The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-05-26

THE DEsPo1L1Na OF A STATE.
berry in South Carolina seems to be
the general rule of the State Goyern.
menE in its official, if not it's indiyi.,
duaIG eaphoity. Property ownersfare
taxed not for Legislative purposes, but
for the purpose Of impoverishing the
taxpayers and enriohing the rulers, A
correspondent OF the New York Sun.
who has visited South Carolina. lately
examined an unfinished delinquent tax
list for 1873 in Charleston and vicinity.
published in-the Charleston Chronicle.
official organ of the city, County aud
State. This list flied 19 columns, in.
Guiding $40 houses and 1,43l lots in
the CITY alone, besides other valuable
property. It also took in 25I summer
residences ind 1G8 lots on Morris,
Su!livau's and other islands, and 87l
plantations. aggregating 299, 19l acres
OF land surrounding Charleston. The
list contained the wealthy and histori
cal numes Of South Carolina. It ia
stated that even the grave OF john 9.
Calhoun is in danger of being sold for
non payment of taxes. Both whit. s
and blacks who own property suffer.
One g. ntleman, on being asked if he
thought this taxation was part of O
plan through which the carpet. baggers
and negroes were trying to SECURE pos.
session of the property, said he did
not; thet the political rogues we're
afraid to buy, as when they lose their
political grip, they are taxed as heavy
as the rest, aud that they lived in fear
OF rigid Administration in Washing
ton. which would call them to account
for their robbnries. Hence, when they
lose their power, they leave only to be
succeeded by another swarm Of blood
suckers. On the other huud, there are
those who hold thut The ruin and de.
gradntion OF the white raoe in South
Carolina is aimed at and worked for as
settled policy Of the msjority. A
correspon lent of the New York Tri.
6unc says that Reprosen tutive Joseph
II. Rainey, colored. Of South Carolina,
in speech at Hartford. Conn, some
time since, gave ntterauce to views Of
this character. Mr.. Rainey used these
fata! words. which point to the policy
mentioned: ''Land is cheap. We like
to put OH tho taxes, so as to make it
oheup." III the meantime. there seems
to be no hope of relief from the Gene
raj Government. Three reoprt, hn,e
been presented to Congress concerning
South Carolina affairs. None of them
suggested any practical scheme of le-
gisIntive relief from the outrages under
which the State is suffering. Yet it
cnnnot he doubted that the spoliutiuns
and ,obberies committed in South Ca.
rolina are psrpetratsd under the pro.
lection of party politics, and that even
a slight but decided intimation from
Washington that the party must con
duct itself honestly, would revolution
ize affairs in South Carolina. Tue
reign of corruption has grown up
there and attained strength, because it
relied upon the friendly partisan favor
of the central Federal authority. The
Influence of the Federal Government,
or of the. minority in Congress, might
have been supreme for good or evil,
and it docs not seem to have boen ex-
srcised for good in that quarter. It
may be that the exhibition lately made
by Gov. Moses will produce health
full rs action in the public mind, com
ing as it does upon the heels of the
Arkansas Illustration of the beauties of
reconstrnction.-Bdllimore san.