthe caprice and irregularity' Of the off,
oial assessors can justify proceeding which
oompels the honest taxpayer to pay $4,000
or $4,000 where Of right he should pay but
$1,000. Governor Scott may be Of opinion
that the property Of the State should be
worth $206,0O0,0oO. This, at one time,
was our opinion; but sufficient allowance
had not been made for depreciation of
values, and we are willing to accept the
sworn statements Of our citizens as show
ing the selling price, the real value, of their
property, at the time the returns were made
No prating about expenses, or the price Of
otate ponds, or the crealt or the Stale, can
mn kn a Co0duCk- az tho Qtoko
other than tyrannical, infamous and unjust
There is no objection made to the system
of taxation. We are willing and ready to
pay taxes in proportion to our property 80
that every county may bear its proper
share Of the burden Of taxation. The sys-
tenn, in theory, is the best that we have
ever had, and We do not wish to see it
changed. We cannot, however, quietly
submit to having the value Of our property
assessed according to the caprice Of q Board
Of Equalizers, who assume at the start that
every taxpayer has perjured himself, and
pile ON additions right and left until the
taxable fabric is high enough to bear the
weight TO be imposed upon it. s'.
i Governor Scott is unwise, to say the least,
in threatening SO many terrible things, s.if
"faotious attempts be made to embarrass
"the government. by the interposition of
Asthe courts" We know to our cost that
any appeal to the courts which interferes
with the manosuvring Of the Radical party
is styled ''a factious attempt to embarrass
'the government" But the courts are still
open, and there may be found Judge suf-
ficiently free from party spirit to decide ao-
cording to the law, and not according to
party expediency. Our people have the right
to apply to the judiciary for protection.
The tax law itself .contemplates such an
appeal in giving as sufficient cause for
not collecting any tax sthat (Seotion 93)
''such taxes, assessments or penalties were
"epjoined by competent court" And
when we know that under the law all real
and personal property must be taxed SO: it's
"truo value in money" and that our property
has been valued for taxation at far above
its true value In money, we may apply to
the courts for relief, without needing
the idle menaces Of . man who might per-
form more il ne threatened less. In vindi-
eating the rights Of the people we do not
fear Radical responsibility or odium;'' for,
in the words Of Governor Scott: "a gov
"ernment incapable OF unwilling to main
"tain its dignity and enforce its laws against
"open violence and covert fraud, is unwor-
"thy Of the name, and is q fit subject for
''the pity and contempt Of it's friends and
''the scorn and derision Of it's enemies .
such government 10 that of South Caro-
lima, where ''open violence and covert
''fraud" are sought to be used for the in
timidation and impoverlshment Of our peo
pie.
00pn repnvnrvw ,An.~ 49, .-. .sss..san.