The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-03-31
Letter Of Mr.. Memninger on the Dis
turbed Condition of Affairs.

(, The Hon. c. G. Memmin@er, not hav'
IS Ing been able to attend the late confer
cncc in Columbia, addresses Il. letter to
Governor Scott, in which he sets forth
his view of existing evils, and suggests
Il remedy. The character aud cause oi
the troubles, he says, arc manifest, and
arc to be found in the present corrupt
and irresponsible State government,
which has failed in giving necessary
protection to person and property, and
has been the instrument Of intolcraIlc
and gricvous taxation. \ corrupt Leg
islature, the arning of the militia, Tie
&astcful expenditure Of the public
money, the formation of the Union
Leagues have forced the conviction
upon the minds of the whole people Of
the State that they have nothing to
hope fIpitl tho powers that be-that
their property is to be coniiscatcd by
excessive taxation, and that they. arc
to lie ground under the heel of the
black and the carpct-baggcr. The active
cause Of all this evil is in Legislature
elected by constituency which repre-
.sents neither the property nor the intel
ligencc of the State. 1t is taxation with
ont representation they who pay the
What then is the remedy which Mr..
Memminger suggests? y change in
the constituency, by an amendment OF
the Constitution. Let the qualification
of the voters, he says, be changed to
conform to the requirements, say in
Massachusetts, where only those are
entitled to vote who can read and have
paid some tax for the support of tic
Government. This would discriminate
against ignorance, and would secure
good government. But such an amend
lnent must command two-thirds vote
of the Legislature before being submit
ted to the people, and must necessarily
provoke great opposition. The issues
involved, however, he thinks, would
justify any effort. Let the leading mem-
bers of the dominant party come forward
and pledge their support to the meas
ure, and the people of the State will
calmly await its accomplishment.
TO thesuggcstion Of Mr.. Memminger,
proposing an educational and property
qualification in thevotcr, we suppose that
10 valid objection can be urged. 1t has
been objected by contemporary, in
deed, that such y provision would be in
conflict with the Fifteenth Amendment.
But low is this, when that amendment
merely prohibits a discrimination on
account OF trace, color, or previous con-
dition of scrvitude." 1t has been urged
too, that the franchise being now vest
cd right can not be taken away. We
suppose, however, that the people i'll
their primary assemblies, might divest
themselves of the right--might give Up
the franchise. But will they DO it?
1t is expecting too much of the mag
nanimity and self-sacrificc Of people,
we think, to suppose for moment that
they will 'disfranchise themselves, with
out an equivalent, and what equivalent
can we offer them It is expecting too
much, to hope to convince the black
that he is incapable of self government,
and to induce him to give up the views
of power. 1t is equally idle to expect
anything of the carpet-bagser who has
made the franchise the instrument Of
ill-gotten power.
What is our remedy? We think it
must come from without. Backed by
Democratic Government at Washing
ton, we could accomplish all things;
without it nothing. We must strength
Ell the hands of our friends abroad, and
to do 50 must keep within the forms Of
law, and abstain from violence. With
the law on our side VIC are strong; with
out it we arc powerlcss. Southern out
RACES are the food upon which the Re
pubiicans live, and their inccndiary
effort is to stimulate disorder here.
4 resistance to law is no legitimate
remedy. We must go to the root of the
evil and reform the law-making power
itself-first at Washington then at Co.
lumbia. When this fails, we may then
accept the last NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
and .confro mt that necessity which
knows 10 law. -
Shall We resist the taXlaw, and yield
obedience to the rest. Who can discrim-
mate: Resistance leads necessarily to
violence, and violence is the last resort.