The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-05-14

patronizas dishonest cEIicials, is ut tie
bottom of all the wretchcdness, sorrow
aud loss of life aud property which
have been visited upon the unhappy
people of tue Mississippi Valley. 1t is
corruption which has made of tho fer
tilizing and beneicent Father OF wa.
ters deraon Of widespread and merci.
less destruction.
Minority Report the Wrongs of
South Carolina.
We present below the text o{ tho
musterly auG statesman. like report Of
the minority of the Judiciary Com
mitteo, emitting some quotations from
speeches Of Elliott, from repcr. o:
the Legislative joint special com nittce,
written by Whittemore. aud made in
1870-71. and from MIR. Pixies Book,
"The Prostrate State" strong Radical
testimony. to the existing corruption.
but already sufficiently familiar to our
readers.
The peculiarly anomalous state of
things in South Carolina, and its de-
parture from republican form Of 60
vernmeut, properly understood. is well
shown in the passage below:
Wise men, statesmen in their SEN
sltlveness III regard to the reserved
rights of the States and their dread of
Capitalization OF power in tho Federal
Government, are disposed to hesitate
at the suggestion of the right of inter-
venslon III any new CASE. It is no ren-
son, however, that power existing in
the Constitution and not heretofore
called into requisition should not be
exercised when the occasion demands
it. The condition of South Carolina
is anomalous. It presents the first in-
stances in the history of this country,
il not of the world, when those WHO
pay the taxes have no voice in their
imposition, and those who impose
them bear none of the burdens Of
taxation. It is no: tho case stated by
the majority of the committee, that
''the acts OF which the petitioners
complain are lawful aots" We would
not contend that legislative taxation,
however bnrdeneome. would be cause
for Intervention. We do not deny
TINT taxation for lawful purposes, even
10 the great burden or ruin of somo of
the people, is sovereign right which
the State has "plenary power to ex-
ercise." But the complaint of the
memorinliste is that the rulers of the
people OF South Carolina have usurped
the power to tax the property owners,
not for Legislative purposes. not for the
support of the government of the
Suite, but for the purpose of impo-
yerishing the taxpayers and enriching
themselyes-for the purpose of tax.
ing the white man down to the level of
the negro" The usurpcrs, under pre-
tence Of the tuxing power, are enden-
voring TO distribute the property of
Tho owners amongst thoso WHO hnve
none. And the question is presented
whether this IS not IN usurpatiun by
the rulers OF the State. against which
tho guarantee was intended to protect.
Let it be understood that it is not Il
mere abuse Of the taxing power of
which they complain; it is an utter
pervers:on Of the power from all tho
Legitimate ohj ects aud purposes of tx.
form of government in S.nte where
it il done, one Of the main objects Of
government being tha protection Of
tho property of the citiZon and the
citjzan i'll the enjoyment Of his pro-
perty2 Is that republican govern
ment in which it is not done?
10 guarantee u republican fofm OF
government, must mean more than the
guarantee Of mere forin, the outline,
frame work, constitution and ordinary
officials of republic. II only this is
meant in the guarantee, then it will be
conceded that South Carolina does not
require and cannot ask exercise of the
guarantee power. In the judgment of
the undersigned, it oontempiates and
should require republican govern.
ment in spirit and in fact-a govern
ment in which the life, liberty and pro.
perty Of all the citizens havo just md
equal protection. Without those es-
sentials, the government, whatever it's
form and however liberal aud just the
provisions of its constitution, is not a
republican government within the
meaning and proper Interpretation of
the guarantee clause. But it is said