The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-11-28
THE FATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
The sale of PIantations-RfchI Lands
Going To- Waste Under Garpet-Bag
I.sI..

ltorrcepondence OF the y. \ sun
GEORGES STATION. CoLLEToN Co. :.
/ G., Nov. l.-liard il j.. even for the most
vivid Imagination. to comprehend the most
dcplorable abyss into which this State has
been hurlcd-a State whose soil, besides
producing cotton, corn. peas. rye, oats.
barley. tobacco. hay. grasses and the yari-
Gus delicious fruits OF the tropical climate.
j. stored with gold, marble. sienite. gran
lite. gnciss, ochres, both red and yellow.
porcelain clay, limestone, ialco and various
other minerals. Corruption and bribery
have thrown of their sable garments and
''run riot through her borders. Hun
drcds OF acres which were once white with
cotton. now lie barren waste. I.abOrcrs
are plentiful. but they prefer idleness 10
work; and the poor planter. who endeav-
ors TO retrieve his losses, is only sunk
deeper into the mire. From a careful csti-
mate find that over ninety-One per cent.
of those vino have engaged in cultivation
since the war have lost money. and over
seventy per cent. Of the arabic lands of the
lower portion Of this State have changed
hands since 90. As each .pay day for
taxes" rolls around truly melancholy is
the yisage of the rcal-cstaie owners
Recently was al sheriil-s sale. The
aforesaid official was tall thin. gauky for
and phosphate lands were sold at mere
nominal prices. Seeing near me a man
with brilliant eyes. bat in very shabby
clothes. | said that il was distressing 10 see
the old landmarks torn away. "Oh." re-
piled he. y was once the owner OF that
three thousand acre tract which has Just
b : n sold. but the taxes We're 80 enormous
that | could not pay them. The same
tract has been sold four times beneath the
sheriff. hammer since '65. NV forefather
received il from the English crown. but il
will not be sold again. why" asked |,
lis the purchaser wealthy With a look
of contempt. he said. ..Do YOU see that
squint-cyed. red-bearded chap. over whose
countenance "A just God ms east radiance
which once ornamented the walls of Sing
Sing. lie came here after the war with
barely rags on his back. but he called him
self a Republican. and j. now worth his
thousands. Furthermore. since he j. Rad
icsil, he can return the land at one-sixth
it, value. and nothing will be- said
10 him. while when returned u al it, true
valuation il was doubled. This completely
swamped me. Did you see what Con-
gresham Rainey, our negro representa-
tive. said about 80 arranging the taxes a.
10 give the lands to the negroes. The
whole plot has been well laid. and our
Congressman knew what he was speaking
about. opposed secession with all my
influence. II was my pride on the plains
of Mexico 10 endanger my life in defense
Of the stars and stripes. and when in 90
the ordinance of secession was passed. il
seemed to me a. though | had lost my
country-for Carolina without the Union
could not be my country. and the Union
without Carolina seemed - ne strange:
but. to-day. sir. when | bel old the glory
of my State gone. and see her bleeding
from every pore. while negroes. carpet
baggerS and scallawagS. cOuntenanced By
the President. hover around and draw out
the Likelihood from the PROSTATE body.
which. like vampires. they have endcav-
ored 10 fan asleep. | almost feel like cN-
claiming. Would to God DiNie's ilAg had
trumphed over my couniry's banner.
An. sir. have always been proud of our
republic. and when in Europe my pulses
always throbbed with pleasure on seeing
the STAR and stripes. To-day. when | see
myself robbed of all by our ring streaked
and striped Legislature felt like cxclaim-
ing, Loyalty j. now "A sin. and woe unto
thai man who j. fiitlful unto his country
The man YOU see surrounded hy that
crowd was one Of the warmest advocates
of secession: but if you We're TO hear him
speak of the whip and irons YOU
would think he had been an inmate of
Uncle Toms cabin. But excuse me for |
having spoken 80 long. All | can say j. |
God save the stars and Stripes from such |
polluting hands," | learned that the gen
tleman with whom | had been speaking /
was once one of the most influential men /
of the State. and that his open avowal of
Union principles was the great impede
ment in the way o; his political aspira-
tons.
The average decrease Of the value 81
property throughout the Southis five hum
drcd per cent. since 1850. Before the war
the taxable property of South Carolina
was valued az about SiSS.0n.OO0. and i'm
1870 il had fallen to Sls4.WO.0OO. and the
decrease has been steadily progressing up
to the present time but. Warabitc dscfu.
the taxation before the war was only lit
tie over SiO0.OOO annually. but the annual L
taxation OF 1870 was about S2.lOO.OOo. yet /
the State debt has increased from $1,000
900 10 something between Sl6.OOO.OOO and
S20.OOO.OO0.