Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1873-10-02

settled section of the district then repre-
lsented in Congress hy{A. s. Wallace, 81
] Twas surprised to find an unusual ASSEM-
1blage of men, on horseback and afoot, Mt
scross road to whichI was approach
ling. At frat view it appeared to he q
ssporting match or militia muster. hut
LON reaching thespot I perceived that the
magnet of attraction for the assemblage
was an old fashioned family carriage,
drawn by d pair Of cadaverous mules,
which stood among the chinquepin bush.
les by the roadside. On the front seat of
! the vehicle sat a little weasel faced man,
| who Ind upon his lap o huge ACCOUNT
book, in which he made entries, as from
time to time he received small packages
sofdirty shinplasters from the bystanders.
Behind him, reclining ut full length, was
Ia big, hurley negro, whose feet Qiterally
ga foot each) were elevated SO that they
lalmost brushed the ears of the little man
Fin front.
ssAmazed at this extraordinary exhib-
ition. ] asked q gentlemanly looking
i|person for an explanation. 'Oh, it;lis
iliionly q tax gathering said he, and with
aismile, We are paying tribute to Ce-
old Caesar Moses-whom you, see
lin the carriage Why, have you q col
tIored collector Yes sir or rather /
Should say Governor Scott has negro
Ilcollector. We have none, the white
|lmen of South Carolina@sir, have very
Tlittle share in the selection of the officials
klyho govern Them, But who is the lit
IItleman that seems to be doing the bust
kllness7 He is a low fellow, sir formerly
@h grocery keepers clork. He now acts
iRs coachman and clerk for the darkey.
Old Cesar. who can not write his own
lame, is obliged to give half his sallery to
lScruggs to attend to business for him.
IgWhat salary docs he get n. One thou
IEand dollars and perquisites. During
ithis conversation old Cesar, arose to n
point of order. A meek looking country
| tnan had asked if State money would be
received for taxes: The negro was too
lqrunkto sit upright, butheard the ques-
fion, and pulling aside the curtains, he
presented n bleared, sensual countenance
which oughtto procure his admission to
She penitentiary without warrant. No!
No, stree! !, he began in maudlin tone.
1--WE don't take no State money: we
don't want dat trash. Don't want muffin
but the greentac, we don't. You list
fork out de greenback, dat's all we ask
lpf you
q The coachman, however, had been
q u greasy copy of the statutes,
lSnd. he now whispered to his employer
iIhat State money wqs receivable for
State taxes. SIS
Don't kno, muffin bout dat" growled
the negro. i know my business. Sam
Melton, the Affirming Ginorl, .hc told
ME not to take muffin but the greenbacks.
Dat am my gospel. You feller, just fork
out dem stakes, dat's all !" And present
ly he subsidized into his free and easy po-
sition, with his feet at the little mans
ears as before. The latter disregarded
his orders and took the farmers
money. being evidently accustomed to
old Cesar's ways.
/ had seen q good deal of negro rule in
the South, but this spectacle saddened me
Notwithstanding its ludicrous features.
From my observation ! am satisfied that
every dollar paid for taxes in so9bh Car
olina runs at least twenty different risks
of being stolen before it reaches the
Treasury and is certain to be stolen
afteritgets there.
is COMMUNICATED.