The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-31
The south Carolina Tax-Payers In tho
'f-s Whltc House.

| -0Ehes escorreepOndent0 Of tue Cnstteston
News5and Codrier fusnishes the follow
ing sstatement of the reception oi the
South Carolina Tax.PayetsF Committed
in Washington: + AZ. a Z 4
The delegation is full one, consist
ing of the following members present:
From Tax Payers' Convention-Messrs.
w. D. Porter, Henry Gourdin. j. l..
Manning, M. L. Bonham, J. Is. Ker-
shaw, J. II. Screven, Al. @. Butler, 9.
w. Dudley. W. e. Holoombe, L. W.
Woodward. 3. q. Rutledge, 9. 81. ST.
honton, Wm. Elliott, J. A. Hoyt, j. q.
Thompson and T. Y. Simons. Charles
ton Chamber OF Commerce-Presidon
s. Y. Tupper and Messrs. r. Lnthers,
james Simone. VIM. Aiken, L. u. De-
Saussure and Z. II. Frost.
Or Thursday. most Of tho delegates
betook themselves to the Capitol, aud
! ior several hours occupied one Of tue
gorgeously frescoed reception rooms ad-
jacent to the Senate chamber. Here
they were met by Senators Gordon and
Robertson, who manifested erent in
terest in the objects OF their mission,
and who introduced successively to the
delegation such of their brother-Se-
na.ors as could spare half IN hour from
the business of the Senate. In this way
the delegates met and had q pleasant
talk with quite number of leading
Northern Senators, including Carpen-
ter, of Wisconsin, Thurman, of Ohio,
Pratt, of Indiana, and Logan, of Illi-
nois.
At 3 P. NJ, the entire delegation
called by appointment on Secretary
Fish, at his residence. The Secretary,
who had been unwelI, and had risen
from bed to receive them. greeted them
with marked courtesy. After some time
spent>in pleasant social converse, the
delegates arose to take their leave, when
the Secretary expressed formally his
warm interest in their grievances, and
his hope that somo constitutional means
OF affordiug them relief might be de.
vised.
Punctually at IL o'clock, this morn
ing. the delegation proceeded to the
White House. where they were ushered
into the Presidents room. After ench
of their number had shaken hands with
Gen. Grant, they ranged around the long
table, at the head of which the President
stood, resting his hand upon chair.
Hon. w. D. Porter then, in that calm
but dignifed and impressive manner for
which he is so eminent among the pub.
lie men of South Carolina, addressed
the President as follows:
MIR PRESIDENT: We are delegates from
the Taxpayers Convention of South
Carolina and are charged with mission
to the authorities ut Washington. to lay
before them great public grievance
under which our people arc laboriug,
and to invoke tue sympathy and aid of
the Federal Government to afford us the
relief which we have not been ablo to
procure for ourselves. We know the
power, moral and political, OF this Go.
vernment, aud believe that it eau, if it
will, redress our grievances. It il diff.
cult, in the few minutes that We feel ut
liberty to trespass upon your time, to
make an adequate presentation Of the
pitiable condition in which South Caro-
lima is placed. 10 give you any concep
ton Of it, it is necessary to state her
condition ut the close Of tho War. No
oEe knows better chan yourself, Mr..
President, the exhaustive PROCESSES of
tho war upon our State. Her people,
with u sincere belief that the enterprise
in which they embarked involved their
domestic peace and safety, AMI with an
uncalculating devotion to their canse.
staked their all npon the issue. aud lost
their III. The single act Of emuncipa.
ton struck out Of existence Sl20 600, 900
of their property value. Their moneys,
their bills, their securities, State and
Federal, persisted on their hands. They
had lands, without labor or money to
hire labor; they had houses or cabins.
but without provisions 10 satisfy the
hungry cravings of men, women and
children. If ever there was u people
upon whom the hand of taxation should
have been laid lightly and gently, it was
tho pcopio OF South Carolina at tho end
Of the war. II ever there was q people
whose condition wos IL protcs. and re-
monstrance against the hearticis and
grinding cXactions Of tho tax gathcrcr,
it was that stricken people.
The reconstruction measures placed
South Carolina in IN anomalous posi-.
ton. It doubled her citizenship aud
her suffrage. We are not hero to ask
any change or modification in this re-
spect. We know that this matter has
been placed upon the basis of the fund
amcntal law by constitutional amend
ments; and that, whether wise or un-
wise. we can expect no alteration Of it.
But there are some incidents and results
~