The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-07-11

duently describes ia general tSF4nse
Some Of them-a small portion OF she
number OCCUR to ua at this mosnent;
Bureau. ssthyi name is legion {, ag,fcaltu!
raj, emigration. freedmen, land commis5
aioner, constabulary and the sIesati6n
oflthe State bonds--toiw which, it j Wis.
pered, the Executive enterteins apeea-.
liar and tender interest. To do j1sties
to these relations of the State, says THE
inexorable fate, ."you mGst pay your
taxes" s-.-->- ;..
In reference to the generalization of
property by the Assessors, the Governor
expresses himself: . :.
Notwithstanding the lamentations
about the valuation of lands, there
are but few of the owners who would con-
sent to sell them at their assessed valua.
ton. The low prices occasionally brought
at sheriffs' and bankrupts' sales are no
criterion of the value of the property
disposed Of, as there is generally ma
tural sympathy among the people pre-
sent for the unfortunate debtor, and he
Is permitted to purchase his property,
without opposition, at his own price"
There are thousands of taxpayers who
would gladly and cheerfully sell their
property for the value assessed, but that
is not in the programme of Scott & Co.
to pay the inflated valuation, nor even to
make fair and equitable bid for the
property-for why pay anything approx
imating to the real values of the article,
when by quietly waiting, the unfortunate
victim shall become entangled in the
meshes of their web, and in due course of
law, fall an easy prey to the Land Com
missioner, who awaits the certain and
sure denouement of the drama. The
Executive actually trades on the hu-
manity of our relations, and reprobates
that sympathy and charity which is q
crowning glory of mankind, which
prompts the outside world to restrain
their bids from affecting the unfortunate
debtor. What can q peripatetic politi-
clan, On itinerant peddler for office,
know of the kindly relations with which
we Southern people regard each others
distresses. Gov. Scott affects spirit of
candor and frankness, and writes:
''There is no doubt that there are i'm
perfections in the tax law, and ire
gularities in the execution of it. For
the present, individuals have the right
of appeal against what they deem in
equitable and unjust, and L have no
doubt such alterations and notifications
of the law rs will be shown to be ne
cessary, Will be made at the next session
of the Legislature.
We agree with him ms to the imperfec-
tions and irregularities. but we know by
sad experience that every flaw in the
construction and execution of this infa-
nous Act initiates to our prejudice, and
inures to the benefit of Governor Scott
and his parasites. What the Executive
terms "unpatriotic efforts being made to
induce the people to believe the system
of taxation as unjust and oppressive
Which we call the indignant effort for
existence-ho uses with ingenuity. for
an implied panegyric upon the Legisla-
ture and r. X. Scott, for lifting the Gre
dit of the State, the vindication of her
financial resources, the retiring of the
floating debt, and host of public bene-
fits, including the enhancement of the
value of the State bonds, for which Gov.
Scott entertains SO parental an affection,
not forgetting the Blue Ridge Road,
which, too, has home in his Excellen-
cy's expansive heart. The wish which
the Governor expresses for the prosperi-
ty of our State sounds, in the language
of our own McDuffie, "like the bugle
blast of the robber band" There shall
not remain q doubt in regard to one fea-
ture of the bill, declares our Executive
You shall pay you'' ta.ces, and the duly of
the tax gatherers is plain and imperative,
to wit:
cit is to press their payment steadily
and perseveringly, and to rigidly enforce
the penalty of twenty-five per cent. on
delinquents. If these officers are inter-
rupted or interfered with, it is incum-
bent on me to see that the laws of the