The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-03-04
Taxpayers COnycnton--A Address. of tho
President Memorial TO Congress.

=. Tho opening address Of the Prcsi-
dent Of the Convention, Hon. w. D.
Porter, was mastery exposition Of
the corruption and frauds Of tho
State Government. Want of space
will not permit US to give it in full.
The chief points, as given by tho re-
potter Of the Charleston News and
CouTi,r, are as follows
q It tho bad faith of the State
Govern ment and the public corrup-
tion and extravaganza had made til Q
1casscm bling Of the conycntion peccs
fary. The Taxpayers arc in despair.
They have no civil freedom, but are
tho subjects ofa plain and naked dcs.
potism, the prepondcrance of'political
power boiDg iD the hands Of non-tax
payers, who refuse the taxpayers II
tair represents tion for their rroteo-
tion. The property interest, repre-.
senting one ,undrcd and seventy
million dollars of property, is taxed
al Lidituns, without its consent, by
those who bear no burden and enjoy
the spoliation. Governor Portor
showed by facts and figures that
while the taxable property had do.
,clincd from fvc hundred millions to
ono hundred and seventy millions,
thc taxes chad risen from $4O0, 900
to over S2,5O0, 900. The people ure
Nirtually required to pay twenty
times rs much as bcforo the war
The bonded debt is treblcd and tho
amount Of the floating debt is uu.
known. The Legislative expenses
have risen from $40, 200 to $500, ,o00,.
600. lie suggested that tho conven.
tlon should encourage immigration,
organize tho Taxpayers in every
county and mcmoria!izc Congress for
re iress of grievances. BY ,rnsolutc
wocas and acts the Federal Govern.
ment can do much to improve our
condition, for that govern mcnt is the
only power the wrongdocrs. BAN
croft, the historian, had said that
South Carolina founded the Amcri.
can Union, under tho lead Of Gads-
den and Ru,lcdgo aud Lynch. She
was tho first to answer the call of
Massachusetts in l765. Without
her no American Congress would
have been held. Ono thing the
American people may be disposed to
remember against South Carolina,
but thcro are many things thoy oan
not afford to forget. let lis appeal
TO tho American people, and if thoy
and heed the call: Th;Ss aadIr.oss adI. "SS Vo,
received with much applause, espc,
olally the reference to immigration
%Hd to the part played hy South
Carolina in tho war Of ihGeuendeucc
MIR. Armistcad Burt submitted tn,
foIlowlng memorial to the Congress OF
the United States, which was adopt.
cd
10 tho Senate and House of Repre-
ttentativcs of the Congress of tho
United States:
Tho memorial OF the tax xpnye,s
and other citizens Of South Caroline
resi- lccttully showcth
That upon tho reconstruction OF
the State Government, aud the ad-
mission of Senators aud Representa-
tlvcs into Congress of tho Uuitad
states, it was doubtless intended by
Congress, as it was expected by the n,
that thoy would become partakers OF
the rights enjoyed by citizens of the
United States and of other state
Governments. Tho history of the
country teaches that taxation with.
out representation is tyranny our
revolutionary fathers combined to re-
s'st such tyranny and We feel assur,
ca that 1t was never tho intention of
the sons OF those men to allow this
very system to &C fastened upon
any Of their follow citizens. It has.
nevertheless, come to pass that the
Government established in South
Carolina, under the legislation of
Cong ess, has been mado the, iustru.
ment Of effecting this monstTous op.
preston. That department. of tho
state Government which exercises the
taxing power is administered by
those who own nero fraction of the
property Of the State. Seven yoars
have elapsed since tho reconstruction
OF the State Govcrnmen ent and 6urina
that period, of tho property taxed.
majority Of tho members Of tho
Legislature owned no part whatever
and the remaining members owned so
little that their pay as men,
bers countcrbalanced their en-.
tiro interest as property holders.
Iho result is that those owning tho
property have no voice in tho Govern.
ment and those imposing the taxes no
snare IN tho burden thereof; the
taxes have advanced yearly until, in
many cases, they consume moro than
one-half of the income from tho pro
perry taxed. Tho annual expenses Of
the Government have advanced from
$4oo,o00 before tho war to 1900:
QUO at tho present time. The follow.
ing comparison o. leading items Of
expenditure will best exhibit thn
change: