The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1872-05-01

VIC have all tho rascals and all the
p.underers within II radius OF five
miles, wo know how long VIC have
been in bringing tho Ring to bay.
The rpet-baggers have an i'm
mcnsc extent Of country to riflo ];
they do not buy the Lcgislatul cs,
they constitute thcm ; they enact
their own registration acts and
vote their own supplies. The por
sons they rob arc not Of that
apathetic and wcll.to-do class too
indifferent TO 20 to tho polls, but
people who could not so if they
would.
All accounts agree rs to the
widespread misery and pcnury.
In Mississippi, large planter
testified that it took all his cotton
for tho year 1S7 to pay his taxes.
1T is South Carolina, however,
that enjoys the unonviablo omi-
ncncc Of being tho worst-robbcd
State Of the whole eleven. In tho
single county Of kcrshaw, pos
scssing population ofon!y / 1000,
there were $500 taX-cXccutions
issued. The taxation during 1870,
$2,365, OF, was more than tho
whole taxation on double tho
property for five years before the
war. In order to change the
fiscal year, they proposed to dou-
bic this, and, in 1871, TO levy II
tax Of s4,730,094; whether this
law was executed VIC do not know,
but tho fact remains that it was
enacted. Pcculntion and corrup-
ton arc as universal rs poverty
, and distress. In 1860, South
! Carolina paid for offices and sala-
rics, $l23, 800, in 1871, the State
expended on these 1851 GAO. In
two years, 81, ,20S,577.G7 have been
paid out for which no vouchers
;lre to be found IN tho Treasury.
According to the minority report
of tho Ku kluN Commivtcc, the
disbursements exceed the appro-
priations by $l70,G93.
This report, though spoiled by
some rather low illusions to "cbo-
ny lcgislators,' "mcn and bro
thcrs," &c." brings to light some
amusing facts. Money voted,
with which to fit up committee
rooms, has been expended on
private apartments Of the colorcd
members Of the Legislatures.
Their rooms were furnished with
Brussels carpets, sofas, mirrors,
&c. About scvcntytivc imported
porcelain spittoons, bought for
the South Carolina State House,
likewise adorned their private
apartments. This fact seemed TO
affect the Democratic minority of
the committee even moro pro-
foundly than the vast robbcrics
and excessive taxations. They
remark, with rugged, Spartan
simplicity, that they themselves,
in "thc splendid Capital Of the
Nation," had never had anything
but san article Of common, plain,
brown carthcnwarc, Of domestic
manufacture" This striking dis
parity between fortune and desert
does not excite III us any feeling
Of Indignation againsLtho negroes.
Emerging from u long night Of
slavery and crncl bondage, who
can grudgc them their fantastic
lease Of liberty and luxury? Did
not gravcr considerations check
us, our humor would be to vote
them State BARRIERS and the most
delightful Of oriental baths. We
suspect the trnth to be that in the
distribution Of spoils tho poor
African gets the gilt and plush,
the porcelain spittoons, the bar
barrie upholstery, while the astutcr
Caucasian clings to tho soldier
and moro durable advantages.
The negroes by themselves would
be but little to be feared yet in
the hands Of tho carpet-ba ggcrs,
they have been tho unwitting in.
struments Of most Of the harm
that has been done. The swim
dlcrs could not have so got tho
control of things without the help
of the negroes. They have made
numerically the largest part Of the
conventions and Legislatures in
South Carolina. The convention Of
1868, which drew up a State con-
stitution, was composed Of seven
ty-two negroes and forty-nino
white men. This convention mado
provision for a levy Of so, 230,0
upon the State, which would nc
cossitatc taxation at tho rate of
six per cent; yet but thirteen Of
the scvcnty-two negroes paid taxes.
In tho Legislature Of 1860 there
were twelve black and twenty
white Senators; eight OF the twelve
black Senators paid no taxes. In
tho House there were cighty-six
black and thirty seven white mem.
bcrs sixty.eight Of tho cighty-six
black members paid no taxes. AS
things arc at present thcro seems
to bo no limit to tho power Of the
carpet-baggers to plundcr the
South as they choose. Tho only