The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-04
THE CRISIS IN THE STATE.
and SIMPLE REMEDY FOE
OUR EVILS.
A .D,.scs Popular Appeal to Congress.
SUMTER, 8. c., March 80, 1871.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.

SUMTER, 8. c., March 80, 1871,
TO THE EDITOR OF III NEWS.
/. In a recent issue of your paper. a writer dis
cusses what, In his Judgment, is a remedy for
the ruiuous consequence OF the mal-adEhinis-
tration of ourState government Its enormous
taxes imposed upon our Impoverished people,
and. the appalling evils which threaten our
future. :,
It is az fact. ROW becoming apparent 10 al
that we cannot much longer live under sucn a
state of things 80 have existed in our STATE ior
some wears past. Taxation the most,onerous
and ever imposed upon our ta1-
PAYERS. even In their most prosperous DAYS,
aod,hat witheut o representation OF the tax
: nayers In the administration Of the govern
rnent. These taxes imposed at a time when
the tsxpayers, many Of them, are reduced a.
most to starvation, and most OF them are Ut
ter,y without the means Of paying the taxes.
Two taxes imposed on them In one year,
either Of them greater than was ever De-
lore imposed. The taxes, when paid, tosgo
iato the control Of q set Of men VINO
have stolen OF sQnandered all that
they could lay their hands ON; whe have been
and can.again be bElbed to commit any ecor-
mites in legislating away the means or the
credit of the State, and in whom the taxpayers
have no confidence whatever. A bankEnpt,
unprinclpled, iaiterate, ignorant and pre-
JUDGED majority, not only in control Oh Tue
State Government, but armed and arrayed IN
unfriendly hostility to the taxpayers. Is there
any. can there be any safety IN such a state
of things as this Z: We think not. A change
must take place. No wonder some Of our less
thinking people have been driven into ku-
Klux outrages. No wonder there is unrest
and distrust evident in every section of our
State. No wonder our people are looking out
for and writing up ''the remedy for this state
ofthlngs. But we have not. as yet, seen pro-
posed what, in. our opinion, is the sure and
only reliable e. satisfactory remedy. We
venture to suggest it, and call upon others
more able and fssed tothe task, todepelop the
details and the advantages of the plan.
We state several propositions which we be-
lieve to be true:
!. Our people have no hostility whatever to
the United States Government, however much
wehave been misrepresented at Washington
?. Our people have not resorted to Ku-Klux-
ism from love of it or from choice; They
8. Our people are not opposed to paying the
taxes necessary to an honest and Impartial adj
minfstratSon sof the State Government or to
Iouidate any and all obligations Of the, State
Government contracted In The true interest OF
the people.
the fun extent Of their abihtses provided they
had any reasonable assurance that the moneys
thus collected would be used fer Qese plr-
poses. =.
These propositions being. true, what is the
remedy He would suggest? Simply this.
Let every taxpayer in the State sign a petition
to Congress setaiag forth the facts stated In
the foregoing propositions, with any others
that may suggest themselves, and praying the
United States Government to take charge q
the administration Of the State affairs, pledg-
ing our support syevery meansih our power,
and agreeing to payal p~eededta1es necessary
FIR such administration. Surely there would
be more safety; more satisfaction aud more
prosperity under such a state OF things than
we can hook for under the rule OF The present
reckless, extravaganza, unpriRoipled and igno-
rant ttualority, which carries bloody ruin In
every section Of our once happy, prosperous
and peaceful country. And such course
would do more to dlsabuse. the minds Of, the
Northern people and dispel their pre}ediees
than a lifetime of inaction and suffering,
and would be the speediest read to q retnEn
to a. good, reliable and constitutional State
government.
The writer Of this has paid his taxes in full
to date, and writes nom an unprejudiced
standpoint
He is 10 Ku KIux, and desires the peace
and best good Of his native State.
A TAxgAEER.