Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-04-03
GOOD ADVICE
Letter frsm Hen. c. 6. Eemniagsr 70 GBv.
eF10r SOstt-Ths SltuRtl5H.

The following letter from Hon. c.. /
G. NIemminger to Governor Scott, is
published in the Columbia onion, Of
Tuesday:
CHARLESTON, March "A, 1871.
His EUceIlsncy r. X. Scott, Governor
Of South Carolina:
DEAR SIR:-NOt having been pre-
sent at the conference to which I was
recently invited by your EXcellenCy,
/ have thought it due to you, that l
should, as soon as it was in nv
power, submit to you the counsel,
which, in my opinion, the present
eXigencies OF our State call for. The
remedy for any
EXISTING EVIL
must depend upon the exact character
of the evil; and the first step to be
taken towards q proper application of
a remedy is to observe carefully the
nature and cause Of the evil. The
leading fact which has probably in
duced your action, is the formation Of
combinations in many of the upper
counties Of the State, which exhibit
themselves in acts of violence upon
those whom they deem fit subjects for
extraordinary visitation. There can
be no difficulty in ascertaining the
cause Of these combinations. 1t is
undoubtedly the conviction that the
Government of the State is utterly
corrupt; and that it has failed in all
the duties which are required at its
houd-fhef there Is
No ADEQUATE SECURITY
for life or property, and that the taxes
laid by the Legislature must even
tuate in virtual COnfisCatiOu of the en-
tire income Of the citizens.
Is this conviction well founded?
1. The corrupt character OF the Leg
islature Of the State has been so dis
tinctly evinced that it may be set
down as an admitted fact.
=. The failure TO discharge the duties
Of government eliminated in the ac-
tion of tine Legislature at its last ses- |
sion upon the Chesterfield election
This action, following upon the pre-
vi0us election laws, which refused any
check upon the majority, satisfied
THE WHITE PEOPLE OF THE STATE |
that they had no rights, recognized
by the Government, and that they
must, therefore, protect themselves
in the best way they could. The arm
ing of the cOl0red militia, and eXclu-
sion of the whites from any partiCipa-
tiOn, placed one class distinctly above
the other, and plainly exhibited to
the whites that force would take the
place of law.
3. The
WASTEFUI EXPENDITURE
/ Of the public money, and the corrupt
/ schemes for increasing the public debt,
/ which have found favor with the Leg
/ islatUre, proclaim in the future an IN
definite increase Of taxes, while cor
rupt officers fOment these evils, and
render hopeless any effort at amend
meut.
4. The formation Of
SECRET SOCIETIES
among the colOTed people, under the
name of Union Leagues, have banded
them together in a secret organiz3-
ton: and while these societies render
useless any appeals to the better
| Judgment Of their members, they
naturally suggest a like organization
among the whites as their only means
of defence.
These various evidences have set
| tied a conviction in the minds of the
whites that they must seek protection
outside OF the existing government,
and as your EXcellency doubtless sees,
these evils must result in
ANARCHY OR CIVIL WAR,
unless some remedy be speedily APP
piled. The active cause Of all this
evil is clearly the Legislature Of the
State. There 1t all originates; there
it has its abode; and from thence it
must be removed before peace or
security can ensUe. The character of
this body must therefore be changed.
Instead Of representing ignorance and
vice, it must represent knowledge and
virtue. This il cannot do until yOu
change its constituency. There is no
possible method of reforming an
/ agency while the principle continues
the same, and ignorance and preju-
dice will never select for its agents
the wise and the good.
OUR TROUBLES
result from this cause and from neg
/ Lla
that taxation without representation
is tyranny. In our present system Of
State Government those who pay the
taxes have no voice in thegOvernment.
/ This investigation clearly points
| to the only possible remedy, tO-wit:
| A change in the constituency which
/ elects the Legislature. Let this be
| improved, and the improvement Of
/ the other follows Of course. A more
/ intelligent body Of voters, and one
/ directly responsible to pay the taxes
which are imposed by their represen-
tatives, would speedily provide a
remedy. Under these auspices an in
telligent and
VTRTUOUs LEGISLATURE
would again make its appearance, and
the laws Of the land and the public
/ officers appointed to administer them,
would again command public conf
dence and ensure the peace and tran
\ guilty Of the State.
All this can be obtained by simply
/ following the lead of that State which
our present rulers would regard as the
/ fountain Of political wisdom, and
/ amending our constitution so as to
/ conform the qualifications Of voters to
! that required in Massachusetts. Let
| the voters be only such as can read
and have paid some tax for the sup
port Of the Government, and the rep
/ resentatives will at once change their
character. Such a qualification in the
voters would
DISCRIMINATE ONLY AGAINST IGNO-
RANCE.
and would place it in the power Of
every man TO take part in the Gov
ernment, whatever may be his race or
/ color.
The difficulty Of such an amend