The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-04-07

|gS 6}AHThEMHHs IL IL wen. &QOW9St0, you
that There exists ON intense feeling 81 die.
6ontent with h9that claas or The people. OF
this State Who formerly. oomposeds / ita
citizenship; and it is perhaps equally
we'll known that this disoontents-ifsit
can be designated by so mild term-has
been awakened by the alleged corrupt
practices Of State ofioials and the dan
gerous aud reckless exercise of the power
of taxation and appropriation. 1t is
also we'll known fact, to each Of you,
that the class just alluded to pays more
than nincteen-twentieths of tue taxes to
support the State government, and hoe
no voice whatever in the law-making,
taxing and disbnrsing power. On the
contrary, the remaining one-twentieth OF
taxes is paid by the new class of citizens
who compose the government of the
State, levy and appropriate its money
and make the laws for all. It is alleged
that this GLASS is ignorant and corrupt,
and thereby totally untitled to WELD the
| immense and dangerous powers CONFER
red.
This condition OF things, together with
recent practical examples tending to con
| IA W sAOsA OP4hA0do Ao lO tuo dangerous
! character OF the power welded over
them, has aroused among the disfran-
ohised taxpayers we'll founded indig-
nation, and an angry distrust Of the
State government. Out of this feeling
has grown violence and discord; and,
speaking us one of this latter class, feel
persuaded that unless cautious remedies
are applied, this violence and dscord
will assume proportions fraught with
more danger TO the welfare OF the State
than the recent disturbances in some Of
the upper Counties produced.
You must candidly admit that the com
plants OF the taxpayers are Just; that
gross outrages have been practiced upon
them in the levying and disbursing of
the public moneys, and in the bribery
and corruption Of the law making power
generally. Yonr party admit this much
through it's chosen organs, aud address
you as recognized leaders of your party
the Repubiican--under which name the
class in control of the State government
places itself. Admitting 80 much to be
true, do you further admit that some
thing ought to be done to remedy the
evil, and thereby allay the discomfort? I
have heard thet each Of you gentlemen
have expressed yourselves to this effect,
and therefore feel less hesitancy in in
truding upon you suggestion in the way
Of that remedy. K It is this n,
Let your party, at the earliest practi.
cable period. Call convention OF dele
gates elected by the people of the State.
Ask that con yention to amend the State
Consultation, so as to require a reasonable
property ana educational qualification for
electors for State Senator'S. The effect
would be to. place the Senate under the
control of the taxpayers This would
not be, necessarily, in the interests OF
party. but would be discreet conserva-
tive body, so far as the finances are con
cerned, that would have it's veto power
over extravagant levies or appropria-
tions. 1t might be elected in the inte-
rests Of party-might be Democratic
even-bnt, even with such result GER
tain, I can hardly suppose, if the reform
should recommend itself to your mind aa
just, you would make this a reason ;or
refusing to give it your support.
But it need not, nor do believe it
would, result in placing the Senate in
the hands of any political party. Tie
people Of my section of the State, at this
time, feel little or no interest in the
party nnmes by which persons are recog-
nized; but they do scrutinize, with
almost unerring certainty, the character
and fitness Of individuals for the offices
they hold under party auspices. But,
should this proposed amendment operate
in such way as to take from your purity
its predominance in the State Senate,
you have loft the other two branches of
the Government-the Executive and the
lover honse-with mnjorities on Joint
bnllot, with power enough to secure the
emoluments to which purlies in power
always claim title, but not enough to
force, over tho heads Of tho tax -pav ers.
any unjust or obnoxious measures nircct-
ing the finances Of the State
This proposition may seem to you to
require great concession at the hands
OF your party. My own conviction is
that tie concession, if made, would place
yoar party on higher platform of prin-
ciple than it has ever occupied in South
Carolina. I can frankly say that respond
ing to this appeal, to give certain n
ostracised class Of persons, without whose
aid neither Of you would hnve thought it
worth while to hold Office in tho State, q
voice III the financial operations of the
Government, would evince a spirit mag
unanimous enough to rniso the party to
which you belong high in the cstimntion
OF this class OF the people.
L