The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-01-23
COLUMBIA, S. C.
Friday Morning. January 23. 1874.

Friday Morning. January rs. 1874.
Tho Action OF tho People OF Marion.
Marion still keeps in the lead in sus
tanning the great issue which is being
made by the property holders OF the
State, on the one hand, with those
whom peculiar circumstances have
PLACED in control of its government. on
the other. On the 18th inst, large
meeting was held at the Court House Of
that County, at which most important
aud serious action was taken. The
resolutions are we'll conceived, go to the
core of the difficulties which effliot the
country, and indicate thorough, eff.
cient and peaceful line of action for
their removal and cure. The proceed
ings Of the meeting are long, and the
facts charged of excessive assessments
and heavy increase OF taxes well sus-
tanned by referenoe and extracts from
the tax books and by the receipts of in
dividual taxpayers. We will endeavor,
briefly, to give the substance of the &C.
ton taken. The preamble reoounts the
grievance Of onerons aud oppressive
taxation, brought about chiefly by nm
just and arbitrary assessment of pro-
perty, made without reference to it's
true value, and in utter disregard of the
Constitution and statute laws regulating
the valuation thereof. In largo pro-
portion of cases. it is said that the in
crease over the previous assessment is
from one to four hundred per cent. In
the first resolution, earnest protest is
entered against the unwarrantable, un-
lawful aud enormous assessments Of
property by the County officials acting
as Board of Equalization. Tue second
avows it as first duty" to resort to
and exhaust all lawful remedies that
may be- guaranteed and afforded for the
protection of rights. We give the next
resolution entire. It fully sustains the
view of the matter OF which it treats,
as given by Us. some days ago, in our
columns:
''Resolred, That, in view OF the proyi-
sions of the law recognizing the right
of any person or persons complaining
CT illegal assessments of their property,
and of taxes erroneously and illegally
charged to them, to make complaint
thereof, and have the same corrected,
we protest against the condition insisted
upon by the Comptroller General in his
circular Of instructions to the several
County Auditors, requiring that, before
s1S -okn pnh
neous and illegal assessment and taxa
paid in full by the applicant to the
trary to law; and for the reason, espe-
cialIy, thst, in many cases, auoh a con-
dition would be practical denial of the
right of the taxpayer to the relief con-
templated and intended by the statute
in suoh case made and provided, We
earnestly and respectfully request that
the Comptroller. General reconsider his
instructions in this regard; and that the
complaints OF aggrieved taxpayers be
received and acted upon without the un-
just aud pIohibitofy requirement re-
ferred to-" ~ = M
A committee of Eve, consisting of
Messrs. A. J. Shaw, A. Q. MoDuffie, w.
W. Sellers, J. M. johnson and T. @.
Moody, was appointed to memorialize
the Legislature, and set forth before it
the grievances, the illegal, arbitrary and
erroneous assessments, and the further
fact that the Comptroller General has
deolinod to receive or entertain any
application for redress, unless the taxes
charged against the applicant, however
erroneous or unjust, shall have been
previously paid in full to the County
Treasurer. They respectfully pray that
the taxes to be collected under the late
Act of the General Assembly, may be
ordered to be levied upon the previous
assessments; that provision be made for
the receiving and hearing of applica-
tions of persons who complain of erro-
neous and illegal assessments and taxa
ton. without the prepayment by the
applicanta of the taxes charged against
them; and that in consideration of the
monetary troubles OF the country, the
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