Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-11-23
Erounthe Calumbia Pdoenir.

1
Fron,the Columbia PAoeni:r.
The Governor and the Taxes.
The Union, of Monday, contained the
following notice:
OFFICE OF AUDITOR OF STATE,
COLUMBIA, S. c., November 10, 1871.
1t having been reported in some of the
papers in this State, that a promise had
been made by his EXcellency Governor
r. X. Scott, to the late Taxpayers Con-
vention, to extend the time for the col.
lection Of taxes for 1871, i would say,
for the information Of all concerned, and
for the purpose of doing away with any
| i'll effect which such report might in
| luce, and and at the same time to leave
no excuse for non-paymentat the proper
time. that. in conference with his Ex-
ccllcncy, this morning, helintormed me
that he made no such general promise as
has been ascribed toihim.
His Excellency informs me that the
committee of the Taxpayers Conven-
ton who waited upon him in reference
to matters relating to the. collection of
taxes, after discussion Of the subject,
decided THAT November was the proper
time for the collection OF taxes in the mp
per Counties; but that in those Counties
where sea island cotton is. grown, pay
ment could not be made. until March,
without sacrifice.
His Excellency, therefore, agreed to
suspend the collection from those upon
the sca-board until that time, where they
were unable to pay sooner:
Persons desiring to avail themselves
Al. of O. rlrn
| required to file petition with the Coun-
tv Auditor previous to the time at which
the penalty attaches, accompanied by
affidavits that returns from crops had
not been received suchpetitions will
be considered.
The public will, therefore, place no re-
lance upon the report referred to, as
am assured by his EXcellency that no
extensions OF time, otlicr than those
mentioned, will be granted.
The collection OF taXesks for this fiscal
wear will commence on the Goth instant,
and continue Until the 18th of January
next; afterwhich time, thepenalties pre-
scribed by law will attach, and be strictly
enforced.
County Treasurers will proceed at
once to enforce the collection Of all de-
Iinouent taxes for previous years.
EDWIN f. GARY, Estate Auditor.
Our readers will observe the statement
of the Governor as to the time for the
payment of taxes. Letns now 10 the re-
cord. On page lOl, Proceedings of the
Taxpayers Convention' we extract the
following:
"rhc special committee directed by
lltlc Convention to conterMith the Cover
nor of the State in relSi.p, TO the post
November ensuing, Qhis monthly beg
leave to report:
"That. impressed with the conviction,
under the peculiar circumstances OF the
case. and in view OF the fact that the
peoplc of the State are thus called upon
TO nav the taxes for two separate years
in one, of the justice of the measure Of
relief proposed, they have had an inter-
view with the Governor, who has au
thorized them to state to the Convention,
flat while the various Offices will be
open in November for the reception of
taxes at that time from such OF the citi-
zens as may he then prepared to pay
them; net that TIC period for their pay
,neut riU be crlended TO the 1St March,
1872. withim which time if payment as
ma(ic, no penalty rW attach.
49, @fSirneO IT. y. SINIONS,
Chairman"
Again, Gen. Butler, Chairman Of the
Committee of Eleven, on page lO4, in
his report, says: Your committee urg-
ed the inability of the people, after pay
Ing the taxes now being collected, to pay
second tax in November next. His
Excellency said in reply that it had been
represented to him by well informed
citizens, in several parts Of the State.
that for large class Of citizens whose
taxes were small in amount the month Of
November was a more convenient time
of payment than any other, and he hop
od that to this class of our citizens the
collection of the tax at that time would
not prove oppressive, But, yielding to
the representations of your committee,
he requested them to report to the Con
yention that he would authorize the
Comptroller to suspend the collection OF
the taxes in all cases where the payment
thereof was inconvenient to the X-pay-
ers. 1zatthis postponemcnt shall er'cnd
TO the lSt of March, 1872, and that the
oenalty for ,ion-payment shell not he en-
forced IN the meantime." Thus report
Col. Simons and Gen. Butler-thus the
record stands. not disputed by Gov.
Scott until November 10, 1871; then as
above, according to the Auditor of the
State he denies that hemadc the promise
reported to the Convention by the chair
men of two important committees. What
shall be thought of such Governor
Comment, for the present, we shall not
further make.