The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-07-23
Indict the ,I.hieves.

IoA AouA oaAb. LOW tuo peopIo VI
South Carolina have tamely submitted
to be robbed, and allowed their State to
be despoiled and 4plundered with impu-
nifty, by 9 set Of interruptions political
adyepturers - some of them self.oon-
fessed. swindlers., The enormous iniqui-
ties and frauds Of those who have con-
trplled the financial and legislative de-
partments of the Government is hardly
more astonishing than the wonderful pa
tienoe and long-suffering of the tax
payers. We will call it patience, for po-
likeness sake. though we are forced to
believe that there has been more of apa-
thy and went of public spirit than of
manly endurance in the lamb-like way
IN which our people have suffered them
selves to be feeoed. We have talked
some-talked q great deal. We have
complained bitterly. Our lamentations
have been pitiful to! hear, and have
stirred the hearts, even the finty hearts,
as we we're wont TO think, Of the North
ern people. till they have made the op-
preston OF the South the great issue in
the Presidential campaign. But South
Carolinians must do something more
than whine. If they desire to redeem
their State. and to preserve her honor
and noble record.
It was very we'll to recount our woes
and appeal to the sympathy OF our sister
States to aid us in our extremity. and to
do for us as we feel that we would do for
any of them, were they in such strait
as we are.. But we must do something
for ourselves. and rely mainly on our
own efforts, if we would hope for real
and permanent relief. Every other
Southern State, except this, has been,
or is. in a fair way Of being rid of the
robber crew which reconstruction foisted
upon them like uponIuG. We have more
difficulties to contend with than they
had, for the ballot-box, which served
their purpose, is hopeless resort to us,
while the thieves Kayela majority OF
10000 ignorant cofored voters, blindly
bound to their Hersice. Still we have
remedy, potent remedy, against the
public plunderers. which we have thus
far strangely left Antried. The, courts
are still open, sAna the(iudieiary, for the
moatpart, inSoFtupt. Chiekan thieves
are convicted almost every day. Why
cannot the bond thieves in the State
House be also sent to the penitentiary?
Their crimes are patent. the evidence is
abundant. and only a prosecutor is
wanted. Has the State no sons who will
now step forward to save her? Are We
ell demoralized, whipped and hacked, and
that, too, by set Of arrant towards and
knayes? We are not altogether prepared
to make suoh humiliating acknowledge
ment. We believe ''there is lifein the
old land yet" and spirit to resist
wrong and oppression, and to punish the
wrong.doers, whether he be tyrant or
thief.
We desire to stir mp this spirit of our
people, for now is the time for action
Now is the time to prosecute the rob-
bers, the, thieves. the forgers and the
fraudulent speculators, who have pock.
eted millions of the peoples money and
endeavored to fasten upon the State q
burden Of debt from which there will be
required generations of labor to relieve
her, We would call first upon the Exc
ounve Committee of the Tax-Payers'
Convention, which met over year ago.
That convention promised great things;
the Executive Committee promised
more. The convention proved pain
full and humiliating disappointment in
certain aspects; che committee has done
nothing yet.
The only known result OF the conven-
ton was to ''bull" the bonds. and ena-
BILE speoulators. especially in the new
issuea, to- realize enormous advances.
Some people say that this was the prime
object of the convention. In other
words, that It was atock,j ,jobbing con-
Germ, more in the interest of Scott and
che Financial Board than Of the tax
20 IA = q