The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-07-22
TAX UNIONS.

According to previous announcement
q large number Of the citizens of Colles
bury Township assembled in the hall o
the Masonic Female College, July l6tt
inst, for the purpose of forming Ia,
Union for the Township, and to hear al
address from the Hon. Armistead Burt
of Abbeville.
On motion, Mr.. T. A. Connor was
called to the Chair, and DR.. +. +. Gary
requested to act as Secretary to the
meeting.
Mr.. +. A. Connor briefly explained
the object of the meeting and called at
tention to the great Importance of such
Unions in the present condition of the
tax payers. Such organizations give
unity of purpose and combined strength
to resist the entertainments of plum
dering government.
The Executive Committee of the State
Tax Payers Convention, in order to Sc
cure reduction of the tax levy, ana TO
obtain an honest administration OF gov
ernment in disbursing the taxes when
collected, recommended the formation
of tax unions. There is nothing poiiti-
cal in the organization. but Will ACT WIN
that party'that will give an honest gov,
ernment. He closed by eXhortlnS an
tax PAYERS to join and work to secure
the de desired reform. The Chairman
then introduced the Hon. Armistead
Burt to the audience. Mr.. Burt with
that conciseness and beauty Of language
which comes only from a thorough
knowledge and appreciation of the sub
,iect smoke in substance, as follows:
The occasion is one of the most vital
imnortance to the county, and OF deep
Interest to all. Every honest man,
white or colored, has an individual! in
terest ;r the organization of tax. unions.
ThHse who are dishonest and prefer
theft have no business here. Those
who believe in political power to opprcss
the poor that they may fatten on the
.snoiis of Office are not wanted here,
Every honest man must enter his re-
,monstrance in language not to be mis-
understood. These tax unions are the
1epitimate offspring of the Tax Payers
.(!0nvention which assembled in Column
Ibia some time ago. He commended to
ali That was said and done by that
body. composed of men of high repect-
ability and tax payers. Some had been
.Iisnosed to deride and ridicule the ac-
tion of that convention at the time out
T do not suppose that any who read the
sirns of the times will doubt that tre-
,mendous consequences were the result
.of that meeting. Before this we could
oct no hearing by the President of the
the United States, by Congress or
through the press. ,
A memorial to Congress was adopted;
Won remember when that memorial
WAS presented to the President how the
committee were snubbed-how his ear
had been poisoned by the whisperlngs OF
q carpet Dagger from South Carolina.
You remember how the doors of Con-
eress were closed, but now, how chang.
sai The press discussed our affairs anu
decided in our favor in language strong
and noverful. The President and the,
nress both dencunee the present corrupt
Governor of South Carolina, and /
greatly fear the colored people are in
.cIined to re-elect him in utter disregard
.of such denunciations' Grant has said
the present government was disgrace
.and must;be wiped out. He is disgust
rcd and resolved that such government
.shall;npt ecsiTinuc. Nr- Burt advised
sthe colored people to reflect and take
care that they do not forfeit their right
of suffrage by their acts. -,
The great evils complained of by the
Press. these Tax Unions seek to correct
and reform. Is there any man outside
rof an asylum in favor of high taxes,
unless he received good part himself?
The amount yearly paid for taxes you
t-now and vet it has been said that it is
not higher than in other States. This
is suntrue. Although it may appear SO
;.tTll tine falss assessments OF property
s,nore tl.an doubles the taxes A poor
Nyompp wl,o paid SS tax in 1871, paid for
tshe .sd,ne in 1872, S1S.On. How IS the
..annalizs.ioa of taxes by the County
Sseureis aonee They simply take the
u,yerace by adding the highest and low
est assessments together and then strike
an average, without any regard as to the
value of the Land.
T congratulate the citizens OF the coun-
tv that through the effort ef the Bar a
BOARD of TaX-Payers has been ootained'
and your chairman one of the number,
this surely will afford some relief. The
taxes are mc7,sty'eas- In only 9ef the
% counties in South Carolina. 46square
miles of land have been seld for state
and County ttXes. and 557 square miles
.Df land have been forfeited to the State
;st tsx sales during the current year.
a,an auy .ene ia view Of this fact be Sc
ahiind as mot to see his fate in the future:
ds there any one who does not lind the
s,nrthen increasing every year ana thal
the people are poorer than at any time
since the war?
/ know with regret that our people
have Withdrawn from public affairs; !
sea but few in attendance ut puoll(
,neetinos or at our County Courts thai
were formerly sure to be present. 1T Il
ssia tI,ey sre at home working hard Il
snake money. This is blind policy
and will surely fail in the end. II tax
alton increases, the lands wearing out
want and destitution will surely over
take the agricultural element, because
they can't bear the taxation We mus
do something to arrest this state o
things. The man who is willing t.
submit to it, is not worthy the name
of freeman, he ought 10 be a slave tt
some despot, and slave he will surely be
Yt,o make an effort to avert such calaml
ty is to form these Tax Unions. The
People in the up-eountry have no
moved in this matter as they should do
and ] trust the one formed here to-day
will set the ball rolling until each coun
ty is fully organized.
Mr.. Burt then begged to say some
thing upon o kindred subject. Thes'
TaxeInions are not exclusively fo
white men, but all who desire to enjoy
the proceeds of their labor under ar
honest government. Colored mel
ought by all means to join. I intent
to observe how many carpet-bagger
will ioin? How many Southern mer
who new act with 4he present in powe
viii Join? I affirm that no office-hold
sn South Carolina will join. Why not
Because they desire high taxes levied t
pay their salaries and to put the steal
ings in their pockets.
Newould beashamed not to pay take
s.,, l,nna,t ooyarnment but we dom