The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-03-12
Memorial to the Legislature on behalf Of the
Taxpayers.

Memorial to the Legislature on behalf Of the
Taxpayers.
The following communication was sent to
the General Assembly last week:
COLUMBIA, s. c., March 2, 1874
The Committee of the Tax-Payers' Conyen-
ton, upon which the duty was devolyed of
representing some of the grievances of tax
payers arising from the fact that the laws are
improperly administered, and of the need of
some wholesome laws which should be enacted,
beg respectfully to bring before your body, in
which is lodged the power to redress grievances,
three remedies, which they think will tend to
better government: .....
I. The Committee respectfully urge on the
General Assembly to consider how important
it is, in republican government, where re-
sponsibilities are imposed, that these response
bilities should be deyolved in such a manner
and under such forms as the Constitution es-
tablished by the people prescribes.
When the Constitution, which establishes
fair and equitable distribution of burdens, is
violated or disregarded, it naturally excites
dissatisfaction. One of the articles of the
Constitution, third section, Article VIII, where
the people of the State require the Legislature
Ito provide, from time to time, for registration
of all electors" has been entirely ignored
The Committee feels emboldened by the clear
language of the Constitution to respectfully
but earnestly urge or the General Assembly
the proper enforcement of this duty. There
can be little doubt that peace and good order,
as we'll rs fairness and justice, would all be
subserved by carrying out this long-neglected
command How shamefully familiar nave we
been made in the recent elections with the de-
moralizing habit of repeating! How frequent
" have the honest voters of one locality been
overwhelmed with imported purchased voters
of another How often have the most tagrant
acts of fraud been perpetrated by stufhng the
ballot-boxes with false names! All these dis
graceful evils could not fail to receive great
check by the impartial registration OF all
voters This Committee, being convinced of
the great benefit to be derived from it, and be- !
ing confident that no honorable excuse can be
made for any longer dlsregarding so plain a
mandate from the people by their solemn COM
pact, the Constitution, feel at liberty, as citi-
zens interested in the moral welfare OF the
State and in the peaceable settlement of all
differences that is needed by fair election, to
earnestly request that this great subject be at
tended to at once.
II. The Committee suggests another great
grievance from which the State has seriously
suffered. The entire magistracy OF the State,
in violation of plain provision of the Consti-
tuition, has been wrested from the hands of the
people and placed in the hands of the Execu.
tiye-a usurpation which has been fruitful OF
wrong in the past and threatens more dangers
in the future. Under no form of government,
called republican, should the entire admlnlstra-
tion of that part of the Judicial Department
that affects the vast majority of the people be
submitted to the absolute control of the Gov
IL ,ortc ,no11y >
restoring to the people the right thus denied
is that the people are too ignorant to be COM
mitted with this trust. The Committee would
respectfully urge on the Legislature the consd-
GRAFTON that, Independent of the plain command
in the Constitution, whether the appointments
and removals have been made in the interests
of the communities, respectively, in which the
important duties were to be performed-wheth-
er they are not now regarded as part of the
patronage of the Executive Department?
What force can be claimed for the plea of
the people being too ignorant, when it is a
notorious fact that the officers elected, such as
Clerk, Sheriff and Judges of Probate, are In
fnitely superior in intelligence and honesty to
the Trial Justices appointed by the Executive?
The latter are frequently appointed, as it is has
been asserted by Republicans, for personal
ends. In consequence of this violation OF the
Constitution, there are many instances OF neg
lected duties and violated rights, the response
bility for which must rest with the law-making |
power. The Committee hopes the Legislature
will see to it that no personal consideration or
temptation will divert them from consulting |
the interests of their constituents and the
general welfare of the State.
III. The Committee, in conclusion, beg to
bring to the attention of the Legislature
principle of representation, which it is firmly |
believed is founded in sound republicanlsm,
and which will do much to abate the grievan-
ces of the State and produce harmony through
out its borders The General Assembly has
the power to inaugurate system IN this State
COMPOSED as it is of two distinct races which
will contribute to the safety and protection OF
both. Although in ten years it is probable
that the white race will largely out-numher the
black in South Carolina, this State will be the
home of both race for all time. How impor-
tant. then, for rign ,f the races, to establish |
some one of the systems that is embraced under
the name of minority representation" AL
though the name is new, the system springs
from principle that is as old as representa-
tive governments.
To refer to no more distant examples than
the Senates of every State of the Union, the
Senate of the United States, the upper houses
of Parliament, which exist in every Govern
ment of Europe, give the minority voice in
the government of equal force, for many .pur-
poses. to that of the majority, is no new idea lea
In fact, it is as old as man, and forms an ele-
ment in every mans conception of truly Jree
oovernnsent-that is, government not OF sub
ects, but of fellow citizens. The minority claim,
and in all good communities receive, at the hands
of maiorities respectful considerations and as al
ways Constituting portion of the body poi!tlc
that deserves the anxious care of the majority.
But while the committee recognize the tact
that this State, like others, has already lncor-
norated into its Constitution that feature of rep
PRESENTATION, the system of minority represen-
tation. by which the idea of an entire commu-
nitv t' can be expressed in legislative bodies, is
entirely unprovided for Manhood suffrage is
an advance in this direction. 1t is recoogni-