The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-07-14
Address of the Executive Committee OF the
Union Reform Party to the Voters Of South

Reform Party to your confidence and co-opera-
ton, and we ask of you, as our countrymcn,
children of the State-our common mother
having a common interest and common destiny,
a patient hearing and deliberate and dlspas-
sionate Judgment. The secession of the States
and the sectional war which followed, wrought
a revolution in the principles of the Govern
ment, and in the rights, powers and relations
of the General and State Governments, partly
changing their character. The States were
shorn of their sovereign attributes, the Union
rendered indissoluble, and the powers OF the
General Government correspondlngly enlarged.
The people of South Carolina, and those of her
sister Southern States as well, accepted am
nesty and civil organization in 1863, thus con-
conditioned. and ratified their adhesion to the
Government thus changed in its character, by
the solemnity of an amended oath OF allegl-
ance administered to the voters at the polls,
and to all officers upon their qualification. In
1867, the United States inaugurated what is
known as the policy of reconstruction, which
has resulted in the restoration of South Caro-
lima to the National Union, with q Constitu-
ton based upon the principle of universal SUI
frage In 1865 the Democratic party arrayed
itself against the whole policy of rcconstruc-
tion, and declared 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 majoritics, sustained the pol
icv of reconstruction. The fifteenth amend
ment to the Constitution of the United States,
engracting therein as fundamental law, the
principle of universal suffrage, has been pro-
claimed ratified by the requisite number OF
States, and is received and acquicsced IN as
law, in the practice of all the States OF the
Union. In the meantime, the people OF south
Carolina find themselves in this condition.
With universal suffrage prevailing, two races
compose the people entrusted with the Iran
chise. Circumstances and the Vaccinations OF
selfish and corrupt political adventures, have
created an antagonism between the races ana
arraved practically, the whole of the one race
in political hostility to the whole of the other
race Nearly the entire landed property and
other capital of the State are in the hands OF
the white race, and the power of the Govern
ment is controlled by the colored, which fur
nishes the chief labor of the country. Proper
tv is the source of life to the State From 1t
the proprietor and the laborer alike derive sus-
tenance When property is made productive,
wealth is increased, labor enhanced, employ,
mcnts multiplied the country prospcrS and
the people are happy. 10 secure these results,
COOPERATION between labor and capital is es-
effect. copartncrs. who divide among them, i'll
proper proportions, the products OF tic JOINT
business Legislation, after securing the mere
personal rights Of the citizen, has no other
legitimate office than so 10 foster and conserve
the rights of property, that the whole people
nav prosper 1t is evident, therefore, that this
antagonsm of races is unnatural, unwiSc, and
deplorably injurious and ruinouS. in its conse-
ouences. to both. Under the industrious ma
nipulations of this unhappy antasonism by the
adventures who created it, the people are bur
thened and beggared, while they gro" tat upon
the means wrung from the hard-earned pro-
ducts of the capital and labor of the citizen
Not content, however with the exclusive en-
iovmeut of multiplied salaricd offices, fixed at
a rate of compensation unprecedented IN eX,
trayagance, these wicked rulers have plunged
into the widest, most reckless and most cor
rupt prohigacv, pecuation aud fraud, In their
dealings with the peoples money. Let the re-
cord speak: no ,ooo
Taxes, year ending September go, 1860,
S59l. 1855. Taxes, year ending October 81,
1866, S419,G677l-not including interest on
debt Taxes, wear ending October 81, 1869,
81. .263, ,25909 County taxes for 1869, S3ol,-
O9732
Reflect that this rapid increase of taxation
has been enforced upon people struggling tor
the necessaries Of liie-with two-thirds OF their
property destroyed by war-much OF what Was
left producing nothing, and all the accumua-
ted capital of the State dcstrdyed-the income
of the people probably not attaining one-thlrd
the amount of the year 1860.
Total payments, current expenses, etc, year
ending September 80, 1860, S549, ,25l.09. Year
ending October 81, 1866, s26G, ,24S.0 .04-eXclu-
sive Of interest on debt not paid. Year ending
October 81, 1869, 81, ,l03,312.20. Comptrollers S
report PIP. II.
Bear in mind in this connection, that jurors,
constables, and many other expenses PAID by
the State in 1860, are now paid by the Coun-
ties, and the public Treasury thus relieved OF
very heavy amount; and that an examination
of the conduct of the County Commissioners
in many instances would show the same pro-
fligacy in raising and expcnding moncy-where
thousands have been eXtortcd from the people
by false estimates and assessments, and not one
hour of labor bestowed upon the public high
WAYS. and scarce dollar TO any County I'M
provement.
Shall we look for high motive to Justify
such increase of taxation upon people so
ground down by poverty as ours? Shall we
fnd the public debt greatly reduced, or the
tu,blic assets greatly increased in the hands OF
these reckless linancicrs? Let us see:
Public debt September 80, 1850, II, ,o46 24o:
16 November q, 1856, by Governor Orr's
message, principal and interest, excluding war
debt, s., j,205, ,22774, or by ComptroIer's report
excluding war debt, s. ,l2G .46 Octob 81,
1869, Comptrolcr's report. 50, 80 @,349H.
For people whose ability to pay was so re- re-
duced it would seem that this was Il suillGently
reckless increase of debt to induce call ior a
strict accounting, but as usually Is the case
with defaulters, the result is worse than thclf
er parte showing. Items are excluded from
this account, properly belonging to 1t, which
present fearful condition. and demonstrate
that unless this wanton proiligacy and waste be
checked, the people, OF TINS Stale, white ana
or be released only by Reputation. Thus:
The Comptroller reports the debt. October
o, iSco &c 1S3 34917 Add Blue Ridge Rail