The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-01
.s4.095,O47

And even this amount is exclusive OF the
uolltax of one dollar, which adds s3oO,OOO
to the general estimate, 1t must be remem-
bered, besides, that all real and personal
property in South Carolina is taxed at least
its foil market value, and that the taxable
property OF the State is largely reduced IN
amount by Inc consequences Of the war; III
other words, while the value Of the property
OF the people Of the State has sunk from
s4ss, 600, 600, in 1860, to sls3, 600, 900, in
1870. the amount to be raised by taxation in
one year is increased from $500, 600 to s4,-
25O,OOO.
The publication Of this unvarnished state
ment ;n THE NEWS, last March, gave dse to
a discussion in which nearly every journal in
this State took part. The general decision
was that the payment Of four million dollars
in taxes, in one year, would reduce to beg
gary an already impoverished people. Inc
circumstance that the taxpayers, being nearly
exclusively whites, were without representa-
tion in the Legislature whose members squan-
dered the public moneys, and imposed taxes
to defray their own extravagant appropri-
atiops, added fuel to the fame, and in very
short time the white people OF the State
were prepared to offer united moral resist
ance to the collection OF tax so heavy as
to bs tautamount, in many cases, to conhs-
cation.
! The proposed double-tax OF four million
dollars, together with the large increase in
the State debt, led to the holding OF public
meetings in Charleston, which meetings re-
suited in the assembling Of the Texpalers'
Convention last May.' This body, composed
of men u intelligence and position, ccSnsld-
cred the question maturely, aud appointed a
special committee TO confer with the Cover
nor of the State in relation to the postpone
ment Of the collection Of the tax for 1871,
made due in November, 1871, but which,
| under the old law, would have been collectable
in March, 1872. The committee submitted
the following report, which was adopted
| That Impressed with the conviction (under
| the peculiar circumstances OF the case, anu IN
view OF the fact mat the people of the state
are thus called upon to pay the taxes lot tWo
separate years in one,) OF the justice OIL the
measure OF relief proposed, they have had an
Interview with the Governor, who has aulho
| rized them to state to the Convention, thai
while the various offices will be open III NO
vember for the reception of the taxes at tha
time, from such Of the citizens as may DE ther
prepared to pay them, yet that the per.od Jol
heir payment 1ciu be extended TO the lSt Q
March, lTS2, within which time, if payment /:
made, no penalty will ar -ue.
In the same Convention, the Committee o
Eleven, of which General NJ. G. Butler was
chairman, reported, also, that they hat
urged ''the inability OF the people, afte
..payng the taxes now being collected, II
"pay second tax in November next" ant
that the Governor said, in reply, that 81
chad been represented to him by well
Uniformed citizens in several parts OF tn
Estate that for large class OF citizens
"whose taxes were small in amount, IN
'.month of November was more convenien
''time OF payment than any other, and h
chopped that 10 that class Of citizens the col
election OF the tax at that time would no
prove oppressive;" but, yielding to tn
r, presentations of the Committee, the Gov
!. e! nor "reql ested them to report to The Con