The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-04-09
Tax-Payers' DELEGATION in Washington.

Taxpayers Delegation in Washington.
The presence of large delegation in the
city of Washington, representing the over
burdened and plundered taxpayers of South
Carolina, has attracted general attention
throughout the country. The duty imposed
upon these delegates by the recent Taz-Payers'
Convention was to present to the President and
Congress the memorial adopted by the Conven-
ton, asking for correction of the many
abuses growing out of the abnormal condition
of affairs in this State, and petitioning the aid
and interference of the executive and legisla-
tive departments Of the Federal government in
behalf of an oppressed people, whose substance
was being wasted by a rapacious horde OF ad-
venturers in control of the local government.
SThe mission of the delegates was non-partlsan
in character, and every shade of political opin'
ion was represented in the delegation. Every
means to rectify abuses and promote reforma-
ton in public affairs had been exhausted. The
Legislature quietly ignored the most reasona'
Bile demands for compliance with the organic
law of the State, by which some measure OF
practical relief might be accorded to the peo-
pie, and certain safeguards be thrown around
the ballot-box for the protection of the minori-
ty, embracing mainly the tax-paying and
property-holding citizens of the State. ThisJ
appeal to the authorities at Washington was;
not made until every hope had vanished that
succor and relief might possibly come from the
law-making power of South Carolina, and it
was evident that the rapacious spirit so long
dominant would not withdraw its hideous front
from the gaze of honest men. So much to
show the standpoint from which the delega-
ton operated and the motives by which they
were governed.
Soon after reaching Washington, it was ar
ranged through Secretary Fish that the dele
CATION would have an audience with President
Grant, and discharge that portion of the duty
entrusted TO them of presenting the memorial
to the Chief Executive of the nation. The
result of that interview was given to our read
ers last week. and more detailed account is
published in to-day's issue, which is mainly
and circumstantially true. The calm and dig
nifed address of Mr.. Porter, summing up the
wrongs and grievances of tax-paying minor
ity, was entirely opposite in its character, and
pleaded strongly in behalf of the cause ne
represented. It was no surprise to any one
present that the Chief Executive responded, in
substance, that he could not suggest remedy
for the evils of this badly-governed State now
holding the relations of a coordinate and COM
ponent part of the general government, by
which he was debarred from interference with
its local affairs. This was in consonance with
his recent attitude on the Louisiana question,
and all were prepared to hear such views from
President Grant, albeit his conversion to States
rights was of recent date. No one conceived
for a single moment that he would retrace the
ground so lately occupied, or utter more than
a passing sympathy with an oppressed people.
But it was matter of grave disappointment
and chagrin when the President seized the op-
portunity to resent the alleged utterances of
single individual, whose name and local habi-
tation were utterly unknown to him, when he
was dealing out the most energetic sentences of
unmistakable anger, and exhibiting an unbe-
coming passion before party Of gentlemen in
no wise responsible for the attack made upon
him. That the head of great nation, listen
ing to the solemn and earnest asseveration OF
grievances from large body of the people,
could be betrayed into an unseemly manifesto
tion of personal feeling upon such an occasion'
was certainly beyond the comprehension of
those before him as representatives of suffer-
ing community, and created a serious disap-
pointment among them for the time being
The explanation of this extraordinary conduct
on the part of President Grant was easily OBJ
tanned. The retirement of Senator Patterson
from the executive mansion, Immediately after
the delegation entered its walls, furnished a
probable solution of the matter. 1t was to the
crafty Senator that the President was so re-
Gently indebted for the Information that a
speech had been made in the Taxpayers Con-
vention, which savored of extreme hostility
towards his administration, and pointedly
urged the weak parts of his official career.
He was smarting under the castigation of this
speech, and could not repress the angry emo
tions which governed and controlled him for
the moment All this was natural to ordinary
human beings, even though harsh criticism
might pronounce it exceedingly unstatesman-
like. In this light it was viewed by the delega-
ton, and their future efforts were not slackened
or increased By this undeniable rebuff from the
President, who was alone responsible before
the country for such an exhibition of petty
spleen and personal animosity.
We have already stated that there was no
surprise in the position assumed by President
Grant as to the real issue presented for his
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