The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-01-15
.wsrshy Of Csna,asras,oa.

Worthy es Csna,asEasiea s-e;;:.,
r. MR. EDITOR: Il is conceded by oil
citizens. "withort distinction Of race
and coior.''' excepting those only who
have their hands in the public crib, and
whose seli-intsrest ID to anpport the pre-.
sent condition OF Affairs in South Caro.
limo, that some action must be taken to
relieve the people from the high taxa
tion imposed, which. If continued. must
reault'in the ruiz and confisoation OF the
entire property of the taxpayers. A
tax payers convention is now The pro
posed remedy, and might accomplish
mnch if controlled by meu who have
| not, by their former acts, made them
selves consp;cuously opposed to the
! General Government of tho United
States. Tho Tax. Payers Convention,
at its former meeting, vas controlled by
that class OF our citizens, who. during
"the late unplensantuess," wicl,led the
entire power OF the State against the
Uuited States. Some Of thcm have
been instrumental in promoting and
bringing about that disastrous civil war
| which has prosiratcd the Southern
States generally, and South Carolinu
particularly, under the grasp of u horde
! OF rapacious adventurers, who exhibit
with blazen sHrontery their iil-gottep
gains, in splendid equipagcs. in the
faces Of robbed and ruined people.
That the Ta1-Payers' Convention is
controlled by the class Of our citizens
alluded to, is evident from the Exccu-
tive Committee appointed at the last
meeting OF the Tax. Payers Con genlon
Eighteen in number, exclusive OF tho
President. two-thirds or threo-fourths
of whom are we'll known in Republican
circles as ''sore heads" nnd whose
names will be drag on any effort to re-
lieve US.
Now, Mr.. Editor, while | admit the
high character Of tho gentlemen alluded
to, their purity, their good motives in
leading us in the present movement,
yet l question the expedency Of their
being in the foreground, asking either
rights or favors from Congress. Com
mencing with the gentleman who, ut
the commencement of secession, pro-
missed to drink every drop OF blood
spilled in any war which might take
place between the North and the South,
.tAe record IS against The leaders of tho
Tag Payers Contention, and sciH fail to
procure The desired relief" These leaders
are sccessionists. They are opposed to
the fourteenth amendment; opposed to
the fifteenth amendment; opposed to
the reconstruction laws of the United
States: nsed their influence to prevent
tho white citizens of the State from ac-
ceptlng the situation, and from accept
ing any position under the re-orgauizod
State Government of South Carolina.
Their advice and influence in the past
has been disastrous to the taxpayers of
South Carolina. Their leadership in he
future aoiN be Wauailiug for good. So,
too, Mr.. Editor, the call of your corros-
pondent to the native members of the
bar for mass meeting of the citizens OF
Richland County, acM fail to 10 any
gooa, because the native members of the
bar alluded to will find their record in
Washington against them. The former
lenders in South Carolina, who from the
Court Houses in each County led and
directed public sentiment, have ceased
to possess influence to direct it in the
future. The people have learned by the
past what such influences have brought
them to, and have learned to speak aud
utter their views regardless Of .ohom il
{'-S'NcNo
lesson they should have remembered, ii
is on this particular point
Now, Mr.. Editor, the question arises,
wha: ahall be done in the present exi
gency? To my mind. the better plau is
for every member of the convection to
resign, or to have their commissions, il
| may 80 speak. rerohed Let new rep
resentatives be elected, on whose past
record no aaw Of leadership can be de-
tected, take the lead in this movement,
ana sMccess is ceytuin. The gentlemen
who have taken tho lead in tho past
Tax-Payers' Convention should grucc-
fully retro from the foreground, from
the leadership, and entrust it in the
hands of those more Hksly IL uchieye suc.
cess. Such action on their part wouli
in the highest dcgreo be- ''poh'iotic."
TAN PAYER
HE WASHINGTON MISUNDERSTANDING
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