The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-01-28

hesitste to meet it in this exceptional
Case
| We copy the following very remarka.
BILE article from the Port Royal Com.
n,ercial, Republican paper. Surely
those Of our people who fold their
hands aud say the cause of the country
is hopeless and advise acquiescence in
the most intolerable evils, may learn q
useful lesson from this Republican jour.
nal. The movement of the people
against official corruption is striking its
roots deep in tho public conscience. It
commends itself to oil classes, ire.
spective of party politics. color or creed
AN ORGANIZATION OF TAXPAYERS. -
On the 18th of next month, tax-pay-
ers convention will meet in Columbia.
A great responsibility will rest upon
that body. If its members meet to in
dulge in TRADES like that delivered in
Georgia by Toombs; if they meet to pass
few windy resolutions and then ad-
journ into apathy again; if they feel too
discouraged, too poor, too lazy to en-
gage in a hearty campaign against
Official corruption and official insolenoe,
their meeting will bs O serious damage
to the Cause Of good government. The
effect Of cold or inefficient convention
will be to give renewed confidence to
tho cunning rogues who divide the revo-
MUGS Of the State among themselves.
Those who are now members of the
convention ought to be cutting out tho
work to be done. or the first impor-
tance is q plan OF organization. We
suggest something like tho following:
(, Let the convention resolve itself into
leag1o; let it's members be authorized
to .orm subordinate leagues in their re-
spective Counties-any thirty tax-pay-
ers on real estate to constitute eubor-
dinate league. The basis of these
leagues should be pledge, to be signed
by every member, aolemnly pledging
himself not to pay any State tax until
he has been released from the promise
by the central leauge; and further, that
he will not buy any property sold for
taxes at a tax sale, and that he will uso
all lawful means to convince those not
members that it is ihexpedient for them
to pay taxes or buy at tax saies. ALI
this should be done openly. No oaths,
grips, signs or passwords. Each man
should be made to feel that he ia en-
gagged in patriotic effort to free him
self and his State from horde of despi-
cable tyrants. It should he made so
universal that it would be dishonorable
and shameful not to have taken the
pledge.
II even one.half of the real estate
~ <G 0k~A> l.
to sign such q pledge as that, it would
be enough. The moral influence would
do the work with the rest. There would
be no rush to pay taxes, even among
the inert, the cowardly and the un-
friendly; for oven the man who has
gained fortune by stealing in Colum-
bia does not like to pay taxes any better
than the honest toiler. When the Trea-
surer advertised the delinquent list, in
stead Of lis embracing, as it now does.
only tho widow. the orphan, the embar-
rassed. tho ignorant and the careless,
it would show every real estate owner in
the County. When the day of sale
comes, let all be present. Tho most
shameless appointee of shameless nd
mini8tration would quail before suoh an
assemblage, and the heartless speculator
who should feel inclined to buy pro.
perty at that sale. would come to the
conclusion that the climate was unsuita-
BILE to his constitution. The delinquent
land would probably be bid in by the
State. and no taxes could be again as.
sessed upon it. In the face of such q
determined people, the robbers would
"fold their tents like the Arabs, and as
silently steal away
Unless some plan of tho kind is adopt
ed to prevent the annual filing of the
Golfers in Columbia, no reform is posi-
Bile. AS long as two millions year arc
sent there by the Taxpayers to be d.
vided, the same parties will be on hand
to tnke it. County and municipal taxes
might be paid. The proper expenditure
OF these Gun bo watched, and in a great
measure controlled, aud tho continuance
OF the functions of local government is
necessary to secure our comfort and the
good order of the community. But the
State Government is simply nuisance.
1t would be blessing if it ceased.
Tho Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel, of
January II. 1874, says:
A WONDERFUL CUHE.-Yestcrday
1~l. At