New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-04-16
Reply TO tf.e Memorial: Oh sile 'Tax-
pave Convention.

To the Honorable tie .Sg'die anil iopsr If Zen.
resentatices ofMe tnitcd Suites:
Certain citizens Of South Carolina, stvlina
themselves The Taxpayers Convention, -
have memorializel your honorable bodies to
grant them relief from unjust burdens and
expressions, alleged by them to have been
imposed by the Republican State govern
mcnt we, the undersigned, members of the
State Central Committee of the Union Re-
publican party Of South Carolina, beg leave
most respectfully to submit to your honora-
bic bodies the following counter statement
and reply:
The memorialists Of the TAXPAYERS Con-
vention state THAT upon the reconstruction
OF the State government it
was intended by Congress that
they would become partakers of the rights
enjoyed by citizens of the United States and
other State governments
The memOrialists have only themselves to
blame that the intention of Congress in this
respect was not carried out. The Republi-
cans Of this State earnestly invited them at
that time to aid by their Intelligence and
experience in the work of reconstruction, but
they contemptuously declined, assigning the
same reasons that were afterwards given BY
General Wade Hampton, in the Democratic
National Convention Of lSGS--that the re-
construction acts were unconstitutional, null
and void. They then relied upon the promise
OF General Blair, the Democratic candidate
for Vice President, that he would oyertum
them with the sword.
The statement that "the annual expenses
Of the government have advanced from four
hundred thousand dollars before the war to
two millions and half at the present time"
is entirely Incorrect, aud the items of eXpen-
Ill n yrat al,
statement are wholly inaccurate ana untrue.
and skilltuily selected to deceive.
The year lS65-G6 Is given in such a man
ner as to convey the impression that the
expenditures under its head are for two wears.
especially when 1873 only is given at the
head Of the other column, so as to show that
it is unquestiOnably for one year. Why was
not lS72-73 given to correspond with 1865
&C?
In the next place, the appropriations and
expenditures OF lSGj-G6, under the provi.
siOnal government established by eX-Presi-
dent Johnson, are no criterion whatever of
the regular annual expenses of this State
government before the war. That was the
year Immediately after the war; when there
was an unsettled and chaotic condition of
things, and the expenses of the State gov
eminent were, therefore, exceedingly light.
The presence and supervision of the military
also relieved the State of q large portion of
her usual regular expenses.
The items OF expenditures given for 1873
are totally and wholly Incorrect The period
alluded to is evidently the fiscal year begin.
ming November l, 1872, and ending Octo
81, 1873 AT the beginning of that fiscal
year, the present administration came into
power. The previous administration left
debts of two or three previous years, amount
ing to one million two hundred and thirty
three thousand nine hundred and ninety-six
dollars Isl, 233,99G,) which the present ad-
had to provide for, in addition
to their own regular annual expenses. These
annual expenses during the fiscal year above
referred to were, as shown by the appropria-
tions, one million one hundred and eighty
four thousand three hundred and sixty-six
dollars, Isl, 1874 1861 which, with the def
ciencies of 81 ,233 1896, made a sum of g.
ilS,S72, which the present administration
was called upon to pay during the fiscal year
1928. OF this amount, ST ,7I9, 1887 was
paid, leaving balance of 5000, l43 60 I'M
paid.
We present true statement of the appro-
9riation Of the fiscal year before the war,