The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-17
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.


IF you will pardon my intrusion upon your
columns, feel impelled to make what deem
abfactical suggestion In view of the present
alarming condition of the finances of the
State.
No one can deny that the present Is Q
most critical time In the history of South
Carolina. She has been robbed by those who
should have been the incorruptible custo-
dams of her treasure and her honor. just
how, or how much, she has been plundered
do not stop now to inquire, but that her
funds have been squandered and her treasury
depleted Is undeniable. The most pertinent
question now is, as to the remedy
To this question two replies have been
made. The one advocates reputation; but
while the taxpaying citizens Of this State are
Fthe sufferers from these depredations, they
are also the almost hopeless minority in the
State, and 1t Is very difficult, therefore, to see
how, even If reputation were the proper
remedy, 1t could be applied by them. The
other reply advises the withholding OF the
taxes up to the last moment allowed by law.
This is all very well as far as 1t goes, but II
does not 60 far enough. The taxes can only
be withheld until January 18th, 1872, without
incurrlng penalty, and 1t Is asking too much
of our already suffering community to ask
them to pay that penalty for the sake OF
bringi.,g the State officials to book. believe,
therefore, that some other remedy must be
sought out, and that 1t Is our plain duty 10
make some well-considered and organized ef-
fort to seek 1t. The history Of those other
gigantic rascalities In New York City, and the
measures which have happily resulted In their
exposure, is still fresh in the memory of all,
end the suggestion which now propose to
make Is borrowed from that Instructive his
tory.
When those swIndles were first brought to
light, the members of fue New York Ring
asked, what are you going to do about 1t =
The people of New York answered by ergan-
izlng party Of reform and appointing work
Ing Committee of Seventy whose practical,
persistent and organized efforts have resulted,
in one brief and glorious campaign. In the total
and IgnominIous rout Of the common eneEH,
Now let us draw the parallel. The Columbia
Ring, at this very moment, stand In the attl-
tude assumed by Messrs. Tweed Co. sl6
months ago. The Governor OF this State and
his precious oonfreres are, In effect, asking,
"What ars you going to do about it," Let US
answer by organizing victory" and think
can show that the materials are all ready to
our hands.
It will be remembered that the recent Tax
payers Convention appointed on the first day
of its meeting an executive committee OF
&teen members, to whom were referred all
& alters bearing on the general business Of
the convention, and who, in fact, laid out the
work for tho main body. It will also be re-
membereC, that 1t was ordered, on the second
dav of the convention, that ''the executive
committee be continuous In Its organization,
subject to the call Of his E1oellency and its
chairman; and that when the convention ad-
journed on the 18th day of last May. Ii did 30
subject to the call Of the executive commit
tee.
Here, then, is a committee already In ex-
istence, the membership of which is wholly un-
exceptionable, and which Is clothed with
power by q body Of citizens and taxpayers,
than which no body OF men ever commanded,
in more marked degree, the confidence and
respect of the people Of the State; and re-
specsfuuy and earnestly beg leaue to call upon
General james Chesr,I, as the chairman
of the Executive Committee Of the Iarpay-
ers Convention, TO call together that COM
rnittes, 10 consider and execute the necss-
sary remedy for our present troubles. Let
the session of that committee be contln-
uous until the proper remedy be devised
and successfully applied, and let every citizen
who has the honor of our proud old State at
heart hold up the hands of this executive COM
nittee of reform until success shall crown Its
efforts and the banner of financial integrity be
once more planted on the soil Of South Caro-
lima. II it be objected that the efforts Of one
committee Of that convention to examine the
atate accounts were rendered futile by the du-
nl,c,ty of the Slate officials, and that the SOL
! ann pledge obtained by another committee
s.ono the Governor of the State has been un
h,u,b,pely violated by that officer, and that
therefore, but little good is likely to follow the
enorts of the executive committee, as suggested