The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-02-21
NEWS AND GOSSIP By Mail.
Social Equality at the National Capi-
tal-Forney Leads Or In Mixing White
md BLACK mt the Social Board.

Social Equality at the National Capt.
tal-Forney Leads Or In Mixing White
and Black at the Social Board.
Governor Scott will doubtless be gratihed to
find that his extreme liberalty of views on the
question of social equality has found al imi-
tator in the great Radical trumpeter at Wash
ington. A telegram, of Friday, says:
At Colonel FUrney's reception last night we
had the first practical comminSling OF the
white and colored races In social way that
has transpired this season. The appearance
of General Tate at the Presidents reception,
and at some other thereafter, was of O severe
ly formal character, but at Colonel Forney's
reception last night the severe formal cere-
mony of presentation to hosts and guests was
followed by the tipping of the glass in respect
full recognition and general participation at
the informal refreshment table. Professor
Vashon and three other colored persons were
the recipients of these civilities.
Whilst these social comminglings were pro-
crossing, the colored guests gathered about
the refreshmeDt table, after The custom OF
their white friends. The walters at the table
looking colored men. a distinguished mem
ber of Congress not discovering the difference
between the colored walters and colorcd
guests, hailed one of the latter with, "Here,
waiter, give me slice of that cold turkey.
Come. be lively now" To which he received
dgnined bow and the response: "rhank
you, sir, am one Of the guests. l am Pro-
lessor -" The Congressman, an out-and-
out Radical, somewhat nonplusscd, replied
81 beg your pardon !; did not observe it; we
shall get used to these things by-and-by."
Ta1ation-Proposed s5o,eOo,Ooo Reduce
tion-vievvs OF the President on tho
Subject.
Washington dispatch of the 18th instant,
to the Baltimore Sun, says:
By consultation prominent members Of the
administration partially effected, through lead
inS Republicans OF the Ways and Means Com
mittec, an important determination which was
made by the latter at their meeting to-day, by
which it was agreed to reduce the taxation
fifty millions OF dollars. The committee con-
cludea that thirty millions Of this sum should
be taken from internal taxation, and twenty
millions relieved by the reduction Of duties on
iinportations.
This conclusion was arrived at, after careful
deberation, on two grounds: First-that the
business interests OF the country demanded
that the burdens of taxation; should be light
ened, and, second, from the belief that the in-
tercsts on the public debt could not be rcduc-
ed for ut least a year on the plan proposed by
the funding bill now pending in the Senate.
This p3Op0sed reduction was carried IN the
committee with but one objection, and he gave
as his reason that he thought the sum was too
large as in his opinion the actual necessities of
the government demanded a revenue which
would be cut too short by this reduction. On
Yesterday, the chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee had an interview with the
President, and tine policy OF a reduced taxa
ton was urged on his attention. He said that
while the public debt was so large he had ad-
yised against O reduction of taxation for the
present year, but he was now satisfied that the
country demanded and that the government
could stand q reduction of internal taxation
equal to at least thirty millions OF dollars, ana
he hoped that Congress would take step IN
that direction.
He thought that if this were done now it
would hasten the day OF specie payments and
place the government on such footing that
next year iC could easily fund the public debt
into consolidated bond bearing lower rate
of interest than was now eXacted of the trea-
sury 1t was not until the Republican MEN,
hers of tie Ways and Means were assured of
these views of the President that they agreed
to recommend to the House the reduction al
ready named. When the action OF the COM
mittce became known the kilograms flew
thick and fast to business men ana newspapers
in the leading cities.
One of the principal means to secure less
taxation will be q proposition to be made at
once in the committee to reduce the income
fax from five to three per cent, and TO in-
crease the exemptions from one to two thou-
sand dollars. No direct vote was taken In the
committee on the reduction Of the tariff, as II
was claimed that the pending bill in the House
already made reduction OF twenty millions.
By counting that, the fifty millions Of reduction
was madS up.