Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1871-11-21

| From the Charleston Daily News, Nov III
The State treasury is empty, and dralt
| for one dollar is refused paymenti tne
financial officers of the government lnger 10
New York, while a swarm OF hungay
| creditors clamor at the gates oil tue captoli
the October interest on the public oeDt re-
mains unpaid, and by reason Of this, ana OF
the ileged over Issue OF SKATE bonus, tne
Columbia banks decline TO have any iurther
dealings in the securities Of the State. This
is a gloomy picture, hni il Is not overdfaWh'
Besides what may have been traudulenlly
| nut nponsthe' market, the Scott government
| have conlracied bonded debt equal In
amount 40 the entire bonded debt oil the
State before the war. Tbs annual
State taxes are increased from $4OO,OOO a
year 70 an average Of more than quadrupe
ihat sum. In three Yeas the estate and
county taxes, as assessed, amount to near'y
$4,000 200, as iollows
Taxes of 1868, due 1S69..... ...... 81, ,S35, 1O4
Taxes of 1869, due 1870 "....."...... l ,622 65S
Taxes of 1870, due 1871 ......."..... 2,265,O ,O41
Three years taxes"....." ......".$ 30, 7s2,ooS
And yet there is not a dollar in the State
treasury, the State bonds are sold nj 30 cents
on the dollar TO satisfy importunate money.
lenders, and judges, school teachers, ana
other Site officers are unable to Obtain tue
salaries which are due them. Although
millions are added TO the public debt, al
though millions are collected In taxes,
where hundreds of thousands should suffice,
the State is penniless, and is utterly, and, IL
may be, hOpeltssly bankrupt Win almost
unlimited means at their command, the State
officers have failed 10 provide Tor the ordin-
ary expenses of the government, and now
l. they play their last card. They give
notice that the taxes for 1871 must be paid
before the 10Th ol January next. That is to
say, they require Of the people 10 twelve
= mOnlLs:
= The State and county taxs of
1870, due in 1s7l".... ".......'." 81 ,2G5,Oi7
!. The State and county taxes OF
, 1871, made due also 10 1871 ,o3O,JOO
:, For one Year..,''.''' "a VVO,V4'
5 Adding the taxes of 1871 to the tax leyies
C of 1868. 1869 and 1870, already enumerated,
y we find that the whole amo uni colleclable
/ for the State aud county taxes in the three
Is years, 1869, 1879 and 1871 is more Than
], seren and half million dollars, VIZ;
J Assessments 1868, 1869 and lSIO...S5, ~, 800
= Assessment 1871 ...... ,S39OOO
IS Total taxation payable in years 1859 800
,s To nut il in another shape, the taxes col
lectable In three years are very nearly twice
10 as much as the whole OF the State debt at
w the breaking out of the war.
ID And while the Stale treasury is empty and
W without credit, the county treasures, or
r many of them, are no better off These
II, county treasures have received the enOr-
er nous taxes levied for county purposes. In
"a Charleston county the county tax for 1863
II alone was S3O0,0 And yet Charleston
N county pays not a cent of the large claims
10 outstanding and long over due. Colleton is
I'M bankrupt Beaufort is bankrupt. Other
= Inultlpcc in the same imDgCu.
No NOUS condition. Taxes are levied sufficient
n to pay the honest expanses ofthe State three
"a. and fonr times over but the money doeJ No
ht 20 10 the public creditors. The hard earned
money of the people is wasted, given away
m and stolen.
ID. This Is the situation; and We see but on
ct practical defensive measure which th'
of people can adopt That is, TO refuse 10 pdl
nj he State and county tdzss, nOlo falling due
.he until a Trustworthy erhi5n is made Of The en-
tire liabilities Of the State, and uRI', furttei
, II moro, sdtisfdct1ry guarantee are gI0en hd
Ion the monies Of tho p 0ple U.W hereafter, b
ibo honorablg spent. We cannot, at this writing
md explain al length the reasons which lead u
rss to believe that thu Withholding OF taxes is
the practical measure, which will bring out tn
a n truth expose to the people, without disguise
the financial condition OF the State, and pre-
of tect them in large measure, from lurlhe
oct extrayagance and fraud. We can, however
ge lay down these propositions; /. The Stat
ies is without money and without credit.
ave Financially, the State is so rotten, that til
hs,l State officers cannot sell its bonds (ifdn
nc are held lohich are not fraudulent IN clara
md teri. and cannot borrow money upon the
70 security. 3. Hundreds OF State officers,
. in high and low degree, are bowling Tor the
Tho pay, and when the Legislature meets, al Il
.ers end OF this month, ihe members (lo all
Inc whom per diem is due for the latter part
he last SESSION. will Join in the mournlul or
4. The collection of taxes cannot, und
% letter of the law, be enforced before Janual
ono IS. up 10 which day there is no penalty +
rhs non payment. 3. The taxes, under the laN
HSe. NAV be paid up to February 10, with
oer penalty Of20 per cent G. Governor Sec
'har stands pledged to the people OF the State
I'm, defer The collection Oftaxcs, without penal
Load to March l, 1872, and the people, havil
10 is made arrangements accordingly, have 4
ice right 10 act upon that pledge. Z. Before t
This coming Of either February or March, lar
rses Liabilities OF the State, for interest and
,ded current expenses, will fall due, and 1
aves creditors especially the law-makers-m
ndcr be induced by their necessities to come
terms with the property holders aud Ia
rred payers OF the State.
nhIs This is the outline OF the plan OF campaig
: ar. 1t can be carried out successfully, and viii
20 Of out injury to any honest man, whether
nbIe private OF public life. We shall, herealll
Incb indicate what general measures Ol protect
,hen The people may demand as a cOnsderati
for the resumption Of the payment of tax
"a or And we do believe that the .rascaliiy Of
INN. Ring may be made the means OF rCdeemi
raiiy the whole people, rich and poor, from
"A ~, clutches of a pack Of Tasclls, under whit
atnts rule no class OF honest citizens can prosl