The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-07-09

FELLOW CITIZENS: It is made our duty
to set forth in this form the claims of the
Union Reform Party to your confidence
and cooperation, and we ask of you, us
our country mon, children Of tho State
our common mother-having n common
interest and common destiny, IL patient
hearing and deliberate and dispassion-
ate Judgment. The secession of the
States and the sectional war which fol-
lowed, wrought revolution in the prin-
ciples of the Government, and in the
rights, powers and relations of the Gene
rai ana State Governments, partly chang
ing their character. The States were
shorn Of their sovereign attributes. the
Union rendered indissoluble, and the
powers of the General Government cor
respondingly enlarged. The people of
South Carolina, and those of her sister
Southern States as well, accepted am
nesty anu civil organization in 1865, thus
conditioned, and ratified their adhesion
to the Government thus changed in its
character, by the solemnity of an amend
ed oath of allegiance administered to the
voters ut the polls, and to nil officers
upon their qualification. In 1867, the
United States inaugurated what is known
as the policy of reconstru ction, which
has resulted in the restoration of South
Carolina to the National Union, with n
Constitution based upon the principle of
universal suffrage. In 1868, the Demo
cratic party arrayed itself against the
whole policy Of reconstruction, and de-
clared the legislation of Congress upon
that subject as "usurpations and uncon-
stitutional, revolutionary and void"
Mainly upon this issue the Presidential
campaign was fought, and the people of
the United States, by overwhelming ma
jorities, sustained the policy of recon
structlon. The fifteenth amendment to
the Constitution of the United States.
engrafting therein as fundamental law,
the principle of universal suffrage, has
been proclaimed ratified by the requi-
site number of States, and is received
and acqulesced in as law, in the practice
OF all the States of the Union. In the
meantime, the people of South Caro-
lima find themselves in this condition.
With universal suffrage prevailing. two
races compose the people entrusted with
the franchise. Circumstances and the
Vaccinations Of selfish and corrupt DO.
iltlcai adventures, have created an an
taSon1sm between the races, and arrayed,
practically, the whole of the one race in
political hostility to the whole of the
other race. Nearly tho entire landed
property and other capital of tho State
are In the hands of tho white race, and
the power of the Government is con-
trolled by the colorcd, which furnishes
the chief labor of the country. Property
IS the source of life to the State. From
1T the proprietor and the laborer alike
derive sustenance. When property is
made productive, wealth is increased,
labor enhanced, employment is multiplied,
the country prospers, and the people are
happy. 70 secure these results, co. ope-
ration between labor and capital is es-
sential. The laborer and the capitalist
are, IN effect, copartners, who divide
among them, in proper proportions, the
products of the joint business. Legis-
latIon, after securing the mere personal
rights of the citizen, hns no other legiti-
mate office than 30 to foster and conserve
the rights of property, that the whole
people may prosper. 1t is evident, there
lore, that this antagonism Of races is un-
natural, nnwise, and deplorably Injurious
and rulnous, in its consequences, to
both. Under the Industrious manipula-
tlons OF this unhappy antagonism by the
adventurers who created it, the people
are bnrthened and beggared, while they
grow fat upon the means wrung from the
hard-earned products Of the capital and
labor Of the citizen. Not content, how
ever, with the exclusive enjoyment of
multiplied salaried Offices, fixed at Il rate
OF compensation unprecedented in cx-
travagance. these wicked rulers have
plunged into the widest, most reckless
and most corrupt profigacy, peculation
and fraud, in their dealings with the pco.
pies money. Let the record speak:
Taxes. year ending September 30,
1860, S59l, 799 So. Taxes, year ending
October 81, 1866 $40. GGS. 73-not in
Guiding interest on debt. Taxes, year
ending October 81, 1869, ST, ,2G3, go. 90.
County tax for 1869, S5O1, ,097. .32.
Reflect, that this rapid increase of
taxation has been enforced upon pco-
pie struggling for the necessarics of life
with two-thirds OF their property de-
stroyed by war-much of what was left
producing nothing, and all the accumu.
lated capital of the State DESTROYED
income of the people probably not at-
tanning one.third the amount of the
year 1860.
Total Dayments currant oxpo,so,