Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-07-25
The Ruin of South Carolina.

.nishes no example of deliberate and en-.
forced min, such as is now witnessed IN
South Carolina. It is appalling to con-
template this sad spectacle OF corruption
and decay, right in the heart Of the ATTAIN
tic States, and in the midst of what is
called our most advanced civilization.
There, the Radical problem of reconstruc-
ton has been worked out to its logical
conclusion. with every possible influence
to favor the operation. sssThe result IS be.
fore us, and it tells the whole story. With
a large majority of. blacks as the canlta
for the experiment., disciplined and drilled
bv secret societies, and docile in the hands
of managers who wrought upon their su-
perstitious nature; the political power
was readily seized and held. ThesAdmma- n
istration threw the whole weight, Of ITS
influence into the scale to degrade ana
humiliate the white race, and sought pre-
texts for military Intervention, TO make
the interference more hard to bear.
The agents selected tosreconsSSruct SCUM IN
Carolina were known as peculiar irlenos
of the President, and have adhered To. MN
consistently throughout. They knew ne
held the power to crush them at any mo
mel, mant "a and to destroy the whole fabric
wb;ch had been reared no hv their fraud.
yanal;iv m and robbery. Selhshness: there
fore. insured their. fidelity; If General
Grant had raised his hand agalnst the
consniracv of rogues and thieves who now
hold possession. of South Carolina by hls
favor and protection only, they could not
have existed day. He and his Admin
istration are directly responsible for the
degradation, destruction, and decay OF
that State. They have 5.crlininally- =! ana
w,lfullv sacrificed it to serve grovelhns
ambition. ~ hu:o
wears of this arbitrary rule, what DO we
behold? The virtue, Intelligence, ana
property of the State have beon dlsfran-
cchised. while vice, Ignorance: and oaroar-
ism have been raised to the hghest digm-
Hes intrusted with the executive, legisla-
i've and iudici4l powers. and gwen com on
nlate control of every great interest. The
shrnwd knaves who were chosen 10 carry
ont the policy of the Administration
knew that if the State was securee 70
Grant. thew would have perfect immunity
for every crime. That was the onlv con-
d;i;on imposed at Washington. They or
ranized Ring, ard made the negroes at
once tbe instruments of their corruption
ard of their LOYALTY Ito the President. Al
ter career Of unchecked license. |itn
hardly sign of effective opposition 10
restrain it, the State and county treasu-
ries are now empty. Warrants and pay
certificates are selling FOR what they VIII
fetch in market: Nearly all the pubic
institutions are closed up or closing. lhe
nublic schools for the colored race are sus-
pended and their teachers unpaid; charl-
table asylums for the deaf and dumb, iol
orphans, and for lunatics are without
means of support, and the interest on the
public debt is in arrears.
Appropriations were made for all these
and many other objects not less important
and the taxes were collected with arbltra-
w exactness. The State Treasurer admits
having received under act of the Leglsla
ture 81 100000, out Of which Sl,0oO,ooO
had to be expended for specified purposes
Not dollar of that money has been pad
Last year about S3,000000 were extored
from the people in various forms oi taxa
ton all Of which have disappeared with
out an account being rendered, and TINS
wear S3,500OOO will be raised to swell the
Golfers of the Ring. These enormous sums
of money have been absolutely stolen from
the treasury, and divided among the thieves
who are now shouting for Grant, to retain
possession of power.
But this barefaced brgandism does not
stop here. They issued State BONDS as
long as purchasers could be found, end
have resorted to every form OF swindllng
in railroad jobbery, 10 fl! then; pockets at
the public expense. First bonds were put
out fraudulently, and then the Leglsla-
ture was bribed to validate the swlndle
TWENTY-FIVE millions of dollars would not
cover these frauds and torgerles. Since
the negro legislators came TO fee! then
power, they have demanded snare IN in'
spoils. The utter .vcnality OF that crew
NAV be illustrated by single example
On one day articles Of Impeachment against
the Governor and State Treasurer were
adopted by vote OF two-thirds and ;hl
next defeated by three-iourths. They had
been bought up in twenty-four hours
and the cost OF the purchase was added to
the taxation
And as if to pile Pelion upon 0ssa, end
make the burdens still more oppressive
the property OF the State has been assess
ed at nearly double It's value. 1t IS doubt
full if the whole real and personal property;
is worth Q hundred millions OF dollars, and
vet it is taxed at q valuation OF nearly.
two hundred millions, 10 pruduce iorceG
revenue of three and half Such Is The
condition Of South Carolina, after three
wears Of Grantism. TSe wonder Is taar
anv people educated in our ideas, have
peaceab!y saomitted'to be p!undered De-
lore their eyes By an organized gang OF
ROBBERS and rascals. WHO are outlawed by
all the rules of Justice That they have
consented to bear these. atroclous wrongs
is the best proof Of their unwilllngness1o
afford any pretext 70: a collision, when
has been sought BY their enemies, IN or
der TO raise a nov outcry against The
South. and to furnish tic excuse for more
Tni,italy Intervention. Extortion and in-
Muitv have been pushed 70 the last eX-
tremitv. Public sentiment has at length
been roused against these iniamies ana
their authors. The tide begins 10 turn
and The current 10 swell. which IN Ne
vcmbcr next wii! sweep away every yes..
tigc OF this licensed sccundreliSln. a.G
consign all concerned IN 1t TO the seori'
and resentment of an indignant people
Washington Patriot.
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LoNGFELlows AccIDE@r--A GAM
HossE-lt will be learned with extreme
rearet by the large class interested msPrt-