Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-08-13


the sentiments of its party, has no words in
condemnation of the proposition, which may
be a political issue ere many presidential
campaigns:
The discussion over the question of the pay.
ment to the owners Of slaves in the Southern
States previous to the rebellion for their
value is being revived with great earnestness
in various localities in the South. 1t is claim
ed that there were in the South before the
war about 100000 of negroes. The census
Of 1870 gives the number of negroes in the
United States at 4,SS6,387. Calculating the
slaves at an average of $500 apiece, we have
the sum of S2,4OO,OO0,OOO. Put it down at
$500 as an average, and then we would have
S1,200,000,000. Georgia gave in 1870 the
value of her negro property at $302, ,694 $50,
or about an average of 500.
1t is urged that these slaves were the prop
erty of individual citizens, legally obtained,
and which they were entitled to under the
Constitution of the United States; that they
were arbitrarily freed and their value de-
stroyed, and that this occurred in many cases
without the fault of their owners, but as one
of the incidents Of the war. A correspondent,
in discussing the subject, suggests that they
do not expect to get the money-value of the
negroes directly out Of the Treasury OF the
United States with the national debt upon the
country, but that other means should be de-
vised, which would be more equitable, and
then further urges the South in Congress, as
one man, to vote against any more donations
of public land, and to insist that this domain
must be held for more sacred purposes-the
paying of the South for her negroes 1t is
very discreetly suggested that it may not be
in order just now, but that it is we'll enough
to have such thoughts in ones mind for fu-
ture use.
An appeal is then made for all owners of
slaves to record them, as their children will
no doubt at some future day be paid for what
their fathers lost. There is no question that
the idea of the payment for the loss of slaves
is very popular and potent element in
Southern politics, and, surrounded as it is
with some technical ground of legality, it will
be urged with additional earnestness and
persistence.
That it should be commended by some
leading Southern journals, and strongly en-
dorsed by large number of influential South
ern politicians, is a fair indication that how
ever long delayed, the issue at some time will
become potent one in the election of men,
bers of Congress in the South.
The Tax Payers of Chester.
"A meeting of citizens of Chester was
held at the Court House of that county on
Monday of last week. The Hon. Samuel
McAlliley presided. The object was the or
ganization of Tax Unions for the county.
After this business was attended to, Maj. S.
P. Hamilton introduced the following pream-
BILE and resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted:
Whereas, the Tax Unions of this State are
organized to secure a reduction of taxation,
and the honest appropriation and expenditure
of the public funds; and
Whereas, the amount collected in taxes
from the people of South Carolina is far in
excess of what is required for the most liberal
administration of affairs of the State govern
ment; and
Whereas, the Constitution of South Carroll.
ma has declared that, 'all property subject to
taxation should be taxed in proportion to its
value" which the act of the General Assem-
bly,, passed March 19, 1874 has declared to
be Its true value in money" which in all
cases otherwise not specially provided for in
this act, shall be held to be the usual selling
price at the place where the return is to be
made and if there be no usual selling price
then at what is honestly believed could be
obtained for the same, at a fair sale at the
place aforesaid and
Whereas, so much of the act of March Is,
1874, which empowers the State board of
equalization to add to the aggregate value
of the real property Of every county, which
they shall believe to be valued below its true
value in money, such per centum, in each
case, as will raise the same to its true value in
money" and which directs the county auditor
to add such per centum to the valuation after
the same has been equalzed by the county
board of equalization, is unconstitutional and
void; and
Whereas, by section 40 of said act of 1874,
it is enacted that "the collection of taxes shall
not be stayed or prevented by an injunction,
writ or order issued by any court or judge
thereof" and therefore the courts Of justice
are closed against the Taxpayer, and ne is
without remedy or protection. Therefore be it
Resofued, That we offer for the considera-
ton of the Tax Unions of the county, when
met in county Tax Union, and through it
to the State Tax Union, the following course
of action:
l. That we will pay no taxes until the Leg
isature at its coming session shall by law duly
enacted give ample redress of the grievances
of which we of right complain, to be made
known to that body by the State Tax-Uuion.
g. That we will pay no taxes except upon
valuation and assessment of property ac-
cording to its "true value in money" as d.
rected by the Constitution of the State, and
not as decreed by the State board Of equali.
zation.
3. That we will pay no taxes so long as the
courts of justice are by law closed against
tax payers.
THE RURAL CARoL1NIAN FOR AUGUST
There are two particularly striking features
about the present number of this leading
Southern agricultural periodical. The first is
a very handsome frontispiece, giving the first
and only engraving of the celebrated Euca.
lyptus tree that has ever been published in
this country. The second is an able article
from the pen of that distinguished agrcultu.
raj writer, c. w. Howard, of Georgia. The
Eucalyptus represented in the frontispiece was
planted in 1868, and was not six years old
when the photograph was taken from which
the engraving was made 1t is, nevertheless,
Gfty-six feet high, and the engraving shows it
towering above the roof of a two story house
while the man who stands in its shade near the
trunk looks very diminutive. Mr.. Howard's