Montgomery County sentinel., 1874-02-27
Poor South Carolina.
PLAIN TALK FROM BLACK CONGRESSMAN.
[From lhe ChnrlesIon News

from the Charleston News
Congressman r. b. Elliott (colored), whr
is now in Columbia made a speech in that cit,
on Monday night, which is notew orihy as ont
OF the signs OF the times. He told his bearer!
that The Taxpayers Convention was no assem-
blage Of soreheuds, but that il was seeking tC
do the work which il was the duty OF the Re
publican party 10 have accomplished. liz
rasped the State administration without mercy
for its violation Of its most solemn pledges
and washed his hands of all participation il
lis bad faith. The salvation of ''The Party, y
lie declared depended upon its instant reform
of existing abuses. A great change was taking
place in the politics ot the country, and it wac
useless for them to shut their eyes TO the fact
If You go to the North, he said, and mentioa
the name of South Carolina, you will find The
estimate that they will pnt on ii there. Tc
mention South Carolina is 10 merit the sneers
of the commonweallhs Of the North When
corruption was spoken of in other States il
was IA different thing hut when il was spoken
of in South Carolina it WAS laid 10 the blame
of the negro government. 1t was, therefore,
the duty of the colored people of South Caro-
lima 10 demonstrate to the world that they de-
sire an honest government. 1t was time that
they did something to remove this stigma.
CONTINUING 1--WE quote from the report in the
Columbus Union) he said
IF government is TO go on from bad TO
worse it would make The representatives
ashamed to rise mp and plead their cause. II
was with the people TO remedy this. He had
told them only Of what Frelng huysen, Dawes.
Sumner. Butler, and others were thinking OF
what every man who had travelled outside OF
South Carolina must have heard, if he kept
his ey es and cars open. The negroes have
been in the mnjoriiy, aud voted the elemen;
into power, they are responsible. They have
been deceived ; will the people be deceived Il
second time? Will you permit this state OF
things to continue? II cannot be hidden. thai
there is something rotten in Denmark. There
must be no promised reformation, but practi-
cal reform. II there be any one in the way Of
that reform, he should beat once removed out
of the path, and now IS the lime to do it. The
national Republican party to-day is ready to
cat aloof upon the slightest provocation from
the corruption now existing IN the South.
aud unless you do something, and that speedi-
ly, they will be compelled TO cut off the rot
ten branches. lie had warned them of this
more than year ago; this was no new thing
One thing he knew, thai instead Of being bet
ter It appears to be growing worse. The Tax
payers Convention is no sorehead movement
The people have right to petition under the
Constitution, and when ii came, it would come
from his constituents, whether they voted for
him or not, and he was bound 10 have il pro-
perly referred. That petition will be consid-
cred, and do not allow yourselves TO be mised
about it. The only way you can prove that
you sympathze with an honest administration
ofaifairs is for you to give notice TO those who
have mal-udministered affairs TO quit--for you
to bring forward new set of men. II is your
duty TO vindicate Yourself and prove TO The
world that you are in sympathy " iIh all those
that want an honest government, lie had nc
cause here TO announce or champion the cause
ofany particular set. But il was his duty to
point attention TO errors that have nearly re-
suited in the bankruptcy of the State. II was
time that the hands that had caused these or
rors were stayed With the finances thriving
and the agricultural interests increased, il
would be alik@felt by the rich and poor Il
the wealthy man suffers, the iaborer suffer,
ten-fOld il his taxes bring burdens, he make.
them up from the laborers.''
Elliott closed his remarkable haraugue by
telling the men of his race how earnest va:
the public opinion Of the country, and how
unanimous was the newspaper press in con
demnalion Of the corruption that reigns il
South Carolina.