The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-03-04
500, ,GCS 50 $l,s8,4t 7S

These facts exhibit the uhpre-
cedent spectacle of q State in which
the government is arrayed against pro-
perty. It has been openly ayowed by
prominent members of the Lesisla-
turc that the taxes should be increased
to a point which viii compel the sale
of the great body Cf the land. and
take it away from the former owners.
The fruit of this policy is shown IN
the fact stated by the Comptroller
General in his official report, that for
default in the payment of taxes for
the year 1872 alone, PCS, 1923 acres Of
land were forfeited to the State. And
this result proves the fallacy Of the
belief that the policy pursued pro-
motes the elevation of the black popu-
latios, and the acquisition by them Of
the lands thus virtually con6scated.
The reverse is the necessary result.
Lands are unavailable as security;
mortgages in default of payment can
rot Sell wages have declined; the
COS: of living is made greater by the
addition of the taxes to the price Of
commodities the poor are made poor
or, and rendered every day more in-
capable of purchasing lands, and
more hopeless Of rising above the con
6;,;cn of mere lsborers. It would
have ameliorated the condition OF
your petitioners if the effect of this
pulley had been to create an active
demand for lands Oh the part Of
this lsrge class of our population. But
while the owners are, by oppressive
taxation, driven to sell, others for the
same reason are disqualified from buy
ing.
The abuses i. tH.e Legislative De-
partment, that have been described,
are not confined to the mere raising
aud expenditure of revenues, but they
peryade the entire conduct Of the de-
partmeut. Schemes have been de-
vised for issuing State bonds and for
contracting other loans, by which the
public debt has IN six years been
raised from s5,000,000 to 5000, 600;
and thst without advancing any public
work. adding one dollar to the public
property or to the payment Of the
bubble debt. Large as the sum Of
the public debt is admitted to be.
there is reason to believe it does not
reach the true amount; it is found
impossible to ascertain the actual sum
of the obligations that have been Is
sueI. Schemes Of public plunder hsve
been openly advanced by corrupt
measures, Of which one single example
will suffice. Two Clerks Of the Lcgis-
lature. in their official capacity, made
contracts with themselves, as private
persons, Tor the public printing The
appropriations made i'll one year for
the work done and to be done, by
these officials, amounted to s475. .UOU.
exclusive of 100000 for publishing
the laws. Aud in the fiscal year 1878
there was actually psid to them Tor
printing 1881 900, leaving large
sum still due to them by the State.
And this, notwithstanding the avow=l
Of the two officials themselves, that
the work done WAS worth no more
than 100000; and the testimony Of
others that its value was only $50, 900.
The Stupcudous fraud involved in this
and similar modes of making tine lcyi
eimatc objects Of public expenditure
the uicdicm ofplundcring the treasury,
c:nn"t be better illustrated than BY
tho following facts: The total appro-
priatiouS for public printing, mad" by
the Legislature Of South Carolina, du-
ring period of sixty years, from 1900
to 1859 is s27l,ls0. Daring the
last year the amount actually expend-
cd for public printing by the present
Legislature NaS Sco4 .'1o- L An' -
sGU,.G5 more than it cost the State
for sixty years before the war
Committees have received large
sums as compensation for reporting
taycrably ou private bills; and Strong
lcaSouS exist for believing that Il large
amount of State bank bills, funded by
the State to discharge her liabii:'y,
have been re-issucd by those eutru>t-
cd by the Legislature with the cancel
latiou thereof.
In the Judiciary Department: evils
equally grievous have been produced
under the present State Government.
TIE Judges hold their Offices for short
terms. Their continuance in cshce
depends upon the caprices Of the lesis-
latcrs. Tie result is, that the duties Of
their high Office are discharged under
Influences aud responsibilities nec So
rily adverse to the independent ad.ri:l-
go; ., -; ;,,.t,,, THhn ,,r,., -. So,