Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1874-02-26

81 Z9o,ooo %
Deficiencies. ,32S 90
Total. ... ,66s 80 ST. S96544 70
The facts exhibit the unprecedented spectacle OF
State in which the government Is arrayed against the
property Of Its citizens. II has been openly avowed
by prominent msmber3cf the legislature that the
taxes should De increased to a point with compel
the sale Of the great body Of tho land and take 1t
away from its former owners. The fruit ofths policy
IL shown in the fact stated by the comptroergencr-
al In his official report that for default In the pay
ment OF taxes for the year 1872 alone 26s OF
land were forfeited 10 the State and this result proves
the flacy OF the belief that policy pursued promotes
the ecva ion Of the black population, and the acquis-
ion By them of the lands thus virtually confs;aed.
The reverse is the necessary result: Lands are
unavailable as security. Mortgages in default Of
payment cannot SELL Wages have declined. The
cost of living is made greater by the addition OF the
taxes tothe prices OF commodities. The poor are
made poorer and rendered every day more incapable
ofpurchang lands and uor. hopeless of rising above
their present condition Of mere laborers. II would
have amclioroted the con iton OF your petitioners il
the effect of this policy had been to create an active
demand for lands on the part of the larger class OF
our population but while the owners are, by oppres-
siye taxation. driven to SELL others, for the same
reason, are disqualified from bayug. The abuses in
the legislative department, that have been discflbod,
are not confrei TO the mere raising and expenditure
OF the revcnue but they peryade the entire conduct
of that department. Schemes have been devised for
Issuing State bonds and contracting other loans by
which the public ueUt has, IN SIX years, Deen TalSeu
from six million dollars to sixteen million dollars and
that without advancing any public works, aiding
one dollar TO the public property, or to the payment
of the public debt. Large rs the sum OF the public
debt is admitted to be- there reason 10 believe that
Il does not reach the true amount IL Is fOand inn
possible TO ascertain the actual Of the obligations
that have been issued. Schemes Of public punder
have been openly advanced ny corrupt MEASURES, oi
which one single example will suffice Two clerks OF
the Legislature, in their official capacity, made
contracts with themselves as private persons for the
public printing. The appropriations madh in one
wear for the work done or ~ he DONE by these two
officials amounted 10 $4,000 exclusyeof 100000
for Publishing the laws and Ia the fiscal year 1873
there was actually paid TO them prir ting Ssl o90
leaving large sum then due TO them by the STATE,
aud this notwithstanding the ar0wa OF the Two
officials themselves that the work done was worth no
more than slU0001 and the testimony OF Others that
is value was only $4,000. The stupendous fraud
Involve in this and similar modes Of making the
gitinlate Obj cts VI public expenditure the medium
of plunderns the trca-nry, cannot be better illus
tratcd than by the following facts The total appro-
pria,ions for public printing made by the Legislature
from 1860 10 is9 isS2II lS0; during the last year
the amount actually EXPENDED for public printing by
the prtscut Legislature was 1881 95. IT, at Is s6O765
than it ct the State for sixty years before the
war Committees have received large sums for
compensa.ion for reporting favorably private hil!',
and strong reasons exist for believing that slargc
amount OF state bank bills, funded by the Stat: 10
discharge her liabilities, have been reissucd by those
cancellation In the judiciary department evils
ep,aily gricvOus have boen produced Under the
present STATE government, the judges hold their Of
f"ns for short terms anl their Continuance in Office
depends apUn the caprice OF the legislators The
I,.., 10 tbat the duties Of III r high olG dis
charged under influence and responsibilities neces-
sarily adverse tp the indepnndcnt and pure admins
tratiDn OF public Justice. The jurors moreover, arc
selected by IN sc officials, Of whom two are the ap-
p,inttees 0f the Governor. The con squeeze Is that
the defeat Of an ohnoxiouS litigant may he made
certain by e selection 0, the jury or no siecai
object be- ontmplacd by these officials the choice
is r., lueniy made, simply for the small pay, Of men
who are unable to ct's- read or write. La either
case III" ends Of justice are deael. In the Ev' c.
tive department all these evils culnnatr. 1t Is
openly asserted aud believed that Offices arc the
subject Of barter and the manner In which such
Offices arc administered proves that qualification has
little influence in the appointment. Ia matter under
the control OF single Individual IL is dihcut
prove corruption but there is one state Of facts that
aways should stand for proof The expenditures OF
money by an official who Is without any estate and
receives but small salary establish beyoud doubt
that the money must come from some irregular or
illegal source On this principle the two Governors
elected under the present Constitution stand con-
demnCd In public opinion. To detect and punish
these crimes Is impossible The Governor controls
the avenues OF Justice Indeed the entire system Is
one Of self-sustaning and sefproecting corruption.
In most Of States there might be some chance Of
rdresSs through the ballot box; but here again the
state government interposcs an iDsuperabe barrier.
The elections are conducted by persons Appointed In
the interest Of the officials and the returns under
the absolute control Of The parties In power. Under
such circumstances voting Isl forni and elections
mockery.
Suffering under such grievances and des'airns Of
relief from the State government, your menoralsts
come respectfully your honorable bodies for redress
The government which thus opprcsses us was virtu-
ally established by Congress; and while we believe
they did not orcsee the evils to which 1t has given
rise we cannot doubt that they will assist In reliey
ing them. Knowing VIC do that the evils Of which
We complain are certain in their existence and We
are more likely TO increase than dsininish, your
memoraliss most earnestly ask your aid in prOyid-
ing the proper redress and relief.
The committee on taxation submitted report
setting forth the causes OF the increased taxation in
the State, and recommending resolution asking the
Legislature to revise and modify the tax laws SO that
the taxpayer, who Is ovcrsasossc6. might appeal to
the courts for rdreSs Of grievances before paying the
tax. The report was adopted
Gen. CheSnmt, from thr executive committee
reported resolutions providing frappolntment ofthc
a committee OF FIVE to submit 20 the Gencr Assembly
the following propositions: Fra. The enforcement Of
the Constitutional provision requiring registration
of the voters for each election Second The passage
ola law providing for proportional representation by
adopting the cumulative system Of voting. Thin
The enforcement Of the section Of the constitution
providing for The election 1 justices OF the peace by
tn" voters in the several counties.
This excited considerable discussion, pm in /:
which the Convention adjourned until tomorrow
morning. Although there was considerable discus
sion, the session to-day were very harmonious, and
the main business hayirg been concluded the Con
vcntion will probably adjourn after adopting Gen.
Che,nut's resolution, and taking action the
lat.vns in reference TO the Bank OF the State.
TIE CLOSING DAY.
COLUMBIA, February 10.
The Taxpayers Convention adjourned
at haIf:rast three o'clock this afternoon,
after four days session.
At the morning session the Convention
adopted resolution expressing sympa-
thy at the death Of Mr.. w. Ii. McCaw.
a. op fDin A.,