The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-06-25
An Urgent Appeal to the People of the
State

An Urgent Appeal TO- to the People of the
The Executive Committee of the Taxpayers
Convention, at their late meeting in Charles
ton, adopted and ordered to be published an
address to the people of the State, and form
of constitution for the Tax Unions. The adj
dress is as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS: The Executive Commit
tee Of the Taxpayers Convention, in pursu-
ance of the duty with which they were charged,
herewith present to you plan for the organi-
zation of the Tax Unions throughout the State.
The object of this organization is to put lrto
effective operation all lawful means within our
reach for the re- establishment of an honest and
economical administration of government IN
South Carolina.
The committee do not deem it necessary to
argue with you upon the urgency of the occa-
sion, or the necessity of reform. The burdens
to which we are subjected are greater than we
can bear, and the proof is to be found in the
fact that the houses and lands of the proprie-
tary class are being forfeited to the State, in
quantity and number without a parallel, from
sheer inability to pay the taxes. There can be
no stronger or more distressing proof of op-
preston than the systematic confscation by
the government of the property of the citizen
for payment of dues too excessive to be
borue But when the moneys, extorted from
the people under color Of law, are also syste-
matcally and shamelessly squandered, plum
dered aud stolen, another and more grievous
wrong is added to the catalogue Of enOrmities,
and the very acme of the most vulgar form OF
despotic rule is reached. Such government
forfeits all title to the name, and is no better
than organized spoilation and robbery. 1t
would be slander and a stigma upon you to
suppose that you will suffer this state of things,
so destructive and ignominious, to continue,
without exhausting every possible human effort
to put an end to 1t.
Your history, your traditions and your per-
sonal manhood forbid it, there is no need OF
reasoning about it-if you be true to yourselves,
your instincts will all impel you in this direc-
tion; nor can you hope to redeem yourselves,
without helping yourselves. Self-help will
bring you all other help. We cannot believe
that there are not good men enough of all par
ties in the State to rescue the government from
the men that are bringing ruin and disgrace
upon you, and to restore it to something OF its
former responsibility. To this end activity, real
earnest purpose, devotion to the cause and
thorough organization are necessary. The lax
Unions will furnish the form of organization,
but you must breathe into it the breath of life,
and make it living, active, efficient and per
vading instrumentality for good. Especially
should our young men devote themselves to this
work. The future, its hope and destinies, are
all theirs. If they do not try to shape it, there
will be untold miseries in reserve for them-not
only ruin, but shame and remorse, sure and
perhaps too late. 1t is upon them that the
blame will rest, for it is now their time to come
to the front in this struggle under the law, as
before they came to the front in the more dread
full issue of war; The same spirit and courage
that stood them in stead then, will stand them
in stead now. Their cause will enlist the SYM
pathies of all good men throughout the country.
TO put dishonesty to flight, to purge corruption,
to rescue the good commonwealth from the
hands of those who have made her name by
word and reproach everywhere, is work we'll
worthy of an earnest, concerted and perseverlng
effort: and if it be undertaken in the proper
spirit, and with zeal and energy proportloned
to the exigencies in Which we are placed, it
must and will be successful.
In conclusion we beg to commend to your
earnest, sober and faithful consideration these
words Of wise, patriotic counsel, from the ad-
dress of their convention to the people OF South
Carolina "Let the honest and well meaning
citizens, one by cne, be brought into the lax
| IayerS' Union, anu ulduC W WOih IOl VIC 0duoo
of good government until the State is redeemed.
Tie ecldt that attends the clash of arms is
wanting to such struggle, but no cause can
be more worthy of the earnest, faithful and pa
ticnt labor of one who loves his people and his
State. A triumph like this is not to be won
by single decisive battle, nor, it may be-, by
many tolsome compaigns, but patient endur-
ing and honest work, sooner or later, will bring
victory to your standards. No laurel wreaths
may crown the vctor's brow but ransomed
and redeemed Carolina, free, prosperous and
happy people, will attest to future generations
that worthy ofy your ancestry, and true as they
to duty and honor, you have taken up the
fight in the darkest hour of adversely, and
faithfully and successfully fought it out to
victory. We conure you, then, at once to or
ganize, compact and work up the Tax Payers
Union, until you anchor the State safe in the
harbor of assured peace and prosperity"
JAMES CIESNUT,
Chairman Executive Committee Taxpayers
Convention.
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