The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-05-07
The Congressional Report on South Car
olina affairs.

CoSAOuoA AhSkoA = oA~ SS~-~A~ S~-N
olina affairs.
We append herewith the report of the House
Judiciary Committee on affairs in South Caro-
Lima, recommending that the petition for Con-
uressional interference be denied:
WASHINGTON, April %.
MIR. Tremain, of the subcommittee of the
House judiciary committee, presented to-day
to the full committee report on the memorial
of the Taxpayers Convention of South Carroll
ma, asking for relief against the alleged mis-
government in that State.
The report was adopted by majority of
that committee.
The committee say they cannot resist the
conclusion that the extraordinary condition of
the people of South Carolina is owing in a
great degree to the extraordinary events that
have occurred and the great changes that have
been produced within the last few years, for
which her present citizens or the majority
thereof are not properly responsible and which
are beyond the reach and control of Congress.
The committee refer, in this connection, to
the late civil war and to the organic changes
in the constitution of the United States, not
for the purpose Of re-opening the wounds caused
by that war, but because it is the duty of
statesmen who.are invalid to apply a remedy
to existing alleged wrongs to ascertain the na-
ture, extent and origin Of those wrongs.
The result of the war was the destruction o.
slavery and the loss to the shareholders of that
State of two hundred and fifty millions of
property invested in slaves Then came the
thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments to the constitution, whereby the emanci-
butes of citizenship, and invested with the
right Of suffrage. The freedmen now consti-
tuse majority of the people there, and politi-
cal power has been transferred from their
former masters to those who, while in state
of slavery, were denied all participation in the
rights and privileges of American citizenship.
Whatever evils may arise from political
power in the hand of the freedmen, the re.
sponsibility therefor rests not with them, but
with the people of the United States, they
having adopted the amendments, and they
alone having the power to change the consti-
tuition.
In the Judgment of the committee the real
grievances of the memorialists and those whom
they represent relate to these changes in the
constitution. The colored voters of South
Carolina are about 90 900 and the white voters
10000. Congress has no constitutional power
10 grant the relief which is asked by the peti
tioners, in the opinion of the committee. AL
though this objection was presented and fully
discussed, the proposition was not controverteo
bhat Congress could not intervene in this case
unless the power to act was conferred by some
express grant in the constitution, or was neces
sary to carry into execution some power tha
was conferred. The committee say that they
are not able to discover the force of the claim
made by the petitioners, that they are suffering
from the nti-Republcan and odious oppres
sion of system of taxation without represen
tation. and that Congress has no more right tt
interfere to disturb the State government O
South Carolina, or to invade the rights of the
neople. than to interfere with the States O
New York, Pennsylvania or Illinois. Thu
committee further answer the arguments o
the memorialists and say they are fully sensi
Bile of the delicacy and the Importance of th'
matters presented for their considerations
They would not withhold any constitutions
aid which can be extended to the lives, liber
ties and property of any citizens, but they arr
unwilling to usurp unauthorized authority tx
accomplish such results
The committee say they have confidence il
the final success Of the great changes that have
been wrought in favor of the African race il
this country from the intelligence and capacit,
exhibited by their representatives in Congress
and by those who appeared before the commit
tee. They feel assured they can, if they will
establish their rights to the confidence of th'
country. 1t is hoped that with the advantage
afforded now Of education, and with the eager
ness they display to avail themselves of it
benefits, they will be found fully equal to tht
dignity and duties of their newly acquired
citizenship. 1t is believed that by the mutua
interchange of kind and friendly intercourse
and by employment of all these means which
are found sufficient in other States, existing
evils in the administration of the affairs o.
South Carolina may be remedied by the people
themselves The committee, therefore, report
q resolution that the prayer of the memorial.
;sts he denied. and the committee DISCHARGED