The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-05-10
res raE ossssviLlK EsrEaraI.E.
What shall be Done /,

II - "--~~ ~~~~e> ~ &<SA4S
Messys. Elttors--No man of an,
feeling, can live in these troublou,
times without realizing an anxiou,
concern for his counfry's welfare
The discomfort and mnrmurings O
apeoplc arc not TO be taken al al
times as evidence that their law,
are bad and their rulers Corrupt
But tits evidence of wrong some
where. The Christian relicio,
imposes the duty Of rendering uu
to Cesar the things that belong tt
Cesar. of paying tribute to whom
tribute is due. This duty is limit
ed, both as to thIngs and the
amount. The things, are those
that belong to civil rLlers; the
ainonnt, just what is due, nothing
more. None sl,onld be paid irib
nte bnt those to achona it is due
The Magna Charta "f Greet Bri
tain. which contained the germ of
English liberty, was extorted from
King John b, his subjects refus-
ing to- pay the tax which hc i'm
posed upon them. By it provi
sion was made that no tax should
he levied by the King without the
voluntary consent of his subjects,
expressed in an assembled coun.
sci. UP to the commencement of
the 18th century, kings had as.
snmed to themselves the divine
right not only to control mems
lives but their property also, to
carry out their own personal
agrandizement, or mad schemes in
war. The Magma Charta gave to
Great Britain her Parliament, an
enlargement of the personal free.
dom OF her people, the guarantee
OF no taxation without representa-
'ion, which. il tine, became the
ground work of American liberty.
1t also threw around kinsly au
thority the chcckmates to absolute
power, which have gradually be-
come interviewer with her system
OF government, constituting its true
elements of strength and beauty.
The principle is the same, what.
ever to IN it may assume. 1t was
the prOperty-holding classes of
GREAT Britain that Obtained the
Magma CI'arta. The principle is.
property shall not be tdaed qoafh
ont IL IS represented. Taxation to
'Iay in South Carolina without
property representation in her
councils, is mo- less despotic than it
was in England in the year 1915,
under kingly rule. With us. it is
a system controlled by what is cal
ed popular suffrage, aud therefore,
while it is equally despo,ic, it is
more dangerous. With them, it
was one man in authority, possess
ed of-some intelligence with us, it
is a multitude of misguided, ignor.
ant slaves. No one can deny that
The taxes are becoming burden
some. The pe"ple have a right to
know what is done with their mon
ey. Many are deprived Of the
common necessaiics of life, OH &C
count of their lax. Crime is OH
the inc' ease, and so are the bur.
dens OF government. Why 8 il
that we have civil, and military,
and an armed militia power in the
State, and with il all, both life and
property are becoming daily more
and more iinperIled? Is it not
That corrupt laws make corrupt
people! " When the wicked
heareih rule the people monrn but
when the riglierns a,e in authori
~ the people rejoice" High taxes
imposed 1" carry on schemes Of
corporate interests under protec.
tioh of law, must in the end, dc
m"ralize society, weaken industry,
produce mdolenee and general dis.
content. But what is to be dpne?
l belIeve that we may f,rtify our
selves TO suffer il ont. To expect
peace withent it's seeds first being
sown in steicty, is a"methins like
looking for wheat to grow from
trees. Like from like, is the inexor-
able law that governs both the natu-
raj and social world. Certain things
mnst run their course. A swollen
stream, once breaking over its
banks, will sweep it's onward
C. ursc. let the losses by its destruc-
ti"n of life and property be what
they may. So of the revolutionary
movements Of nations. Thousands,
with frantic joy, leap in 10 swell
The tide, who would gladly stop its
wild career when too late. ] have
no doubt but the negros Of SoutI,
Carolina are now beyond the con.
troll or moderation of the leading
elements IF the Ra.Iical party
They have said III their public
speeches, So one Of the party told
me. =" We can no longer trus, tie
white man." This is legitimate.
Tbey have been told that they are