The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-09-04
Address of the True Republicans.

riouS men who shall hll the various
offices in tho State Government fc1
the next official term.
The condition of the affairs Of the
State at this time causes the gravest
concern and most serious anxiety in
the minds of all good citizens. Tax.
alton unprecedented in amount in the
history Of this State Weighs upon the
people. No man but feels the bur,
den but however and by whatever
channels the taxes reach the treasury,
they come finally, in great part, from
those who till the soil, in the form ot
reduced wages, and the increased cost
of food, clothing and other necessary
expenses of q comfortable existence
The hard hand of toll largely pays
the expenses of the State, though the
money may be deposited in tho troas'
ury by those who own the capital
md the land: Let no man fattel
himself, therefore, that his poverty
renders this subject Of taxation ono
of Indifference to him.
Besides the vast sums which have
been drawn from the people by direct
taxation, our rulers have; been heap
ing other burdens upon us and oul
posterity, by enormous, and in many
cases fraudulent issue Of bonds, the
very interest upon which is a sum sc
large that it seems impossible to pay
lit. Concealment Of the real estate O.
our affairs has been practiced to
criminal extent; report after report
statement after statement, has beer
made by the financial officers of the
State making false exhibits of oul
public debts; and it is only when al
outraged public opinion demanded
and compelled an investigation, that
our real situation was developed, and
was found to justify the worst appre
tensions which had been felt.
The public mind is too familiar
with the facts to require moro to be
said concerning the bond frauds; but
it is worth while to consider here the
question, what has become of the
money 50 lavishly poured into the
treasury? To what objects have we
seen it appropriated by those who
under the law, are appointed to dis
burse it? Have the right of person
and property, which it is the special
function of good government tc
guard, teen secured? Have the
children Of the people been furnished
with the means "of that education
which alone can fit them worthily to
perform the duties Of citizenship
Have the humane institutions in
charge of the State been cared for
Have the resources Of the State been
developed, its industries fostered, its
present and future welfare provided
for with reasonable prudence?
The answers to these'questions are
in the mouths'of all tho people. We
arc ashamed to be compelled to con
fess that tho State Government has
failed to protect the citizens, not on
ly in the enjoyment of those rights
and privileges intended to be secured
by the provisions Of tho State and
National Constitutions, but even ir
those more limited rights which nc
respectable civilized Government or
earth allows to be violated in the per
sons'of its subjects; aud it has beer
the strong arm of tho Federal Gov
crnmeut Which has released thou
sands of men, women and children
from terror with which they cannot
fail to be filed by countless outrage:
perpetrated upon their friends, rela
tives and neigLbors by conspirators
whose deeds the world reads Of Will
horror. - = '.>
The public schools have been Grip
pied in their work. and in many cases
closed, becanse their teachers applied
in vain at the State Treasury for the
small salaries justly due them and
necessary to their daily support.
The inmates of the Lun9tic Asylum
must have been turned loose upon the
community but for the humane efforts
cf it's efficient Superintendent, who
pledged his private credit to obtain
food nobody would sell on that Of
this great State. The doors Of the
penitentiary may be flung wide open
any day, TO allow the exit Of q band
of convicts, whom the warden 'canno,
feed, because there is no money in
the State Treasury to purchase food
The judges of our courts have not
been paid their salaries for many
months, and are compelled in most. tc
borrow money to supply the wants o.
themselves and their families, and te
be subjected to the temptations toe
often placed by rich suitors before {
Judiciary irregularly or inadequately
paid.
It would be easy to continue at al
most any length in cnumerating what
has been left undone which ought tt
have been done. 1t is easier to say
what has been done which ought tt
have been left undone. Jobs Of every
conceivable description. have beer
undertaken, the interests Of the State
have been constantly and systemati
cally set aside to enrich those who
scrupled at no kind Of bribery o.
corruption to secure such Legislation
as the iobbers required.
Public money has been squanderet
for objects of no public moment: Th'
The expenses of some branches o
the Government have been SO enor
mously increased as to astonish al
who are not familiar with the char
acter of many Of those who fill i'm
Lportant positions in the State Gov
crnment.
"Pay certificates" drawn by tn
Speaker of the House Of Represen
tatives, purporting ts~be for expense
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