The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-02-01
RADICAL RULE IN CHARLESTON.
A Northern Man Talks out in Meeting

An extract from private letter from Charles-
ton. printed in the Hartford Times, paihts' III
gloomy colors, the picture OF Raaieai rule Ill
Charleston. The writer is Northern hian
who probably was able to obtain Information
denied to the Southern public. Certainly the
story of the claim for the $4,000 is news TO US;
but there is no exaggeration in the general
statement of the manner in which the people
are robbed and oppressed. The letter is as
follows:
You have seen 1t stated that the Legislature
of this State had passed an enactment ~ pii pnii
the interest on certain claims III coln. :; ,.:,;nh
onlv a specitncn Of the general way ~ 49," rnhl
this silent and accomplishing peopic hLc boro rVu
bed by the Northern carpetc-Iiaio ooainst the
been made their rulers. Cl2l:nS agall'st .nc
State wee bought up quietly ny Scout, lne
Governor. who then had them funded (He
and his Legislature are in harmony, and the
nlunder is Sometimes dlvlaed.) Ihen ne had
q law passed to make the interest payable IN
coin Scott has made good thing out Of it.
The Legislature subsequently passed an act
compelling insurance companies out OF the
State to buy $50, 900 of these bonds and put
them in the treasury as security. IL was
good operation for SCOTT again. ....
send you an official schedule OF our city
taxaton--the printed returns Tor the ast nSGal Ss
wear. made up to the lst of September. Inc
rae on real estate is q per cent. Ihe tolal
city tax, you will see, amounts to sCol,Ssl ".
OF this amount s500,ol9 10 as dsrtced from
real estate OF bonds, &C., returned for laXa-
ton, the amount was only Sl,2Il.3l, ana Tue
tax assessed was sGS56 50; the taA on 5 uJsS, ~
per cent, yielding Sl022; on sales OF goods, OF
all kinds, per cent, s59,347; sales on cotton,
per cent, So |, ,G33; an income tax, per cent,
S7379; receipts ar cotton presses, per cent;
sl2s3; sales of stocks and bonds, 1, sl93l ana
so on, through the long dismal chapter. u dH
sixths of the city taxes levied upon Charleston
under this nondescript rule of mil. mig. "hat
story for business and money IN the Soutn
Why sir, on the top of all this city tax thcre ~
a STATE tax of 81 20 additionally which S2O,-
600 pays $40 taxes
negro government to which we are subjected.
The negroes and scalawags l.. the city coun-
ellis frequently have knock-downs and pistol
fights at the regular sessions OF the poard. l
am not Charlestonian, and no Charlestonlan
ever has word of complaint. But IL makes
the blood of any honest Northern man boil with
indignation to see how these people are pun
ished, meanly, cowardly, and In the true kadl,
cal style of vengeance, after they had once lald
down their arms like men and accepted the
result of the war. They are plundered, anu
robbed and insulted. Why, the Common Coun-
Cu VI OudllSSVOu uOu pa1 et A>SLSCs>
one hundred dollars, all told 1t is tact.
There are plenty Of houses here that you can
rent for the taxes. Only bind yourself 70
the td1es, and you will have no other rent 10
pay. it is robbery and plunder; and horde OF
carpet-baggers and negroes are sucking tne
hfe-blood oil the people, as wolverine SUCKS
the blood of q deer that he has fastened upon;
We hold Oh silently. while they rob right and
feft. Your people in New York and Connect
cut have'but faint idea of the reality. Bills
amounting to $4,000 not long ago came before
the City Council. "Why," said rebel mem
ber, II remember that these have all been
paid by former vote" naming the time: "Dat
no matter" said Mr.. Squash, ''dey is bill and
dey muss be paid" And the vote actually
passed paying them all the second time, and
the money was obtained on them.
1t is about the same in the Legislature.
There, not long ago, o bill came up TO pay
some tailor $500 for merchandise and work.
It was found to be "loyal,' and at once passed.
1t proved to be $40 for q jacket for Cesar. sl5
for pants for Cuff Sc for new hat Tor Pomp.
and so on, all the way lhrough-lt was lor
clothing, the negro members and their coeoress
friends. 49,.
- Is it any wonder that such fellow rs Witt
temore, the Rev. carpet-bagger who "repr"-
sents" the Darlington District in Congress,
after skinning his negro friends and sending
home $40, 900 In one package by express from
Florence, s. c., to Boston, should be able TO
ride US.
Glorious Reconstruction !" But there Is
Justice in Heaven, and it fails not, sooner or
later, TO yindlcate its power in the AFFAIRS OF