The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-03-29
SHALL::WE PAY THE TAXES?
PEAoEFUL NODE OF RELIEF
fROM NEGRO MLSGOTERNMENT.
The Only Infalllble Remedy
TO THE EDuoG OF TIE NEWS.


The measure to Which referred at the c.ose
Of an article two mornings since, and which 1
now definitely propose, is to refuse to pov
tazes.
This, If carried, will stop the negro govern
ment: Hexists but upon the funds It can ex-
tort; and that measure we can carry If we
Will it. In contest between property and
oower. except the government be purely des-
potic the party possessing the funds OF
country can dictate the terms upon which they
shall be taken. Nor Is despotic power itself
necessarily triumphant. The Stuarts, In theory
ut beast, had arbitrary power, and'were scarce
lyunder constitutional limitations in the means
to its enforcement. But at every great crisis
In the contest between that house and those
-who held the purse in England, the Crown
was compelled to acknowledge the sources OF
It's suppoft, and the constitution was formed
under It's concessions. The power Of this
negro government Is not 80 arbitrary or ex-
tensive; they have not the same agencies to
enforce it. The property efthis country Is pRder
more intelligent direction; We are able to
make more efficient use OF 1t against this
p6wef than the Commons of England could,
and It rs scarcely questionable, therefore, upon
princirse and experience, that, If we draw the
purse-strings upon this people, We can dictate
the terms upon which our property shall be
made tributary to the uses of the State.
Nor is it necessary to refer to principle ter
this conclusion. 1t is plain that If we refuse
to pay the taxes and be free from interference
BY the general government, they cannot coll
lect them. They can but offer the property
for sale, but Can get no money If there be no
bidders for it. The white people will not bid.
The measure implies that they are not to
speculate upon the necessities Of each ether.
Capital from abroad will not bid. That will
not come new to investment IN titles that are
unquestioaed. These tax titles would be qnes-
toned. The movement implies that the pur-
chaser shall take that enjoyment of them only
which there may be the legal agencies to e1-
tort The negroes Of property in this State
will not bid. doubt II there. are white men In
this State more profoundly impressed withsth
eVilsof the present condition than are the color
ed people who have anything at stake upon the
issue. They will be with us, and the negroes,
therefore, who are without property, who have
taken up the trade of politics, and who run
The government as q means Of living upon
the property of others, are the only ones to
bid, and there is not enough among them,
taking the cost value of every article Of prop
erty or plantIer they possess, topay one-tenth
OF the taxes for single year. Itwould re-
main, therefore, for the negro government to
take 10 itself the titles to the property it could
not sell, and tax titles would be as unprodhGive
OF money, the thing which they want, and
without which their government would be an
expensive farce, which they even would take
no interest In enacting, as.would the tax sale.
Permitted to run the machine of taxation to
It's results, upon the ono condition that; tho
white people OF the State will not voluntarily
respond to its exactions, it comes to nothing,
and in perfect peace, therefore, we can ignore
them, let their ship OF State run aground, and
without force or the violation "f any law come
to the point at which we can stipulate the
terms upon which we will put it afloat again,
and start upon sbetter voyage. s'''''
But to this it may be said that The general
goYeramens Will not so letthis negro govern
me1t be circumvented. There is misapprehen-
sion. Lthlnk, both asto the attitude and power
ofythe general government. ID has not said
that the negroes OF this Stats shall govern the
white people 1t has said that they shall have the
elective franchise, with the rights and powers
that may confer upon them, but they have not
IN terms been declared to be the Instruments
OF the general government: in administering.
subjugation upon the white people Of this State
Nor can 1t make that declaration. The
general government is the representative OF
Democracy. and it cannot declare that any
.eHe people shall govern another, the represen-
tative Of a white Democracy, and cannot de-
clare that negroes shall govern white people.
A Dem5efacy may be arbitrary and despotic-
mees arbitrary and despotic in the. enforce
meat of q tprecspt Of its constitution than a
single despot will dare to be. And 1t cannot
announce aprfnciple at variance with its con.
stitution; and while, therefore, the general
government may practice on this State the
!, ,ssfnplest daspoflsm, in enforcement Of the
principles of Democracy that all are equal, the
Republjesa party would perish, upon the pro-
posision that the negroes and the whites In
this State are not equal, and that the negroes
shall have power that their franchise cannet
give. them.
But If the government should Intervene,
and enforce the negro government, it could
not. 1t could not.mske bidders at tax Salesi
it could not make the people pay the negro
tax. Its only ground for intervention would
be the preservation Of !he, public peace, and
that unbroken, its Office would be ended. But
If it shalf~go further N 1t shall undertake to
sdnaaniseef government-that government
would be It's own. If it should compel the
tribute to sustain the State, /. would Of neces-
sity, through its own officers, expepd It, and,
as this adversary negro government is the one
absolute and intolerable evil, that at least
would be abated by the simple refusal to re-
-spcrd to it's exaetlons, and that refusal, in my
-iuaxnent. should be made at once. =
Men doubt II there would be thenecessary
. concert. But Of this there can hardly be q
question. We must act. No one can be SO
mad as to believe It possible to live here un-
'saer anegro government. searce-an one can
entertain the hope that Of itself or Of Congress
II 'tefe lei can be change. This measure pront
sss relief. 1t IS without violence. 1t affords
aia. no pseteat to the Invocation, Of superior mill
taSE force, It proposes TO do that which every