Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-07-07
ssA.l Word in Bshalf Of the South.

Cn9 }uyStert0uSA AIAu' EAluS, says
No doubt tho Snuth is in a moro disorgan.
izsd state than before the war; It would bo
if it wore not SO. Indeed, looking at
the utter disruption of the social and domes-
tic life of the !Southerners, at tho dreadful
ordeal they have passed through, at the crush
ing disabilities they suffer, aud ut the elevo-
tion of their own slaves-brutal and ignorant
nogroes--as we'll as o host of corrupt carpet
baggers, to their political masters, eau we
wonder that some disorder exists? The won.
der is that SO fow exist, aud this is the best
evidence that the mass of the Southern peo.
pie are law.abiding. When brave and high.
spirited people submit to, and make tao best
of, their humiliating situation, we have the
best guarantee Of their future good conduct
md Of peace Let us be just and magnani-
nous. Let us have some consideration for
tho people of our own race and blood, and
notcrush them beneath the ignorant and semi
,barbarous negroes and the carpet. bag scum
Of the North. We have the testimony of
General Sherman and Of many other superb
or men who have been over tho South, that
tho pretended Ku Klux outrages are greatly
exaggerated, and that tho Southerners want
TO live in peace aud maintain order. Thcg
look at the surprising industry Of the South
s.----at tho valuable cotton crop and other pro.
ductions since tho war raised under the most
trying disadvantages. This alone shows the
practical Industrious and high character of
the people. If the Government would cease
its efforts to make tho South q political arena
for party purposes, would proclaim universal
amnesty aud ondeavor to give the control of
tho affairs to tho Intelligent whites, who have
the largest interest in their country, we should
&c r1,,x, Nl,o
Southerners would forget the enmitics of the
war, aud the harmony and union of the re.
public would be restored in fact rs we'll ns in
name If General Grant would use his pow
or to this end he mi hit make greater namo
and become more popular than by any annex
alton schemes, treaties with foreign nations
or national financial experiments The peo.
plo vcrywhere-North, South, Fast and
West-would regard the complete restoration
and harmony Of the Union AS the grcatost
boon. It is in the power of the President to
hrirg that about. Will he do it? or will he
drift alouga as the mere tool of the bitter fac
tion which keeps the country disorganizcd
Ku Klux in the South 7"
Mr.. Copeland, the correspondent Of the
NCW luIk CoHFUdt ~ COmHtcFcE3 "iitlilE
from Columbia, under date Of the l7th ult,
says:
ri have examined into the system of tax
alton, and discovered the reason why there
has been so much grumbing about the rate
The fact is, there has been surprisingly
large amount Of corruption, both in the levy
and collection of the taxes, was shown by
one Of your subscribers, who has been in
business here and in Charleston for many
years, tax receipt in which the tax was le.
ultimately in accordance with the levy, ,S2S SO
The extras added swelcd the amount to S41.
FL protested and the tax collector struck of
the extras. This was on small piece Of
property. lie says he has seen bills calling
for forty cents and fifty cents, upon which the
extras amounted to. 81, 81 2h s oasa 50 ff}auv
e,v" "s;,,vus uud poor whites, who do
not know any better than to pay them, but
tho tax gathercrs are learning better than to
atfix.perquisitcs to bills rendered to intelligent
men, because their game is beginning to be
understood. AS said above, the citizens of
South Carolina have always been aris:ocratic
Their arstocracy was Of the Landed order,
and to encourage the ownership of lands in
large bodies tho State did not tax them The
taxes on negroes, buildings, and on merchants
and professions, paid the debts of the State
When the war was ended the negroes were
FREQ, the buildings burnt down, and nothing
was left to tax but the lands, and even they
were worth much less than they were before
the war, for the reason that they were over
grown with shrnbbery, cane, 30, during
years when their cultivation had been ncglec
ted. The accounted average assessment val.
lie of all lands in South Carolina before the
war was fifty cents per acre. Now they arc
assessed and taxes are collected at an average
value of about SIS per acre. Many persons
who had no money wien the war ended had
their domains sold for taxes.
"When the fact is considered that only
from one.tenth to ono fourth Of cash land
owners possessions is cultivated, (Which,
however, is greater average than was work
ed bofcre the war; it is not wonderful that
there should be considerable reluctance or
grumbling when the planters are called upon
to pay taxes on tho whole amount of land
owned at rate Of assessment frequently be-
yond the market value. The result is that
good portion of many Of the largo estates is
offered for sale. South Carolina has not been
developed to an extent that causes all her cit
izens to feel comfortable, or they would not
part with any portion Of their estates Still
they are doing remarkably we'll under the
circumstances. Every man stands bravcly up
to the responsibility of the State debt, with.
out regard to the outrageous additions to it,
and not one of them would lower his pride to
breathe a whisper Of rcpudiation in any form.
IN n