The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-03-04
MEETING OF TAXPAYERS.

held in the Court House on Monday
last to receive the report of the dele
gates to tho Taxpayers Convention
motion of Hon. Armistead Burt,
Hon. T. G.. Perrin was called to the
chair, and W. A. Lee and J. c. Hcmp'
hill requested to act as secretaries.
Mr.. F. A. Connor, ono Of the dele
gates, was first called upon, and re-
sponded in an earnest and interesting
exposition Of the action of the late
Convention. Ho said that tho Con.
vcntion called for the same purpose
three years ago was thought by many
10 havo failed, but according to the
statement of President Porter, its
defeat of the Funding Bill was enough
in itself to vindicate it from such q
charge. To judge of the spirit OF
the late Convention, it was necessary
to have been present. Some hasty
and ill-advised utteranccs were made,
as might have been expected, but the
action of the Convention was calm,
temperate and dignifcd. 1t met
without distinction of party or race,
neither as Democratic or Republican,
white or colorcd, to deliberate upon
the best means Of rcscuing the State
from ruin. A committee had been
appointed to memorabilia Congress,
and the memorial which. had been
prepared by that committee and sub
mittcd by the honorable chairman of
tho Abbcvillc delegation, hc charac-
terizcd as calm, temperate and digni-
fed and as conclusive in it's statements.
A committee had been appointed to
address the people Of tho State, and
their able address and resolutions in
vokcd earnest effort and thorough
organization in the several Counties.
In this matter the colorcd people
were equally interested with the
whites, and needed only TO be in
formed to cooperate heartily. A
committed on Immigration had been
and this committee in
their report recommended the ap-
pointmcnt of State and County Com
rs well as the establish
ment of New York Agency. The
subject was ono so much at tic heart
of the people that it required no ar
gumcnt to enforce its claims. A
committee had also been appointed to
memorabilia the Legislature to amend
tho tax laws, and q memorial had
been sent up. The Convention had
counsclcd no violence, and in this its
action met with the hearty endorse
mcnt of the speaker. lie hoped that
pcaccable rcmonstrancc would have
the desired effect. He was listened
to with much attention, and was
heartily applaude ,.
The Hon. Armistcad Burt, the
chairman of the delegation, next ad-
dressed the meeting with his accus-
toned force and cloqucnce, giving a.
very interesting review Of the action
Of the Convention, and presenting a
very hopeful prophecy as to the re-
suits of its action. The Convention
1T the outset of it's deliberations dis
claimed any political interference
whotcycr. The U. S. Government was
FULLY recognized BY it, and the State
as established by the
Of 1868. 1t was our
duty to obey, and we had no design
to attempt a change in the civil and
political rights which were guaran-
ICED by the Reconstruction Acts and
he Constitution of 1868. Our pur-
pose was to reform, not to destroy,
and it was to the interest Of our pco-
pie, both whiteand colored, to unite
IN the effort to secure relief from op-
oressivc taxation. Tho bittercst de-
,unciation Of the evil Of Republican
'ule in the State comes from Rcpubli-
,an papers, and the colored people
should know it. lie quotcd from the
JnioaHerald and othcr Republican
ournals i'll support Of these state
nents. lie advcrtcd TO tho fact that
he payment Of the tax is always re.
uired before the abatement will be
and compared it to hang
ng before trial. The credit Of tho
tate was gone, and in spite Of heavy
axation and its onerous penalties,
he money was swallowed up in the
scrbenian bog" of Radical rapacity,
,aving tho honest creditors CT the
tate unpaid. Lands to the amount
f several hundred thousand acres
'crc sold. but in quantities too large
or poor man to buy. The counter
memorial admitted the principal
tatcmcnts and charges Of the Tax
ayers memorial, but. only excepted
D the aggregate amount Of the sums
harged 10 have been taken. Being
hargcd with grand larceny, tho Re, s