The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-03-19

Not io6s ago eolored Congressman Eli

oft of South Carolina delivered speech
IN Congress on Cizil Rights The Pilot
published it and registered Elliott on the
calendar Of saints Judge our surprise
that though Elliott has delivered a second
speech infinitely ADLER, more practical and
more useful, it has been treated with con-
temptuous silence by the Pilot; and thist too,
while the independent press has been full
of its praises. To supply the omission
of the Pilot from whom the colored Re
pubIeans had Alright to expect better treat
ment, We have copied sketch of this second
speech of Elliott The inference is that
the speech has failed to receive the COM
incubation of the Pilot because it is dec
laration of hostility against the S'unscru-
pulous adventurers" who have plunged
that unfortunate State into bankruptcy,
and in favor of reforming the corruption
and extravaganza which have covered
their administration with disgrace.
Reasonable people will agree with Us
that the colored leaders have not declared
their independence of ''the INSCRIPTIONS
adyenturers" an hour too soon The
taxes of South Carolina are twenty times
higher than they were before the war.
The value of property is destroyed,
The fruits of labor are eaten up. The
credit of the State is gone; and ruin and
bankruptcy frown upon the unfortunate
inhabitants. The office-holders have re-
duced the business of making money at
the expense ofthe taxpayers to science.
For example when South Carolina was
reconstructed, poverty stricken adven-
turer named Scott from Ohio, was cleo
ted Governor With salary of 50, 500
year he saved enough to buy one of the
finest houses in Columbia, and to form
fund, the interest of which supports him
in luxury His successor, Moses, spends
500, 600 year out of his salary of 49,,
500 and has invested part of the residue
in the old Wade Hampton mansion
at Columbia. He has reftted the house,
with all the magnifcence of an Eastern
Prince" The members of the State
Government are resolved to own all Co
lumbia. As soon as a man is elected,
he lets the contracts for a new block, and
agrees to pay when the taxes come in.
One recently-built structure is called, by
its owner, "Parker's Hail." and by the
people ''Parker's Haul"-from the State
Treasury. All this wealth has been cot
by the issue of fraudulent bonds. An
appropriation of 500, 900 to buy lands
for the freedmen gave potato-patches to
about one hundred of them. The appro-
priations for schools have been systemat-
ically stolen. There is a tract of land
in Charleston County which paid for State
and county tax in 1867, $3.50; in 1868,
S., %; in 1859, 500, 30; in 1870, S39, As:
in 1872, s41, 92. This year it is charged
with s114,3 30, although il is offered for
sale for 5000. This is a tax Of 10 per
cent on the full value of property.
Notwithstanding these outrageous
abuses the Pilot has persisfently refused
to publish the manly and well timed
speech of the colored Congressman,
pointing them out and committing his
people to the good work of reforming
them. Claiming to be the colored mems
champion, it has withheld praise where
it is most due. For our part, if Elliott
would stand to these pledges and bring
his black cohorts to their support, if we
were in South Carolina, we would hold
up his hand, colored though it be, until
the last one of the vampires had been
starved out of existence