The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-03-23
TONE OF THE STATE PRESS.
PLAIN Talk FROM THE UNREPRE-
SENTED TAXPAYERS.
Only Justice.
from the Winnsboro,-News.l

From the WlnnSDOrOHNeWS-J
The power of Justice to concillate, favor and
quiet prejudice is immeasurably great, and
people would submit to the rule OF monkeys
and gorrillas, far more to that OF negroes, II
impartial justice were the rule OF government.
II Is not that our legislators are ignorant and
unintelligent, but that they are brutal and cor
rupt, and the fit instruments IN the hands OF
wckedness and vice tor the preparation OF
legislative and executive crimes, OF which the
whites of this State complain. It is that they
are dishonest and sympathZe with all manner
of stealing as legitimate business. A bitter
and stern resentment, therefore, Is evidently
spreading, and q deliberate purpose is being
cherished 20 resist such rottenness BY force, at
the very first opportunity, or In other and very
plain words, to fight out OF this hlth.
Take the su lject of taxation. 1t Is proposed
to collect two taxes this year; one this spring,
and another next fall. These taxes would be
more cheerfully paid, if. the people could be-
ieve in their necessity. But they seem but
part OF plan of eXtravagant and useless plum
der. Moreover, it is not clear to the taxpayers
where the money they have already paid has
goue The poll-taX, for example: the State
auditor says that but s40, 600 Of 1t has been.
paid, and ninety thousand has not been paid.
Now we simply don't believe 1t. and would like
to see the proofs. A great many negroes have
paid their poll-taX, and great many employ
ers have paid taxes for them. The poll.taX, we
believe, has been much more generally paid
than is by some believed. Where Is 1t, and
what has been done with 1t, that it should be
reported as unpaid 1t Is very easy to report
1t unpaid, and to say that it cannot be collected
from people that have no property. But proper
ty-holders have their just grounds OF suspicion,
and they have the right to state them, and to
ask to see the proofs Of the correctness Of the
report that they may verify 1t. The zeal Tor
education exhibited in the management of the
cfril- NJ al
zeal for "land for the landless" exhibited by
the land commission. II the tax be not paid,
as is alleged, or if 1t be paid, and then misap-
piled to other purposes than education, as we
believe very possible, In either case, There is
something rotten in the State OF Denmark" J"
Now hadn't the government better satisfy the
people on this and kindred subjects, before 1t
attempts to collect second tax next fall =? We
think so. Perhaps the tax may then be paid.
The opportunity Of resistance may not then
have Come. But we cOuntenance judlcious
prudence. We whites, who don't hobnob with
negroes, are tired of this government, and
intend to change it. The will will find way.
The Triple Tax.
From the Barnwcl Sentinel
Now this is conhscaton, downright legisla.
tive robbery. The taxes OF two years forced
into one, and an additional tax to pay interest
in gold. This Is the astounding fact the peo-
pie have to look in the face; the planters are
called upon to pay this enormous tax or have
their lands sold. How are they to do II? This
year the reduced price OF cotton has not en-
abled the planters to do more than pay expeE-
ses, leaving no surplus; many will fail short
and owe balance to their creditors. Last
year not few found 1t impossible to satisfy
the demands of the tax-gatherer; this year The
number will be increased.
Now the question is, will the land own
-er patiently stand by and see his land sold
for taxes, on an assessed value lar above what
they can be sold for, either by himself or the
sheriff, or will they continue to resist this rob-
berry
Human patience will be. exhausted when
this outrage Is attempted. No people on the
face of the earth will submit TO De taxed OUT OF
their property by band of adventurers, who,
owning no property themselves on which
taxes can be levied, are recklessly grinding
out of the propertylholder fund upon which
to steal. We repeat, the people do not Intend
to be taxed out Of their lands.
The Ta1es-PublIc Dissatisfaction.
from the GreenviEe Enterprise.l
The extravant taxes levied by the majority
OF the Legislature Of South Carolina, their op-
pressiveuess and injustice, the fraudulent
schemes and waste Of the public money, which
they are intended to support; The useless
Offices the high salaries, the corruption Of the
Legislature in selling their votes, the horrible
and intolerable rule of ignorance and dlshon-
esty, all have made a deep impression on all
The people who have any honest Interest IN
the Slate Government. We now record the
fact that there Is, and OF right ought to be,
solemn determination among all the honest
men of the State not TO stand repetition oil
these taxes, but unanimously TO resist them,
s.peaceably If we can, torcibly if we must"
There Is no doubt OF the TACT that the votes
of committees and OF members OF the LegiS'
latnre have been bought by money. We un-
hesltatisgly avow the principle that every rep
resentallve and every othclal VINO senS MS n
vote and influence ought TO be put to death by
law. It is pure and simple robbery. The peo-
ple-we mean people by those who are not
Idiots or fools-are making up their minds.
Scoundres who sell their votes and levy
high taxes, must be stopped. We hope
another year may see people IN this state
united as one Ihan to resist these horrloie
frauds and eXactions. Let them dare sell thelr
votes again and rob and plunder. The most
stupid negro in the State will come to see that
his interest is on the side of honesty, and
every white man, except the thieves.
VIII the People Submit
From the Barnwen Sentinell
It is we'll knownto oil parties that this paper
has at al times recommended strict obedl-
ence to the laws, though In many instances
,itt laws dIc Vi u pui 1ioesh Siioio ~N W
pressiye in their nature. The taxes are enor-
nous, ard are sucking the lfe-blood from
many Of our people, notwithstanding all VINO
can are meeting the demands OF the collector
promptly. But the point where foroearance
has ceased to be virtue has been reached.
The State tax will be sixteen and the county
six mills on the dollar. If this thing is at
tempted 10 be done, we will not hesitate to ad-
wise our people to openly resist it in an organ.
ized and efficient way. If the ignorant and
heartless majority OF negroes in The House OF
REPRESENTATIVES presume that the white tax
PAYERS of the State will silently submit 10 their
own ruin and degradation without struggle,
they certainly mistake the character OF the
white race
The Remedy.
From the Laurensville Herdld.l
The militia being disbanded and disarmed,
will this give satisfaction to the people With
out any hesitation we answer IN the negative.
Taxation and representation must go hand ID
hand. Our people have been taught 10 regard
this as ore Of the cardinal principles OF free
government, as right beqneathed them by
their fathers, and one that they will never
willingly lei die. Under the present order Of
things who has the hardlhood to say that the
property holder and the intelligence OF the
country are represented? Whom do we lind In
the halls of legislation? Negroes in every re-
spect ignorant oil their duty; scalawags without
character and without money before they were
turned loose in the public treasury, and corrupt
Carpet baggers who left their country for their
country's Good To this sweeping declaration